What is Male Pattern Baldness?
It is a genetic condition in men inherited from either parent. For men experiencing male hair loss of this type, the genetically affected hair follicles are susceptible to a byproduct of testosterone called Dihydrotestosterone or DHT which causes the hair follicle to shed the normal hair and produce thinner, shorter, and colorless hair. For men experiencing male pattern baldness, peach fuzz hair makes the scalp look thinner. Overtime the miniaturized hair follicles atrophy and die causing permanent hair loss in men. In the balding areas there is no peach fuzz hair and the scalp looks tight and shiny. Baldness is an irreversible condition. Once the hair follicle has atrophied it is gone forever. This would be similar to loosing any other body part and since we are not able to reproduce our body parts there is no male hair loss product or remedy that can force the body to produce a new hair follicle.
Hair Loss Prevention and Treatment
The good news is that male pattern hair loss can be prevented if treated early. Not only further hair loss and miniaturization is preventable, the hair loss process can also be reversed from 1 to 5 years by transforming the miniaturized hairs back to normal hairs. This process is also called Hair Regrowth although one can not technically regrow any hair but reverse the miniaturization process.
Growth Stimulants
The first hair loss treatment approved by FDA in the United States was Minoxidil marketed as Rogaine in US and Regain in Europe. Minoxidil is a hair growth product that specifically works on the hair follicles which have miniaturized due to female or male pattern baldness. Minoxidil forces the hair follicles to go into the growth phase. Although Minoxidil is a vasodilator its effects are not contributed to its ability to increase circulation and its exact mode of action remains unknown. Since Minoxidil does not inhibit DHT production most experts believe that it is not effective by itself as the DHT continues to undermine and damage the hair follicle.
DHT Inhibitors
Since the cause of hair loss in men and women is a genetic predisposition to the hormone DHT the reasonable hair loss treatment must include an anti-DHT aspect. Propecia (Finastride) is the first FDA approved medication that addressed DHT for hair loss treatment and male pattern baldness. Propecia is an oral medication that inhibits the function of 5-alpha reductase enzyme which converts Testosterone to DHT in various tissues of the body. More specifically Propecia inhibits the type II form of 5 alpha-reductase up to 70%. Propecia is only available by prescription and is not recommended for use by women. Propecia is a safe drug with less than 2% chance of side effect which may include decreased sex drive.