Much to the delight of many men experiencing androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), various hair loss treatments that are truly effective have been mushrooming. However, a closer look of the most common treatments for male pattern hair loss is necessary to sort out the facts from the hype.
Minoxidil
Minoxidil appears to work for many men, showing a definite ability to reinvigorate hair follicles that have been rendered inactive through contamination by DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is the naturally produced substance that is responsible for causing androgenic alopecia. While this substance does cause noticeable hair growth in some — but not all — men who use it, it usually takes up to four months for visible results to show.
Many men have complained, however, that new hair associated with minoxidil is relatively thin and wispy and lacking in overall quality. Other complaints include hair regrowth occurring only in the crown area, as the area above the temples that is also affected by androgenic alopecia does not respond to the use of minoxidil.
This topical mixture is not inexpensive by any means, and once someone starts using it, they must keep using it forever or the new hair that has grown will fall out.
Finasteride
Taken in oral form, finasteride works internally to undermine the body’s system for manufacturing DHT, a derivative of testosterone that causes baldness as a side effect when it is produced in excessive amounts. The fact that it goes right to the root of the problem, whereas minoxidil only treats surface symptoms of this problem, probably explains why finasteride seems to be a more effective hair loss treatment than minoxidil.
However, just like minoxidil, it takes several months for finasteride to actually produce results — perhaps as many as 8–12 for some people; and also like minoxidil, it only produces new hair growth in the crown area of the head. Not surprisingly, given the fact that it is sold only by prescription, finasteride is even more expensive than minoxidil, and it also must be taken continuously and indefinitely for its results to be lasting.
Natural Supplements
Hair loss treatment supplements are available that combine several of these potent substances together to provide the body with what it needs to resist hair loss naturally and effectively.
One great bonus with supplements is that, because what is being used is harvested from nature instead of being produced artificially in a laboratory, the cost of these substances is only a fraction of what people have to pay for minoxidil and finasteride.
Hair Loss Treatment Hope
The main thing all hair loss treatments offer men experiencing premature hair loss is hope — hope that their condition can still get better, and hope that what has been lost can be regained.
