Male Pattern Baldness

A SURVIVAL GUIDE
By: Aurevoir Hairloss
Hair loss (alopecia) is one of the most common problems throughout the world, affecting nearly
one-third of the population. There could be many causes of hair loss, including diet,
medications, stress, age, genetics, and more. Though this condition is widespread, nobody
chooses to experience hair loss. Let's be real, we, men want to look good and feel good. And
definitely, a thinning hairline is something we rather not have.
When the hair fall starts, it not only affects your appearance, but also negatively impacts your
life, including relationships, confidence, and career. What most people may not realize is that
they have many choices, no matter how much hair they have lost.
With tons of information all over the internet about the myths, the facts, and the in-
betweeners regarding male pattern baldness, this e-book summarizes what you need to know
about it. Here we discuss everything about male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia,
different causes responsible for this condition, and tips and treatments that will help you
determine how to stop hair fall in men.

What is Male Pattern Baldness?

Androgenic Alopecia is a genetic condition characterized by the slow transformation of terminal
hairs into indeterminate, and eventually, vellus hairs. It is a common condition that affects both
men and women. In men, this form of hair loss is also called Male Pattern Baldness.
Usually, the hair starts to recede at the sides and over the head. It is followed by a bald patch in
the center of the scalp. The thinning sides and bald patches over the crown become larger in a
gradual manner and connects. This state leaves a patch at the front that eventually thins too.
Men, with this condition, are often left with hair around the back and sides of the scalp. In
some cases, this rim of hair also thins, and after some time, causes complete baldness.
This common hair loss condition typically occurs as a result of changing hormone levels over the
course of a man’s life, and especially in the later years. According to the US National Library of
Medicine (NLM), nearly 50% of all men over the age of 50 get affected by male pattern baldness
to some degree. However, the age the hair loss begins at usually varies. Some males even start
to lose their hair in their teens or early 20s. In general, the earlier it begins, the greater hair loss
it will be.
On the other hand, women experience a similar condition but in a different pattern. This type
of hair loss in women results in receding hair on the mid-frontal region of the scalp and is
normally less severe than it is in men. Usually, hair thinning in women is much more common
after menopause.
What Causes Male Pattern Baldness?
Almost everyone loses 50-100 hair a day. This number is quite normal and usually isn’t
noticeable as the new hair grows at the same time. Hair loss occurs when the new hair doesn’t
replace the hairs that have fallen out. A range of environmental and hormonal factors possibly
play a role in causing male pattern baldness. Though researchers are continuously studying the
factors contributing to this condition, many of those remain unconfirmed.
Research has found that this condition is caused by the genetically determined sensitivity of
your hair to androgenic hormones, such as dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Dihydrotestosterone
(DHT), a derivate of testosterone, is an androgen (male hormone) that is naturally produced by
our body. The hair on the temples and center of the scalp are most sensitive to DHT.
Scientists believe that DHT makes the hair follicles miniaturize over time, eventually producing
thinner and less dense hair. This hormone binds to the follicles which slow down the hair
growth and eventually stop them from producing cosmetically acceptable hair. Note that the
more sensitive your follicles are to DHT, the faster you’ll experience hair thinning and baldness.
Some other factors that contribute to male pattern baldness include:

