The Remedies for Male Pattern Baldness

Conventional therapies for male pattern baldness are limited to the use of testosterone blockers in the form of pills and solutions or the use of hair transplants and wigs. Alternative therapies treat the problem more holistically by looking at the excesses of energy and unbalances due to diet, body constitution or environment.

Wigs and Hairpieces

• Wigs and hairpieces are available with differing quality based on price. You can buy an inexpensive synthetic fiber hairpiece at a local specialty shop. However, due to the synthetic material used to make each hair and the narrower choice of colors, most men would find that their hair color and feel could not be matched. More expensive hairpieces, which can cost from hundreds to a few thousand dollars, can be purchased from specialized clinics where a client's hair color and texture are closely matched to human hair used in making the hairpiece. Also, such facilities offer periodic maintenance of the hairpiece to restore lost hair.

Hair Transplants

• Hair transplants cost several thousand dollars, leave a half-moon shaped scar at the donation site and may not take root in the transplanted region. However, they come from the person's own hair, usually at the back of the head, so there are no issues with matching hair type and color. The operation is carried out in a doctor's office over a few hours, preceded by a consultation session and followed by multiple visits after the surgery to assess the condition of the transplanted hairs. Hair transplants are permanent solutions to male pattern baldness because the transplanted hair almost never falls out a second time.

Anti-Hair-Loss Pills

• Pills are a convenient and non-invasive way to stop or reduce hair loss.

  Finasteride is the most widely used medication to treat hair loss in men and is available under the brand name Propecia. It must be prescribed by a physician. As with most medications, there are possible side effects to its use, and your doctor should explain these to you. Finasteride works by inhibiting the formation of a type of testosterone that shrinks hair roots on the scalp; however, it cannot regenerate hair growth and is suitable only for men who are not entirely bald. Finasteride tablets must be taken continuously, as stopping the treatment leads to continued hair loss.

Hair Growth Lotions

• For men who have a substantial amount of hair loss at the crown of their head, minoxidil, which is available as the over-the-counter solution Rogaine, is effective. The solution needs to be applied and gently rubbed into the affected area periodically. Hair regrowth should occur within three to six months but will cease if the solution is discontinued. Minoxidil is not effective in stimulating hair growth at the front of the head, and a physician should be consulted to monitor its effectiveness over long periods.

Alternative Remedies

• Alternative modalities such as traditional Chinese medicine view balding as an excess of yang energy in the body. Yang energy can manifest as heat, is considered dense energy and is found in foods such as meat. By reducing the intake of meat and leaning more towards grains and vegetables, hair loss can be reduced. Plant extracts in solution or shampoo form can also be directly applied to the head in the same way as minoxidil to stimulate hair regrowth. The plant verbascum songaricum is thought to be especially potent at reducing yang energy in the scalp and has been shown to stimulate hair growth in men.