Male Pattern Baldness

Man expressing stress, worry or depression; isolated against a white background

At some point, all men will experience hair loss. Nearly all men experience baldness by the time they are in their 60s. We all know it’s going to happen – but what causes it? Is there anything you can do to prevent it? Hair is produced out of follicles in the skin that grow for about 3 years. After 3 years the hair is shed and new hair begins growing from that follicle. When men get older, the follicles on their heads have been believed to get smaller, resulting in thinning hair. Eventually, the follicle closes up so that no new hair is visible on the surface. A change in male hormones may be the reason follicles close up. Normal or lower levels of testosterone are apparent in men who are balding.

There is no cure for baldness, it is a natural part of aging, however, there are medications such as Propecia that are designed to treat men with male pattern baldness by allowing them to grow hair. There are also topical ointments like Minoxidil or Rogaine that work for some men, but there is no guarantee that medications and creams will work for everyone. The best thing to do is accept the change – besides, all of your friends are going bald too.