Male Pattern Baldness: Baldness Treatment Scams

Men dealing with male pattern baldness are often eager to stop their hair loss, which leaves them vulnerable to baldness treatment scams offering a "baldness cure." However, there is no such thing as a baldness cure. Anyone offering a "miracle baldness cure" is probably running a hair loss treatment scam, plain and simple.

Common Hair Loss Treatment Scam Tactics

Many baldness treatment scams use age-old tactics to convince consumers of their baldness cure. Here are some common tactics to watch out for:

• "Ancient" baldness cure: There is no baldness cure passed down secretly from generation to generation.
• Avoiding statistics: Watch out for ambiguous claims that conspicuously lack real statistics.
• Customer testimonials: These may be real stories, but the success of one individual is less important than how many people actually experienced success with the product.
• Money-back guarantees: Marketers know most people won't bother to return products that don't work, so this is a gamble most companies running a hair loss treatment scam will take.
• Phony or misleading photographs: Often "before" and "after" photographs are used as proof of the product's effectiveness. Remember that these photos are not necessarily verified; the people in the photographs may not have even used the product.
• Reputable-sounding associations and qualifications: It's common for baldness treatment scams to claim some official-sounding organization endorses their product. Some quick research online can tell you if an organization is authentic. Also, remember that just because someone has an M.D. or Ph.D. after his name doesn't necessarily mean that he's honest (or not in on the scam).

Understanding the Causes of Male Pattern Baldness

Perhaps your best defense against a hair loss treatment scam claiming to have a baldness cure is to remember the causes of male pattern baldness. If you're losing your hair, it's likely because irreversible hormones or genetics are causing your hair to fall out.

Beware of baldness treatment scams that offer a baldness cure that stops hair loss by "fixing" any other problems, like vitamin deficiencies, poor scalp circulation or clogged hair follicles. These so-called "health issues" do not contribute to hair loss.

Resources

HairLossLibrary.com (2010). Hair loss treatment scams. Retrieved March 8, 2011, from http://www.hairlosslibrary.com/hairlosstreatmentscams/index.html

Mayo Clinic Staff. Hair loss. Retrieved March 1, 2011, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=prevention