Hair Loss

What is the Best Treatment for Hair Loss? 6 Treatments

October 25, 2021

Nearly two thirds of men will experience some degree of hair loss by the time they're 35 years old, an astonishing statistic according to the American Hair Loss Association.

By the time guys turn 50, that portion can increase to 85%.

It's darn near impossible to dodge this one, as genetics play a key role in losing your hair. But there are other factors that can contribute, including hormones, medications, stress, certain hairstyles, and even other hair treatments.

While it’s a harsh reality as you age, there are some great hair loss treatments that can help to slow and sometimes even reverse the process.

What Causes Hair Loss?

There are several reasons why you might be experiencing hair loss, but the most common culprit is genetics. Male pattern baldness, also known as male androgenic alopecia, is a hereditary condition and the most common cause of men losing their hair.

Blame your parents guys.

While this condition may start as early as puberty, it generally develops later in life, beginning in guys' 30s and 40s. It often occurs gradually and in a predictable pattern, affecting the front hair line and middle part of the scalp with thinning. In many cases, men are left with the common horseshoe-shaped pattern of hair wrapping from one temple to the other around the back of the head. Genetics also play a factor in how fast, at what age, and how severe your hair loss.

Men with male pattern baldness inherit hair follicles that are especially sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shortens and weakens the lifespan of individual hair follicles. Many treatments focus on depleting DHT in the body or at the scalp, so there is less available to weaken hair follicles, while others focusing on providing more blood to the active hair follicles.

Other possible causes of hair loss include:

Hair pulling disorders: This mental health condition, known as trichotillomania, involves a person having recurrent and irresistible urges to pull hair from their scalp, eyebrows, or other areas. They may not even be aware they're doing it.
Hairstyles or treatments: Wearing hair in a way that pulls continuously or treating it with harsh chemicals like repeat dyes or bleaches can cause temporary and even permanent hair loss.
Hormonal imbalances: Dramatic swings in your hormones can cause temporary hair loss. For men, the thyroid gland is the most common cause of hair loss stemming from hormonal fluctuations.
Medication: There are certain medications that may have hair loss as a side effect.
Natural triggers: Stress or extreme trauma may result in loss of hair. Often, this type of thinning will disappear when the the triggering event has resolved.
Patchy hair loss: Otherwise known as alopecia areata, this type of hair loss can occur when the body’s immune system attacks its own hair follicles. This can cause sudden and rapid hair loss that will leave smooth, round, bald patches on the skin.
Cancer treatments: If a man is receiving chemotherapy or other types of radiation treatment near the scalp, hair may fall out and grow back differently than before.
Scalp infections: Infections like ringworm, or tinea capitis, can invade the hair and skin of the scalp, which may lead to scaly patches and hair loss.
Skin disorders: Certain diseases such as psoriasis and lupus may result in permanent hair loss in scarred areas.

7 Ways To Treat Hair Loss

Depending on the root cause of your hair loss, outcomes can vary with treatment. That said, here are some of the best treatments for men's hair loss:

#1: Eat A Healthier Diet

Eating a well balanced diet can help to keep your hair healthy and strong. Obesity and metabolic disorders have been known to contribute to hair loss, and a healthy diet can help avoid these common afflictions for men. Include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, unsaturated fats, and lean proteins while limiting the amount of sweets. Certain vitamins and minerals have been associated with healthy hair. If you aren’t eating these foods already, consider adding more leafy green vegetables, seafood, and eggs to your diet.

In addition, it’s important to make sure that you're drinking enough water to keep your body and scalp properly hydrated.

#2: Try Finasteride

Finasteride is the only oral medication approved by the FDA to treat male pattern baldness, which often appears at the crown and the middle of the scalp.

While originally created to combat prostate cancer, finasteride works by decreasing the amount of the hormone DHT in your body. DHT causes hair follicles in the scalp to become thinner and weaker with prolonged exposure, which eventually prevents them from growing hair altogether. By decreasing the levels of DHT in your body with finasteride, hair growth can be improved and hair loss can be slowed. Finasteride is one of the most effective treatments for hair loss in men, with decades of success and clinical research supporting its capabilities. It is prescription, but is affordable and easy to order with providers like Rex MD.

#3: Go To The Doctor

While this may not directly treat hair loss, there are several medical conditions that may contribute to hair loss. Getting regular checkups may help you pinpoint the reason for your hair loss. Treating the underlying condition may reverse the effects if caught early enough.

Alopecia areata
Diabetes
Eating disorders
Iron deficiency
Thyroid issues
Trichotillomania
Scalp psoriasis
Vitamin D deficiency

Additionally, your doctor can help determine if any other medications you're taking may be causing your hair loss, and if alternatives or different dosage could help.

#4: Try Minoxidil

Although originally developed to treat high blood pressure, developers found that minoxidil had a side effect of excessive, unwanted hair growth. As a result of this surprising development, its manufacturer pivoted to test it for hair growth in men and women.

Minoxidil worked and has been around for almost thirty years helping men slow and stop hair loss when applied topically.

The exact way that minoxidil works is not entirely known, but the drug appears to improve blood flow and oxygen to follicles, which can cause a thicker strand of hair to grow. In addition, minoxidil seems to prolong the growth period of hair follicles, which can result in longer hair and a higher number of hair strands. Minoxidil has plenty of clinical research supporting its use and success in men.

#5: Relax

Stress can have a severe impact on overall physical health, including your hair. Hair loss may be the result of a stressful lifestyle.

Getting more exercise, yoga, hobbies, or attending therapy can all help to reduce your stress. It’s also critical to get enough sleep, as adults who sleep fewer than eight hours a night often report higher stress than those sleeping eight hours a night or more.

#6: Quit Smoking

While you may be aware of all the negative effects that smoking has on your lungs, you may not know that smoking can cause hair loss too. Research has found a clear link between smoking and hair loss, so if you currently smoke, quitting as soon as possible may help to slow down or stop hair loss.

#7. Shampoos and Conditioners

Another option for treating hair loss is over-the-counter shampoos and conditioners that contain natural ingredients with DHT-fighting capabilities. Rex MD's own unique formula include saw palmetto berry extract, a known DHT fighter, and EGCG, a compound from green tea that has also been shown to combat DHT in research.

The Takeaway

When it comes to treating hair loss, it’s most important to figure out what's causing your hair loss in the first place. In some cases, treating an underlying medical condition can help. Lifestyle changes and treatments like minoxidil and finasteride are effective in treating male pattern baldness, while over-the-counter options like shampoos or conditioners that fight DHT at your scalp may help you combat hair loss too.

The first step in treating hair loss is determining its cause. If a root medical condition is to blame, resolution may be as simple as dealing with your health condition.

For most men, hair loss is purely genetic. Whatever the cause, you've got options. Click here to learn more.