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Shave or save?
HAIR loss is no laughing matter. But what can you do about it? Grant Woodward reports
THERE are some men for whom baldness comes as a blessing.
Who, for instance, could picture ace TV detective Kojak without thinking of his trademark gleaming pate?
A few years earlier, Telly Savalas, who played the gritty New York cop, had opted to shave off his thinning hair to play Pontius Pilate in classic movie The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Director George Stevens thought the bald head would make Telly more unusual, powerful, memorable. He was right.
But for men who aren't quite so keen to parade their shiny scalps it can be tricky coming to terms with losing your hair.
In fact, baldness comes to most men at some point in their lives. The only difference being that it affects some men sooner than others.
For David, a Leeds office worker, it first manifested itself in his late teens.
"I kind of expected it to happen because the men in my family have a history of going bald quite early," he says. "But it was still a bit of a shock.
"I was about 18 when I noticed that my hair was beginning to recede at the front and then it started getting thinner on top as well.
"Gradually a bald spot started to develop in the middle of my scalp and little by little they enlarged and began to join together."
David, who is now in his 30s, says his baldness has never really bothered him.
"I considered some of the treatments out there but they can be pretty expensive so in the end I decided to just keep it cut short.
"I'm quite lucky I suppose because I think I suit this look. It certainly saves me time in the morning!"
This male pattern baldness is the common type of hair loss that develops in the majority of men at some stage.
Nearly all men have some baldness by the time they are in their 60s but for some it can happen much sooner.
About three in ten 30 year olds, and half of 50 year olds are quite bald.
The cause of this early hair loss is still not entirely clear but your genes definitely play their part.
Research has shown that we inherit the genes for baldness from our parents.
If your dad carries the genes your chances of inheriting the baldness genes from him are at least 50 per cent.
If your mum carries the genes, she will not show the baldness because her male hormones are at too low a level.
But the bottom line is that just because your dad is bald it doesn't mean you will be, and just because both your parents have wonderful hair it doesn't mean that you won't go bald.
So what to do if it starts happening to you?
Some men, like David, have no problem with making do with a short haircut but others are desperate to find a cure their hair loss.
That's why there is no shortage of highly-touted 'treatments' on the market.
For many men the first port of call will be a non-surgical remedy such as minoxidil, marketed in the UK under the brand name Regaine.
Originally used to treat severe blood pressure, the drug was found to reverse or slow down the balding process.
Minoxidil is rubbed into the scalp and is supposed to produce new growth.
In some cases it has been seen to work, putting the brakes on hair loss.
However, a major disadvantage is that once you start you have to stay with it. Men who have stopped using the drug have found that their hair started dropping out again.
Also worth taking into account is the fact that the effectiveness of minoxidil appears to wear off within about five years.
Another option is finasteride – marketed as Propecia – which is taken in tablet form.
It is claimed to block the formation of dihydro-testosterone, which is blamed for contributing to male pattern hair loss, and has reportedly enjoyed some success.
An expensive and painful – but effective – alternative is hair replacement surgery, favoured by stars such as Sir Elton John.
This involves transplanting plugs of hair-growing skin. Several sessions may be required, depending on the size of the bald patch, and it may be a couple of years before the final results can be seen.
Cricketer Shane Warne credits Advanced Hair Studio with restoring his thinning locks. He underwent a programme that involved taking capsules containing extracts of the Serenoa plant and weekly laser therapy sessions.
High street chain Boots has recently launched a Hair Retention Programme aimed at men aged 18 to 70 which claims to be able to help nine out of ten men with male pattern baldness to keep their hair.
Essentially it involves an initial consultation and assessment with a Boots Pharmacist who prescribes a hair retention medicine and monitors the patient's progress.
But whatever option you decide to take it's worth speaking to a trichologist – a specialist who helps people who have problems with their hair or scalp.
A trichologist can offer tips about the right sort of shampoo and diet which can slow down male pattern hair loss.
They can also give general advice about what form of treatment might work best for you.
• Information about the Institute of Trichologists can be found at www.trichologists.org.uk
grant.woodward@ypn.co.uk
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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