When we talk about baldness, the most common form of such is the Male Pattern Baldness. For those who have it in their genes, it is inevitable, and yet hard to accept. Well sometimes you can try and redress the situation before it is too late. For once you're hair is gone, it is pretty much gone.
Going bald is a fact of life for millions of men. Adults lose about 10,000 scalp hairs each and every day. Hair normally lives for around five years. With male pattern baldness these hairs do not always get replaced and gradually bald areas appear. This process can however take a long time and the age at which you start to lose hair does not necessarily provide any clues as to how long it will be until you define yourself as bald.
What is Male Pattern Baldness?
There are a number of reasons why men start to go bald, but if you are a man between the ages of about 20 to 45 and you start to lose scalp hair, then the chances are 95 per cent certain that you are experiencing male pattern baldness. As the term suggests, male pattern baldness follows a typical sequence or pattern. Hair loss can start in different areas but is usually at the temples and/or on the crown of the head. Initial thinning of hair progresses over a number of years and may lead to total baldness but more typically loss of hair over the top surface of the head.
The progression of this pattern of hair loss is shown in this image below. It is the Norwood Scale, founded by Norwood. Let me tell you, even if you are a Norwood II, it's time to start looking for preventive measures. You want all your hair, don't you?
The Cause of Male Pattern Baldness
Most men are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness. It is the effect of hormones on the hair follicle that produces male pattern baldness. Testosterone, a hormone that is present in high levels in males after puberty, is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT has an adverse affect on the hair follicles. Acting on a hormone receptor on the hair follicle it slows down hair production and produces weak, shorter hair, sometimes it stops hair growth from the follicle completely. This process gradually depletes your stock of hair and is normal hair loss.
Well, let me ask you again. You want all your hair, don't you? The next best thing to getting back all the lost hair is retaining whatever is left on the head. And you will usually have to settle for the next best thing. But hoping for the best and following preventive medications religiously is a good thing to do.
Treatment of Male Pattern Baldness
Before you read through the medications, let me tell you that the first four in the list is off Wikipedia, so the genuinity is in no question. But the more interesting part in regard to treating MPB is after this list.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only two medications for the treatment of male pattern baldness; minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia). Finasteride is recommended as first-line treatment for male pattern baldness. They may also be used simultaneously when hair loss is progressive or further regrowth is desired after 12 months.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is a vasodilator originally used as an oral drug (Loniten) to treat high blood pressure. However, minoxidil was discovered to have the side effect of hair growth and reversing baldness. Consequently, in the 1980s, Upjohn Corporation received FDA approval to market a topical solution that contained 2% minoxidil to be used to treat baldness and hair loss as Rogaine, marketed as Regaine outside the USA.
Objective evidence shows that minoxidil is effective for treatment of male-pattern hair loss in both the frontal areas and the vertex area of the scalp. The method of action for minoxidil is not known. Its action as a vasodialator may involve opening vascular smooth muscle potassium channels or "K-channels". This agent can also cause follicles in the telogen phase to shed, usually soon to be replaced by new, thicker hairs. As this effect is temporary and does not seem to change the follicle in any other way, minoxidil needs to be applied regularly (once or twice daily) for hair gained to be maintained.
Finasteride
Propecia (finasteride) 1 mg (CA)
Finasteride (Propecia), initially marketed as the brand-name drugs Propecia and Proscar by Merck, is an aza-steroid drug. Finasteride is an inhibitor of 5 alpha-reductase, and was originally approved by the US FDA for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The drug works by binding to 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of free testosterone to DHT.
Merck sought to find the smallest effective quantity of finasteride and test its long-term effects on 1,553 men between ages 18 and 41 with mildly to moderately thinning hair. Based on their research, 1 mg daily was selected, and after two years of daily treatment, over 83% of the 1,553 men experiencing male hair loss had actually maintained or increased their hair count from baseline. Visual assessments concluded that over 80% had improved appearances.
In 1997, finasteride was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of male pattern baldness. A 5-year study revealed that 9 of 10 men taking finasteride (1 mg daily) experienced visible results (42% of men taking Propecia experienced no further hair loss while 48% experienced no further hair loss and hair regrowth).In clinical studies, finasteride, like minoxidil, was shown to work on both the crown area and the hairline area, but is most successful in the crown area.