• Age – Hair may thin as a result of the overall aging process. The longer your hair gets
exposed to DHT, the more you notice a significant hair loss. That is why male pattern
baldness is quite common in men when they enter their 40s or 50s.
• Family History of Hair Loss – This hair loss condition occurs in men who are genetically
predisposed to the sensitive effects of DHT. Researchers believe that male pattern
baldness can be inherited from either (maternal or paternal) side of the family.
• Medications and Supplements – Certain medications can cause hair loss, such as blood
thinners and those used for cancer, heart problems, depression, arthritis, birth control,
and blood pressure.
• Diet – Problems with your diet like the lack of iron and protein in your diet can cause
hair loss.
• Stressful Events – A physical or emotional shock causes the hair to fall out. However,
this type of hair loss is non-permanent.
• Radiation or Chemotherapy Treatments – Chemotherapies and radiation therapies can
cause hair loss which may not grow back the same as before.
• Scarring – Scars left after burns, surgeries, and accidents can prevent hair from growing.
• Hairstyles and Treatments – Keeping tight hairstyles most of the time like ponytails,
cornrows, or braids can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. Also, hot-oil
hair treatments can cause hair to fall out.
• Medical Conditions – Many diseases and health conditions can accompany hair loss,
including thyroid conditions, skin disorders, auto-immune diseases like lupus.
Frequency
Male pattern baldness is a frequent cause of hair loss in both men and women. This form of
androgenetic alopecia accounts for over 95% of hair loss in men. According to a survey by the
International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery done in 2014, about 35 million men in the
United States suffer from some kind of hair loss, whereas nearly 21 million women are affected
by the hair loss.
In 2014, nearly 320 million people were in the US, and at least 20% of them were in their 20s.
This indicates that at least 1 out of 5 Americans lose their hair, with men showing a greater
percentage of hair loss victims. The possibility that men experiences hair loss problems greatly
increases with age. When men reach the age of 35, almost 40% of them suffer from noticeable
hair loss. And this percentage even jumps to 65 as soon as they enter their 60s. This shows that
nearly half of men suffer from visible hair loss by their late 40s or early 50s.
Strangely, this percentage is even higher for women. Another survey suggests that nearly 40%
of women suffer from hair loss by the age of 40. As soon as they enter their 60s, nearly 80% of
them experience some visible hair loss.

Who Is At Risk?
Androgenic Alopecia is a kind of hair loss that occurs mostly in men. Nearly 50 million men in
the United States of America suffer from this kind of hair loss, which normally runs in families.
Below are a couple of factors that increase your risk of developing male pattern baldness.

• Genes - Hereditary condition plays a great role in causing hair loss problems. Men
having more first- and second-degree relatives with hair loss conditions are likely to lose
hair themselves. If any or both of your parent’s families have a history of hair loss, you
might be more likely to develop this condition at some point in your life. The hair
thinning gradually progresses into more visible baldness throughout the top of the scalp,
leaving a rim of hair that is also affected by DHT in some men.

• Hormones – Androgenic hormones also play a vital role in causing hair loss. Men with
the male pattern baldness condition may have hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT
(Dihydrotestosterone). Scientists explain that this androgen attaches itself to the
vulnerable follicles and makes them shrink. Over time, this makes difficult for hair to
grow and they become thinner. Eventually, the shrunken follicles cease the hair growth
cycle. Again, your sensitivity to DHT can be inherited from either of your parents. You
may experience this condition in your teens, but depending on the individual, it usually
happens when a person gets older.
What to Expect?
The most apparent symptom of male pattern baldness is hair loss that occurs in different
patterns, ranging from receding hairline to thinning crowns. Hair loss from male pattern
baldness typically occurs in a gradual manner. This process can last anywhere from some years
to several decades.
Receding Hairline
The majority of the men start to observe male pattern baldness as their hairline begins to
recede. This hair loss condition can form the M-shaped hairline, together with diminishing
corners and a forelock. Note that the pattern of receding hairline is different in every case. If
you are more likely to develop male pattern baldness, there are high chances of your entire
hairline to begin receding.
Thinning Crown
Not every man with this hair loss condition experiences a receding hairline. If you are likely to
develop male pattern baldness but don’t have a receding hairline, you might see the hair
around your crown getting thinner and falling out. As the hair loss around the crown can’t be
seen easily in the mirror, most men experiencing the thinning crown don’t notice any hair loss
until it has greatly progressed. You can simply check for this kind of hair loss either using a
handheld mirror or by asking someone to see it for you.
Diffuse Thinning
A kind of hair loss that impacts your entire scalp and causes hair thinning sans any apparent
effects on your hairline. Though diffuse thinning is rare than a receding hairline or thinning
crown, it is often an indication of male pattern baldness. You can notice diffuse thinning easily,
especially when your hair is wet, or you are standing under bright lighting that makes your scalp
much more visible.

