Today, men suffering from male pattern baldness have many more baldness treatment options than they have had in the past. While medical science has yet to produce an outright baldness cure, drugs and hair restoration surgeries offer real hope for men looking to slow or stop hair loss, or even add new hair to their heads.
However, keep in mind that there are many spurious, worthless or outright dangerous hair restoration products and procedures on the market, so it's important to learn the difference between real and false treatments for baldness.
Countless products on the market today claim to offer a baldness cure, but only a handful of them have been scientifically proven as effective baldness treatment options. When choosing a hair restoration product, the most important thing to consider is whether the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certifies it for use as a baldness treatment. The three main drugs approved for hair restoration treatment are minoxidil (Rogaine®), finasteride (Propecia®), and dutasteride (Avodart®), the last of which has long been used to treat enlarged prostates and has only recently been considered for baldness treatment.
The most up-to-date baldness treatment surgery options are:
Hair restoration surgery can be expensive and carries the risk of infection, scarring, intense pain and possible permanent disfigurement. For these reasons, you should carefully choose a surgeon who's certified by the American Board of Surgery. You can also check local and state medical boards to see if the doctor has a history of patient complaints.
Some men don't want to take medications for the rest of their lives or undergo hair restoration surgery. Others try medical treatments but don't get positive results. If you want to cover your head, wigs and hairpieces are a third option, as they offer a safe, relatively inexpensive way to cover up male pattern baldness.
Alai, N. and Rockoff, A. (2010). Hair loss in men and women. Retrieved March 1, 2011 from http://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/page7.htm#toce
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Hair loss. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
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