We want to open up a conversation about hair loss. It’s completely normal to feel stressed about losing your hair, but learning how to treat Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) is the best place to start.
If you’ve started to notice signs of hair loss at the hairline or crown of your head, you are most likely experiencing MPB, otherwise known as Androgenetic Alopecia, a very common condition affecting 30% of men before the age of 30.
Some men develop early signs of Male Pattern Baldness as early as their teen years. It’s boiled down to a fascinating relationship between hormones and genetics.
Relax, you’re in good hands. We’re here to explain why hair loss occurs, what the initial warning signs are, and how you can treat Male Pattern Baldness.
Hormones
The hormone which plays a huge role in Male Pattern Baldness is Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. DHT plays a vital role in developing key characteristics as we grow up.
DHT is made as a byproduct of testosterone through the 5a-Reductase enzyme, an enzyme that works to turn testosterone into DHT in certain areas of the body.
Depending on your genetics, DHT binds to receptors located within hair follicles on your scalp, causing them to shrink, weaken, and stop producing new strong and healthy hairs. Eventually, this can lead to baldness.
Genetics
Your genes influence the extent to which DHT affects your hair follicles. It’s different for everybody.
Don’t be afraid to ask your relatives about hair loss. It’s a really common problem that men face, and so shouldn’t be a taboo topic. If you have older relatives, like grandparents, ask what their experience with hair loss was like, and see how far back down your family tree you can go.
We would suggest taking a look at family photos to see how prevalent baldness is within the men on both sides of your family. If hair loss in your family is common, the chances are that you may also experience hair loss.
If you think you may be experiencing the early signs, take a look at our ‘Early Signs Of MPB’ blog.
So, how do I treat Male Pattern Baldness?
It is best to treat hair loss sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, the later you leave it to progress, the trickier it will be to regrow new hairs.
There are a variety of DHT blocking shampoos, natural home remedies and other alternative treatments available these days. However, certain treatments have shown to produce genuine great results and reverse hair loss for those with MPB.
Finasteride is a well-known treatment for Male Pattern Baldness. It can be ingested orally in a tablet form, or applied directly to the scalp (Topical Finasteride). Finasteride works to stop the conversion of Testosterone into DHT.
Minoxidil is another key treatment. It is a topical solution that works to deliver nutrients to hair follicles, increasing the hairs in size and causing them to thicken.
Find out more about Finasteride and Minoxidil here.
The Unthin Treatment
We’ve taken the best parts of Finasteride and Minoxidil and combined them to make the most effective solution. Our simple, grease-free and odourless head spray is easily applied and won’t give your hair that greasy, wet look that some other solutions are guilty of providing.
Many other available treatments provide Finasteride in tablet form, which has caused concerns about adverse side effects experienced by some men. However, Unthin’s treatment spray is applied directly to the source of hair loss. This means the potential side effects are minimal and the treatment has an increased success rate.
How long will my treatment take?
Our hair grows on average around 1cm per month, so as you can imagine, regrowth takes time. For many, you’ll notice a gradual thickening of your existing hair that can drastically improve your look.
Once you start treatment, you may notice some fine hairs shedding to make way for new thicker and fuller hairs. Don’t panic if you begin to lose hair within the first few months, it’s a necessary and natural part of your hair cycle. We’re just accelerating things to kickstart your journey to a fuller head of hair.
You can expect to see initial results after 3 months, and a very noticeable effect after 6 months. However, everybody has a different head of hair, so your mileage may vary.
Keep going. Keep growing.