How to Prevent Male Pattern Baldness?

Unfortunately, there is no defined way to prevent male pattern baldness if you have inherited
the genes responsible for this condition. But there are certainly some tips that can help men
who have started to witness their hairlines receding. Below are a few key pieces of information
you should keep in mind.

Do’s

Reduce Stress - Although this hair loss cause is still debatable, some theories included that
people develop this condition due to the increased levels of stress hormones in the human
body. So, you can relieve stress by practicing meditation, spending time with family and friends,
and listening to soothing music.
Choose Shampoos Wisely - When you are purchasing a shampoo, read its label. Many studies
have shown that anti-dandruff shampoos with ingredients like ketoconazole and piroctone
olamine can help to boost hair growth. Also, they positively impact the male pattern baldness.
Wash Your Hair Regularly – It is important to wash your hair on a regular basis. The DHT
hormone, responsible for hair thinning, can be discharged through grease or sebum. If it stays
on your scalp surface for a longer period, it can damage your hair follicles. So, keep lathering
and washing your hair regularly.
Keep Your Hair Short - If the hair on your crown has become thin, it is advisable to keep your
hair short or even go bald purposely by shaving your head.
Get Your Health Issues Treated - Treatment of underlying health conditions, such as anemia,
thyroid disease, and hormonal imbalances may also be useful in this case.
Protect Your Hair – Avoid sunlight and other sources of UV light. Also, don’t put much tension
on your hair from hairstyles that use a rubber band. You need to avoid harsh hair treatments as
well, such as hot rollers and hot-oil treatments.

Don’ts

Don’t Ignore Your Diet - Know that what you eat can affect your hairline. Experts say that
balding is partially genetically and age determined, but external factors like poor diet can also
negatively impact the hair cycle ratios. If you don’t cover all food groups or increase protein
intake, that will make the male pattern baldness start. Therefore, eating fruits, vegetables, and
food rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin B can help promote hair growth in some cases of
androgenic alopecia.
Don’t Use Hair Styling Products Overly - Many men use hair gels, pastes, and sprays to style
their hair, but little do they know these products can cause hair loss if used for longer periods.
Pastes or gels in dried form can cause flaky scalps. Then, irritation occurs and damages the
scalp, which affects hair growth as a result.
Avoid Excessive Rubbing – Vigorous rubbing can cause serious damage to your hair follicles.
Physical force can break off the thin hair, and emerging ones don’t even get a survival chance.
So, use a soft cloth and pat rather than rubbing the hair.
Avoid Hot Showers – While hot showers are good and energizing for us, they can damage the
scalp and hair. Hot showers should be avoided in winters as well.
Home Remedies
Your hair is your crowning glory, and it is absolutely okay to look for ways to improve your hair
growth if it isn’t up to your satisfaction. Hair loss influences your appearance and confidence.
You may feel helpless when seeing bald spots on your scalp, but the truth is there is so much
you can do to slow or even reverse your hair loss without any surgical treatments. If you want
to regrow the hair you have lost already or simply like to manage the effects of male pattern
baldness, try some of the following home remedies. Home remedies help treat some kinds of
hair loss. Their benefits can help boost hair growth and increase the current hair count. Below
are a few magical home remedies to treat hair loss:
Consume More Protein
Hair loss can occur due to the lack of protein in our diet. Our body needs protein to grow new,
healthy hair. However, a person’s daily protein needs may differ depending on how physically
active one is and how much muscle mass he has. Some examples of protein sources include:

• Nuts
• Lean Meat
• Eggs
• Beans
• Fish
Eat Iron-Rich Food
Another nutrient that the human body needs to grow healthy hair is iron. Here are a few iron
sources:

