Can Male Pattern Baldness Be Prevented?

Do you look at your bald father or grandpa and fear that in the future you may experience hair loss too? If so, you may be wondering if there’s anything that you can do to prevent male pattern hair loss from occurring.

What Is Male Pattern Baldness?

Per our Atlanta facial plastic surgeon Dr. Stong, male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, occurs when a man’s hormone levels change, which typically happens as you age. Hair loss can start as early as your teenage years and progress from there. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), more than 50 percent of all men over the age of 50 will experience some degree of male pattern baldness.

Can You Prevent Male Pattern Baldness?

Unfortunately, male pattern baldness can’t be prevented.  There is a genetic factor that has to do with this condition, which occurs when your hair follicles are sensitive to the male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This sensitivity affects your hair’s growth cycle, causing your hair to fall out and not grow back.

Men with more first- and second-degree relatives who lose their hair have a higher chance of losing hair themselves. These family members include your parents, siblings, half-siblings, grandparents, uncles.

Treatments for Male Pattern Baldness

Some treatments for male pattern hair loss include the use of topical medications, oral medications, lasers, and autologous-derived growth factor injections as well as hair transplantations. When you visit Dr. Stong he’ll perform a thorough evaluation of your condition to determine the best course of action for you.  If you have any type of baldness, our Atlanta hair transplant center is where you want to be.  Give us a call today.