Male Scene

Are you losing your hair?

Are you pushing 30 and your forehead is slightly longer than it once was or maybe losing hair from the crown too? Read on, as you are not alone.

Why am I losing hair?

Almost 95 per cent of men experience some hair loss in their lifetime, although the age at which the receding starts varies. By the age of 30, a third of men show signs of losing their hair; and by 50, this has risen to half of all men.

Genetics and hormones combined certainly play a part in hair loss. It is often said that this is a sign of virility and while true that testosterone levels do play a part, if other men in your family have also gone bald, the chances are that you will too.

It has also been proven that baldness can be caused or exacerbated by external factors such as illness, stress,  a bad diet or some drug treatments.

What can I do about it?

Although cures for hair loss are big business, many doubt whether anything can actually be done to stop hair loss. However some suggestions are:

• over-the-counter treatment such as Regaine, which is applied daily to the scalp and claims to stimulate  re-growth in about 15 per cent of cases and delays hair loss in a further 50 per cent.
  
• wear a toupee.
  
• do like Elton John and have surgery. However, it is expensive, painful and does not guarantee success
  
• healthy eating can help and check whether your iron levels are below normal. Also try and avoid blow-drying, overbrushing of your hair, or exposing it to too much chlorine or bleach. Try using a mild shampoo.
  
• shave off the remainder of your hair

What is the prognosis?

Baldness is inevitable for most men and in most cases, this should not cause any problem if you are a confident individual. If you are having trouble coming to terms with this loss, try talking to someone about it and the British Association for Counselling is a good first port of call.