Male Pattern Hair Loss

Genetics, Hormones, Age And Hair Loss

Male pattern hair loss, is also known as androgenetic alopecia. It is one of the commonest causes of balding in males and this phenomenon increases with age. Male pattern hair loss is characterised by a few distinctive patterns: frontal hairline thinning, thinning at the vertex or crown or a combination of both. As it progresses, the entire top of the head may be completely bald. FUE hair transplants, ARTAS robotic hair transplants or oral medications for hair loss are possible treatment options.

Very often, hair at the sides and the back of the scalp are not affected, or affected less. The Norwood Hamilton scale is widely used by doctors worldwide to grade a patient’s hair loss. See if any of the patterns are similar to your own pattern of hair loss. You may need a mirror or to take a top view of your head. 

Norwood-Hamilton Classification System for Male Hair Loss

Causes of Angrogenetic Alopecia

The cause of angrogenetic alopecia is due mainly to genes, and contrary to popular belief, it can be inherited from both the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Some of us are genetically programmed to lose our hair, under the influence of the male hormone Testosterone. Testosterone is converted in very tiny amounts to a much more potent dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is DHT which is responsible for hair loss in males. While lifestyle factors like stress levels, sleep, diet, cigarette smoking play a part in hair loss, it is ultimately an excess of DHT in male pattern balding. This gets worse with age and a few studies suggest that by the age of 50, up to 50% of males are affected by hair loss. 

Get A Proper Hair-loss Diagnosis in Singapore

It is important to be diagnosed properly, with the hair loss classified correctly before treatment options can be discussed. Be sure to see a doctor well-versed in hair loss treatments for this critical aspect. 

There are a lot of online remedies that claim to regrow hair, but very few have actual scientific proof or basis. Hence, beware of such claims and always counter-check with professionals first. 

Oral Medications for Hair-Loss Treatment

There are medication available that has been proven to reduce and rebalance DHT in patients. The most established and widely used is finasteride. Finasteride is USFDA approved for male pattern hair loss.  An alternative is dutasteride, which is more potent than finasteride, but it is not US FDA approved for hair loss at the moment. These medications have been proven effective to treat male pattern hair loss especially at the crown and midscalp. It does not work as well in the hairline. 

Non-Surgical Male-Pattern Hair loss Treatments

Other non-surgical treatments include minoxidil and low level laser therapy 

Effective Hair Transplant Options in Singapore

For the most dramatic and effective treatment, a hair transplant is an established option with long lasting results. A hair transplant involves moving healthy hair follicles from the back and sides of the scalp, where hair is less likely to be affected by male pattern thinning, and planting them in areas of thinning such as the hair line, the mid-scalp and the crown area.

A hair transplant can give years of thicker, fuller hair when done properly. The modern hair transplant is now so natural that even experts are fooled. You can read more about how we do FUE hair transplants in Singapore