Our hair is called our ‘crowning glory’ for a reason.
It defines our youth, health, beauty and oftentimes, even our identity. To live without hair may seem like a social death sentence for many.
But for a lot of men, husbands, fathers and sons, hair loss and baldness is a reality waiting to happen.
Men are at greater risk of hair loss, especially if it runs in the family.
When it happens, it can be a source of great shame and insecurity.
You may notice that your hubby may already start feeling self-conscious about his bald spots.
If you wonder why your hubby is slowly losing his once thick and luscious mane, then here’s what you need to know (and what you can do to help).
Causes of Hair Loss
There is generally two types of hair loss for men, male pattern baldness and receding hairline.
All men experience some form of both in their lives, either later when they’re older or much much sooner (as early as their mid-twenties).
But what causes this devastating condition?
There is a popular misconception that an increased in the male hormone testosterone is to be blamed for male hair loss.
But testosterone alone is not the cause but a combination of testosterone and DHT (an androgen) that is responsible for baldness in men.
Some men have hair follicles that are naturally sensitive to the interaction between these two hormones, resulting in smaller and thinner hair overtime until the follicle stops producing hair entirely.
Unfortunately once you start balding, there’s really nothing much you can do but let nature run its course.
95% of male pattern baldness and receding hairline is genetic. A 2017 study showed that there are over 200 different genes that are responsible for hair loss in men.
Meanwhile, this 2007 study also showed that other causes also include a bad diet, stress, poor sleep, nutritional deficiencies (particularly iron) or a combination of these factors.
Thankfully, there’s plenty of remedies that can help delay the inevitable, allowing you to retain those luscious locks for longer.
What You Can do for Your Man’s Balding Problem
Potions and Pills
The only known medical treatment for both male (and female) hair loss is minoxidil.
The medicine comes in both topical or oral form but using both seems to produce the most effective results.
However, as with most types of drugs, minoxidil does not come without consequences.
Side effects for topical application include acne, inflammation, swelling, hairloss (ironically) and many others.
On the other hand, side effects for oral prescriptions may include bloating, weight gain, and irregular heartbeat.
It’s important to note that minoxidil only retains the hair you currently have, it won’t spontaneously regenerate new hair.
Going Au Naturale
A far less expensive option, if we’re talking about topical treatments, is rosemary essential oil.
Studies show that it is not only as effective as minoxidil at stopping hair loss, but it can also regenerate new hair.
However, as with all ‘natural’ treatments, your mileage may vary but it’s easily the most promising treatment that carries virtually none of the scary side effects associated with minoxidil.
To use, simply dilute some rosemary essential oil with some carrier oil (like coconut oil or jojoba oil), 5 drops for every 1 teaspoon should do. Then, massage onto the scalp as you would a hair tonic.
You can slowly increase the amount of essential oil as his skin slowly gets used to it.
Alternatively, you can mix rosemary essential oil in with his shampoo or hair conditioner, or make him his own hair products using natural ingredients.
A Convincing Disguise
The rise of cosmetic hair solutions has allowed many young men to regain some of their lost confidence.
Or at least until they are able to come to terms with the fact that they’re balding.
Many salons in Malaysia offer semi-permanent hair replacement in the form of glued-on wigs that mimic natural human hair.
This will require regular maintenance but could otherwise last for months and months before needing to be replaced.
The hair specialist will usually shave off a large portion of hair sanitise and clean the bare scalp, apply skin-safe glue and then paste the wig on. Then, they will style the wig the way a normal barber would.
So if you’re okay with your hubby wearing a wig, then this option may suit the both of you.
Owning It
Hair loss is devastating for sure, but it also leaves a lot for clean-up.
Eliminate the need to sweep up after your man constantly by shaving what remains and rocking a totally bald head. Call it ‘bare essentials’.
This is usually not a problem for many older men since we usually become a lot less vain as we age, not caring that much about how we look.
However, the decision to go bald full-time may have to be a family discussion, especially if you need some hair up there to get the juices flowing for sexy time. In which case, the previous option may be more preferable.
Under the Needle
No, I’m not talking about tattooing fake hair onto your husband’s scalp.
There is another hair loss saviour that does involve needles, or rather microneedling that can regenerate hair follicles from the inside out.
But fair warning, it’s going to hurt, at least afterwards once the local anaesthesia wears off.
Microneedling basically uses a mechanical or manual tool (like a dermaroller or a dermapen) to make small micro-wounds into the scalp.
This triggers the body’s regenerative responses to flood the area with antioxidants, growth hormones, and collagen.
This then kickstarts healing factors to rejuvenate the hair follicles, reducing hair loss and encouraging hair growth.
This treatment is often accompanied with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to further introduce regenerative elements into the balding spots.
However, this does mean he has to spend a bit more.
Studies show that microneedling is a promising treatment for hair loss – even if you have to wait awhile to see any noticeable results.
The Nuclear Option
We are so lucky to be living in the age of science.
In the case of hair loss, if you got the money, you can pretty much say “No, thank you” to Mother Nature and regain all your hair.
If you’ve explored hair loss treatments before for your man, then you may have heard of hair transplants.
This semi-invasive cosmetic procedure involves taking healthy hair (usually from the back of the head) and transplanting it in the areas of baldness.
Transplant here means embedding the follicle ‘seeds’ into the pores of the skin where it can grow into new hair. And, yes, just like the previous suggestion, this option also involves needles.
Hair transplants offer the most successful cure for hair loss but it is easily the most costly option (approximately RM12,000 per person).
While your man can still experience some thinning (especially if his hair loss genes are particularly aggressive), with regular maintenance, such as with minoxidil or rosemary oil, he can retain a full head of hair well into his golden years.
Saving That Mane
Our hair is easily our most precious cosmetic asset, aside from our complexion.
So, it’s no wonder that people, even men, struggle with retaining their tresses even after reaching a certain age.
Society can be particularly cruel to bald and balding men.
But with 21st century science at our beck and call, there really are very few reasons why men have to struggle with hair loss anymore. Well, other than financial limitations, of course.
So, try out these recommendations and who knows you may be able to delay the baldness, at least for a little while.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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