Dutasteride
Avodart (dutasteride) 500 µg (AU)
While dutasteride is only officially approved to treat enlargement of the prostate gland (at a dose of 0.5 mg/day), phase I and II clinical trials for dutasteride as a hair loss drug were also undertaken, but called off in late 2002. The reason the trials were called off is not publicly known. However, phase II results indicated that dutasteride at both 0.5 mg and 2.5 mg/day generated a superior hair count to finasteride 5 mg at 12 and 24 weeks.
Phase II study results at 24 weeks:
• Placebo: - 32.3 hairs
• Finasteride 5 mg: + 75.6 hairs
• Dutasteride 0.1 mg: + 78.5 hairs
• Dutasteride 0.5 mg: + 94.6 hairs
• Dutasteride 2.5 mg: + 109.6 hairs
Ketoconazole shampoo
Nizoral (ketoconazole) 2% (AU)
Some preliminary research may suggest that ketoconazole shampoo may be beneficial in men suffering from androgenic alopecia. Support for this comes primarily from a single study in 1998 that compared ketoconazole 2% to the proven hair loss drug minoxidil 2% in men with androgenic alopecia. In a sample of 27 men, "Hair density and size and proportion of anagen follicles were improved almost similarly by both ketoconazole and minoxidil regimens." While ketoconazole's possible mechanism of action in hair loss is still unclear, the study speculated that both hormones and the immune system may act synergistically to cause injury to the hair follicle.
Ketoconazole shampoo is only FDA approved for the treatment of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, so while the question whether ketoconazole may possibly be useful as a hair loss remedy remains open, the FDA does not accept that there is enough evidence to endorse or market it as one to the general public.
How to obtain these products in India?
In India, topical Minoxidil solution is marketed by Dr.Reddy's Labs as Mintop Forte. It is available in almost any medical shop in any city. One bottle costs around Rs.495 and will last for a month.
Generic Finasteride is marketed by Dr.Reddy's Labs as Finax. It is available in 1mg and 5mg pill form. A strip of 10 pills of 1mg Finax costs around Rs.38 or 40, varying according to state. So one for each day means you will have to shell out around Rs.120 (a little less than $3) a month. So even for those living abroad, India is a cheap place for drugs like these. Worth noting. Genuinity is not in question, as it would be meaningless to fake drugs this cheap anyways.
Ketocozanole shampoo is marketed as Nizral in India. This again is available in all medical shops.
End of the list? No. Read on.
These are alternative treatments that once could possibly look out for. They can well be called home remedies.
Onion and Garlic for hair regrowth?
The onion is blessed with healing qualities. Onions are also antibacterial, can be used for cleansing, improving circulation, and have the power of nourishment, all of which can be good for helping to heal baldness and hair loss - Characteristics similar to garlic's, which are beneficial in correcting hair loss and baldness.
More specifically:
Onions contain a quantity of important nutrients, like vitamins C and vitamin B6. Onions also contain calcium and magnesium, along with potassium and germanium. The onion is also high in sulphur, which is a mineral contained in every single cell in the human body.
Sulphur has its highest levels in the hair, the skin and in the nails, which is why it is known as the "beauty mineral". Big levels of sulphur in our onions will make them really useful in regenerating the hair follicles on our scalps and promoting the regrowth of hair and hence reduction in baldness and hair thinning as it is providing the hair with an extra amount of sulfur, that can be absorbed into the scalp and hence help the hair follicles in growing hair.
As well, natural sulphur, as found in onions, has been proven to have greater hair-restoring properties than mined sulfur. Don't know why, it's one of those odd findings one comes across from time to time.
These qualities of onions also back up the theory that onions can boost hair growth in some of us with nutrient deficiencies. Obviously, if we provide nourishment to the scalp directly, as by applying onions, we help to stop and reverse hair loss and balding caused by DHT or bad diet, and maybe improve the strength of the hair growth as well.
Onion is also known for it's healing powers because it promotes the circulation, thereby getting more nourishment to the hair growing areas of the scalp via the blood stream, thus helping to prevent hair loss and baldness by providing the hair follicles with more nutrients to grow the hair with.