• Turkey
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Spinach
• Lentils
• Oyster
• Lean Beef
Massage Your Scalp
Massaging the scalp not only feels great, but it can help people with hair loss problems. People
who are looking to manage the effects of male pattern baldness can massage their scalp with
hair oils and masks. It helps stimulate the blood flow to the scalp and encourages hair growth
and thickness in the dermal papilla cells. Massaging can also aid in reducing tension and stress.
A Japanese study has shown that men who massaged their scalps for 4 minutes a day had
thicker hair after 6 months. You can use your fingertips to massage the scalp gently in circles.
Or you can massage your scalp using devices available in drug stores and online.
Go for Aromatherapy
Essential oils have been used to treat hair loss issues for more than centuries. Studies have also
shown that aromatherapy is quite a safe and effective treatment for male pattern baldness. It
can help to stimulate hair growth and add thickness to your hair. Some herbs that can be used
to promote hair growth include:

• Thyme
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Cedarwood
• Sandalwood
When using essential oils on the scalp, add only a few drops into the carrier oil like coconut or
almond oil. Even inhaling the scent of these essential oils may promote hair growth. As some
people may experience allergic reactions on using the essential oils, it is best to do a patch test
a day before you apply the oil on the entire scalp.
Use Pumpkinseed Oil
Daily oral consumption of pumpkin seed oil can help treat the hair loss problem. In 2014, a
study found that men, with a history of androgenic alopecia, who took 400mg of pumpkinseed
oil each day for 6 months experienced a 40% increase in the average hair count. This oil can
block testosterone from transforming into the compound named DHT, which is associated with
hair loss.
Take Saw Palmetto
Sometimes regarded as a hair growth wonder drug, this herbal remedy comes from the fruit of
a small palm tree. It is a plant with little berries that can boost hair growth in men suffering
from male pattern baldness. According to some studies, this plant can keep the male hormone
testosterone from breaking down, which can be useful in preventing hair loss. Though it is
unclear how well it actually works, the good part is researchers believe that it is safe, can be
consumed with other drugs, and doesn’t cost much money.
Apply Onion Juice
According to a study published by the Journal of Dermatology, onion juice supports hair growth
and controls hair loss, especially in cases of male pattern baldness. It is considered a natural
hair loss treatment as it contains a large amount of sulfur and vitamins B, C, and E. The sulfur
content is useful in improving blood circulation, promoting collagen growth, and treating scalp
infections.
Take Biotin
Biotin is one of the B-complex vitamins that assist our body in converting food into energy. This
vitamin is naturally found in foods like wheat germ, sweet potatoes, eggs, onions, nuts,
mushrooms, and oats. You can also take supplements containing biotin to improve your hair
growth.
Pour Green Tea Over Your Scalp
Green tea doesn’t only work wonders when you try to lose weight but, is also a purported
herbal remedy for hair loss. It contains the polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
that increases the growth of the dermal papilla cells. These compounds can also help in
preventing and treating androgenic alopecia. Pour cool green tea over your scalp, gently
massage your head, and rinse it with cool water.
Prepare The Egg Mask
This home remedy is widely used for fast and natural hair growth. Eggs are known for
containing high levels of proteins, which are useful in new hair formation. Moreover, eggs are
rich in iron, selenium, iodine, sulfur, zinc, and phosphorus. Apply a paste of one egg white
combined with honey and olive oil on your scalp and rinse it after 20 minutes to achieve
significant results.

Diagnosis of Male Pattern Baldness

To diagnose this hair loss condition, your doctor will examine the state of your hair and scalp
and take a complete medical history. The doctor might use a device named a densitometer to
see if you have lost a great amount of hair. Your doctor will view the smaller hair follicles and
take a look at the space between all follicles.
Many doctors classify the male pattern baldness using the Norwood Scale, which features
reference diagrams for different hair loss patterns, ranging from a receding hairline to complete
baldness. Your doctor will also ask questions like:

• Do you blow-dry or dye your hair often?

