One of the most common issues that men face as they get older is balding. Where there was once a thick, full head of hair, now there is only the faded memory of youth and virility. While there are several causes of hair loss, hereditary-pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss. There isn’t any magical formula that can regrow hair yet, but there are plenty of treatments available that can mitigate the problem or stop it from getting worse.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the world of hair loss and see what options are available to the men with extra testosterone.

Genetics and Hair Loss

If you’ve studied the subject of balding in the last few years, you might have seen a statement that says that your genetic predisposition for losing hair comes from your maternal grandfather. While that is partially true, that’s not telling the whole story. Yes, the gene for balding can be stronger when passed down from the mother’s side, but to ignore your father’s genetics entirely is both misleading and irresponsible. The fact is that if your dad is bald, you have a much greater chance of being bald.

Overall, certain parts of our DNA do affect baldness and can accelerate the process, but ultimately it depends on a variety of genetic factors. What you have to realize is that you carry the remnants of not just your parents, but their entire family tree as well. We are all genetic cocktails that are mixed with a ton of ingredients, and sometimes baldness happens to be one of the stronger ones. Think of baldness like mint leaves in a long island iced tea. The more you have of it, the more overwhelming the flavor will be.

Can Hereditary Hair Loss Be Cured?

Unfortunately, we don’t yet have the technology nor the understanding to cure hair loss entirely. However, as more research is conducted, there could be a day in the future where no one has to go bald, and men (and women) everywhere can have full heads of hair until the day they die. That being said, three major treatments seem to help either prevent or slow down the process of balding, so let’s see what they are.

Genetic Hair Loss Treatment

The treatments that are currently available are Minoxidil (Rogaine), Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar), and surgery, where hair is transplanted from one part of your body to your scalp. But how do they work?

Minoxidil

This treatment is applied to the scalp directly and can help regrow hair that has been lost. Will it return your head to its former glory? No, but it can help thicken bald spots and keep you from looking too patchy. Minoxidil has to be applied twice a day, and when you stop using it, the hair will usually fall out after a few weeks.

Finasteride

This is an oral pill that is taken once a day, and it helps slow or prevent further hair loss, rather than grow it back. Due to the chemical makeup of finasteride, it only works for men, so ladies are out of luck. Nonetheless, it has shown positive results for reducing hair loss and can even stimulate natural regrowth in some patients. The best time to take finasteride is when you first start to notice balding.

Surgery

This is somewhat of a drastic move, but it can have the best results overall. Hair implants can be painful and expensive, so only do it if you are really trying to prevent going bald. In this case, it’s probably better to wear a wig or toupee unless you have the time and energy to go through with it.