For a hair loss and balding remedy using any onion try one of these two methods:
Squeeze the juice out of one medium to large uncooked onion. Apply the onion juice to the top of the scalp and massage deep into the hair roots - but again, do gently, so as not to cause traction alopecia. You will need to leave it onto the top of the scalp for around 30 minutes and then shampoo. By doing this onion hair loss and balding treatment everyday, you may find a great transformation of the hair on your head in several months. Onion juice rejuvinates hair follicles and boosts the scalp circulation, so it should likely help the re-growth of strong hair.
OR
Cut open a fresh onion into two halves, and then quarter it. Now rub the exposed part of the onion onto the balding spot, presumably the crown or the temple. Rub it nice and firm until the scalp turns red. This is a good way of increasing scalp blood circulation and also feeding your scalp with the goodness of onions.
My suggestion would be make juice out of half an onion. Use a dropper to apply it on the balding spots, and then use the other half to massage onto the scalp.
This is an age-old remedy in India and across the Gulf. Patience is what is required the most in this treatment. You will have to wait for atleast 6 to 8 months before you start noticing any difference. But, it pays off.
Scalp Massages
No one can possibly deny the positive effects of a good scalp massage. It increases blood circulation and activates follicles. There are 2 ways to do the scalp massage. The first way is to put your fingers on your head. Keep them straight and firm. Don’t bend them. Keep the fingers of each hand about 1/2 to1 inch away from the fingers of the other hand. Now push the fingers into the scalp towards each other so that the skin on the scalp lifts up. If you do this and your fingers touch, you pushed superficially. There will be times when you push down into your scalp and your fingers slip into each other. It happens.
Just keep massaging the scalp until you get the technique right so that you push into the scalp and not into your other fingers. Remember to keep your fingers as straight as possible. Be firm. The skin on the scalp hardly moves. Don’t be too concerned if you don’t notice it at first. With practice you will. The skin on the scalp lifting up isn’t the goal, it’s just a helpful way to know you are pushing into your scalp the correct way.
You can also do these in mini-circles. When you massage scalp like this your fingers don’t have to be 1 inch apart, they can be on the opposite sides of your head. With these it may be harder to tell if the skin lifts up on the scalp. So just concentrate on pushing into your head with these circles. Again, remember to keep your fingers straight and firm. Also, push in with the pads on your fingertips, not your fingernails.
Either way, do these for a couple seconds in each spot. Move the fingers to another area and do again. Do this until you did each area on your head. Repeat this at least 2 more times over the whole head. If you can do more, then do more. Remember, push into the scalp. Don’t just do surface pushes and circles that are superficial. You need to be firm.
Pay more attention to the thinning, receding, and balding areas. However, do the whole head so you can get a good blood supply to those thinning, receding, and balding areas that are weaker. The blood supply has the hardest time getting to the top of the head and the temple areas. The least damaged areas will be where you see the first signs of new hair growth first. However, the hair growth process of the first batch of new hairs should grow in pretty evenly. After that, those new hairs will grow in more unevenly.
People spend big bucks on hair regrowth products that promise wonders but deliver nothing. You can easily save money if you learn how to massage scalp at home. This technique has been proved to work as long as you are consistent. It's good to use some oil to your hair once in a while.
Fingernail Rubbing!
I have decided to bring this into notice rather for some amusement. But this is what I read from another site.
To do this method, take the fingernails of on hand and rub them directly across the fingernails of the other hand. Rub them faster and faster against each other. Do this method for as long as you can or maybe at least a minute. Then stop and hold your hands relaxed. You should feel an electrical energy in your hands. Repeast this at least of few more times.
It would be better to work up to do this 3 times a day and a 5 minutes each time. You can do this whenever you are not doing anything, 30 seconds here and there will work too.
Although this seems an unrelative way creating hair growth, the reason is that it works because it stimulates a direct nerve pathway to the hair.
This isn't unheard of in India. There is something called "Balayam" that kind of calls for the same thing. YouTube it to watch videos of instructions. That guy is rather amusing to me.
My suggestion for treatment
I suggest a dose of 1mg Finasteride pill everyday, added with onion scalp stimulation and scalp massage. This has been working well for me, but be warned about two things. The side effects of Finasteride (though it occurs only in 2-3% of the people), and the smell of onions!
