When asked to picture a man in his late fifties most of us would bring to mind a balding, slightly overweight character. Sadly the odds are that we would be close to the mark as most men develop at least one type of baldness as they get older. Hair can live for about five years but, as there thousands of hairs on the head, we can lose an enormous amount each and every day and hardly notice. Many men bald in a specific way referred to as male pattern baldness.

Alopecia is the medical name for hair loss and androgenetic alopecia is the correct medical name for the type of hair loss known as Male pattern baldness (MPB). MPB is generally caused by the effects of a hormone, dihydrotestosterone, upon the hair follicles found on the scalp.

Surprising to many is the fact that MPB can make an appearance at any time between the ages of around twenty to as late as fifty. The early signs are receding of the hair line, which is not uncommon in younger men. How fast or aggressive the hair loss is depends on many factors but the most important are the genetic factors.

Today's modern man is often under more pressure than previous generations. Ageism seems rampant and one of the key signs of a man's age is his hair, or rather, the lack of it. For this, and many other reasons, many men feel the need to either hide their male pattern baldness or to treat it. Luckily modern medicine offers a number of solutions, some are very new and yet some, such as the use of wigs, very, very old.

There are only really three options when it comes to treating male pattern baldness. As, strictly speaking, it is not a medical condition, there are not that many therapies available. However there are two medical treatments that halt the progression of MPB. Other options include cosmetic surgery and, of course, the use of a wig.

One of the treatments for MPB which is becoming widely known is Rogaine which uses the magic ingredient called Minoxidil. Minoxidil stops hair loss from the scalp but it has to be used all the time as stoping using this topical medication results in the resumption of hair loss.

Finasteride is another wonder drug for the treatment of MPB. Widely available in products such as Propecia and Proscar, Finasteride is an oral medication that stimulates the hair follicles on the head by halting the production of dihydrotestosterone. Like Minoxidil, Finasteride needs to be taken regularly as stoping the medication results in the body, once agaiin, producing the hormone resulting in hair loss.

Cosmetic surgery for male pattern baldness is incredible but, if it goes wrong, it can be a complete nightmare. Please, if you are planning such cosmetic surgery, do not take short cuts. Make use you use the best cosmetic surgeon available in your area. After all, we are talking about one of the most visible parts of your body.

The oldest solution to male pattern baldness is the wig. The butt of many jokes the wig can be the solution you have been looking for. Of course, if you choose unwisely you could end up looking somewhat ridiculous but today it is possible to buy wigs that are of the highest quality. The best wigs are expensive but they are well worth the investment. Using real hair it is possible to find all different hair styles and colors so finding one that it perfect for you should not be a problem.

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