Like most of the common signs of ageing, male pattern baldness is not something that happens overnight. Male pattern baldness will affect at least half of men around the world and for most men, losing their hair is a very slow and gradual process that often starts long before it starts to become noticeable.
The key to preventing hair loss and slowing male pattern baldness down is learning the early signs and taking action as early as you can. The earlier you do something about your hair loss, the more hair you will be able to save.
Sadly, hair loss in the early stages is not always obvious. Some of the common signs of hair loss are identical to normal hair loss that everybody experiences, so it can be easy to overreact.
The good news is that there are some unmistakable signs of going bald in men that you can keep an eye out for in order to know when you should take action. We’ve listed some sure signs that you should be aware of along with the treatment options you can use to prevent any further hair loss.
Noticeable Hairline Changes
The most obvious sign of losing your hair is a difference in your hairline. Most men find that baldness will begin in this area. If you had a flat or slightly receded hairline before and it’s looking more like the letter ‘M’ this is a clear sign that you are losing your hair. Typically, it will begin around your temples and you’ll experience some thinning of your hair in this area before you see any complete loss of hair.
A good way to figure out if you’re losing hair from your hairline – as you might not notice from looking in the mirror every day – is to compare a photograph of you now with one taken of you a couple of years ago. If it’s clear that your hairline is further back than it used to be, this is a clear sign that you’re dealing with hair loss. However, bear in mind that the lighting of the photo could have an effect on how your hairline appears; fluorescent light, for example, can make your hairline look a lot thinner than it actually is, so try to use photos that have been taken in natural light.
If you’ve noticed your hairline has definitely got thinner or receded since the first photo, there are several things that you can do about it. While you may not be able to get the hair that you’ve lost back, there are treatments available to help you slow the process down and prevent your hairline from receding anymore. Try Chemist Click, where you can find treatments like Finasteride – a pill that you take daily – or Minoxidil (also known as Regaine) that you apply to your hair daily in the form of a lotion or shampoo.
Excessive Hair Loss
Everybody will lose some hair when they brush or comb it or when they take a shower; it’s perfectly normal and usually, there’s no cause for concern. In fact, most people tend to lose around one hundred hairs per day. However, if you’ve noticed that you’re losing a lot more hair than normal when you do these things and you have a lot of hair falling out throughout the day for seemingly no reason, there’s a chance that it could be the result of male pattern baldness.
However, before you rush to get a treatment, it’s also worth considering that temporary hair loss can happen for several reasons and it’s not always permanent. It’s worth visiting your doctor if you suspect that you might be losing your hair as the result of a physical illness, psychological stress or as a side effect of any medication that you have been prescribed.
On the other hand, if you’ve been given the all-clear by your doctor and notice a large amount of hair loss every day for a long period of time, this is more likely to be the result of male pattern baldness.
Noticeable Hair Thinning
Not all men will notice that their hairline is the first place to go bald. Some men experience male pattern baldness in the form of diffuse thinning, which is hair loss that is more obvious on the top of the back of the head; most typically, it will begin in the crown. This results in a type of baldness that begins from the top or back of the head rather than the front.
Similarly to a receding hairline, the best way to be sure that you are experiencing this problem is to look at a photo of yourself from a few years back and compare it to now. Chances are that male pattern baldness has set in if your hair looks thinner now compared to how it once looked. Since most people don’t normally have a lot of photos of the back of their head, you can compare your hair over time by taking photos every few months. If you notice that the hair around your crown or the back of your head is getting thinner, it’s worth investing in a good hair loss treatment to slow the process down.
What Are the Treatment Options?
The good news is that the earlier you notice male pattern baldness signs, the easier it is to treat it and hang onto your mane for longer. There are two main options to consider when it comes to hair loss treatments for men, which are:
Finasteride: This hair loss treatment comes in the form of a medication which is taken orally. It is the ideal option for men who prefer to have a quick and easy treatment that they can still take when in a rush and does not involve applying anything to the hair. Finasteride works by inhibiting the enzyme that converts normal testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is a hormone that causes shrinkage and damage to your hair follicles, which leads to male pattern baldness. Reducing the amount of this hormone produced in your body will naturally prevent you from losing more hair.
Minoxidil: Also commonly known under its brand name Regaine in the UK, Minoxidil tends to come in the form of a lotion, ointment, shampoo, spray or foam that you apply directly to your hair and scalp. It’s easy to use in the shower and since it can be purchased in the form of a shampoo, it can be easy to integrate into your daily routine. Each time you apply Minoxidil to your hair, it expands the blood vessels in your scalp. In turn, this stimulates the hair follicles by improving the blood flow to them. As a result, your hair follicle health improves allowing them to produce stronger and healthier hair.
Male pattern baldness is a problem that affects over half of men worldwide. If you haven’t experienced the effects of male pattern baldness, chances are that there’s another man in your life who has. Knowing the early signs and how to treat them allows you to hold onto your hair for longer and slow down the effects of this common issue.