• Are you experiencing hair loss only on your scalp or other body parts also?
• Have you been under stress not long ago?
• Have you had any illness lately?
• Are you experiencing a receding hairline, bald spots on the crown, or hair loss
throughout the scalp?
• Do you have any habits like hair pulling out of nervousness?
• Do you experience redness or itching on your scalp?
• What medications do you take?
A couple of diagnostic tests that may be performed are as follows:

• Microscopic test of the plucked hair

 • Skin biopsy – This procedure is usually required if your hair loss is caused due to some
chemical or other factors.

Hair Transplantation Procedures

If you are having severe hair loss conditions and home remedies are what you don’t like to do,
you should consider getting a hair transplant surgery. Below are a couple of main methods that
are used to treat male pattern baldness. These surgical procedures work best if your hair loss is
advanced and you want to achieve a natural-looking hairline. Let’s have a look:
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) – Follicular Unit Transplantation is a classic hair transplant
method that restores the natural-looking hairline of people with hair loss issues. In this
technique, a strip of skin where there is an abundance of hair is removed, usually from the back
or sides of the scalp. The hair follicles are removed from the strip and inserted individually into
the recipient site. FUT is an invasive procedure and its downtime is longer, typically 3-4 weeks
post-surgery. It is a suitable method for people with large areas of baldness and who don’t
mind a long recovery period.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) – Follicular Unit Extraction is an advanced procedure of hair
transplant. With this method, the individual follicular grafts are removed from a hairy area and
inserted into the bald region using a special instrument. Unlike FUE, it doesn’t involve any
removal of the strip from the back of the scalp. FUE is an improved version of FUT since it
provides greater levels of success and delivers better results with the least downtime. It is ideal
for those with smaller regions of baldness and prefers less invasive methods.

Medications
If you are uncomfortable with your appearance, there are some medications available that can
help people with androgenic alopecia to get a fuller head of hair. Below are the two main PDA-
approved drugs that are used to treat male pattern baldness:
Minoxidil – Minoxidil, or Rogaine, is a topical medication that promotes hair growth. It was first
introduced as an antihypertensive medication, but some people noticed hair growth as a side
effect in areas with less hair. According to the research studies, this medication, when applied
directly to the scalp, could boost hair growth. To date, Rogaine is the mainstay treatment for
male pattern baldness and is also used for other hair loss conditions. It works by triggering your
hair follicles to go into the growth stage, increasing the blood circulation to your hair, and
assisting to provide essential nutrients to your follicles. The medication is available over the
counter and can be purchased without a prescription.
It is available as a 2% solution, 4% solution, extra-strong 5% solution, and a lotion. There are a
couple of side effects of Minoxidil. The main issue is you need to keep applying it one or two
times a day. If you stop, you’ll begin to lose hair again. Moreover, it is not particularly used for
baldness at the front of the scalp or receding hairline in men. You may also experience some
redness or itching. Rogaine is not a quick solution for hair loss, both in men and women. For
noticeable results, use the drug for at least a couple of months. The outcome often peaks at
nearly four months, but it could take longer from six to twelve months.
Finasteride – Finasteride (Propecia) is an FDA-approved oral medication used to slow hair loss
in men. It comes in a form of a pill and is used to treat male pattern baldness at the crown and
center of the head. Adult men experiencing androgenic hair loss should use Finasteride. This
medication is available only on prescription over the counter. It is a 5α Reductase type 2
inhibitor that works by lowering the amount of DHT which has been associated with hair loss in
men and women. The decreased amount of DHT causes an increase in hair regrowth and slows
down hair loss. According to some studies, this drug can lower your DHT levels almost by 71.4%
when taken regularly.
Finasteride offers significant results than Minoxidil. Men, only with mild-to-moderate hair loss,
can expect benefits from its use. It must be taken for three months to a year to see great
results. And if you stop consuming this medication, your hair loss will return. In some cases,
Finasteride can cause a decrease in sexual function as well. This may include ejaculation
disorders and decreased libido.

Conclusion
Generally, it is easier to maintain the existing hair than trying out different techniques for their
regrowth. And, once the follicles have stopped working, reviving them is quite challenging. So, if
you are someone with male pattern baldness, and it concerns you enough to get treated, the
sooner you act, the better.