Male Pattern Hair Loss MPHL
About Male Pattern Hair Loss
95% of male hair loss problems are as a consequence of male pattern hair loss. Male pattern hair loss is almost a certainty in most men.
By the age of 50yrs 40% of men will show signs of MPHL. By the age of 80yrs, 80% of men will experience a significant degree of male pattern hair loss. As one can see it is only the lucky few that will escape.
The incidence of male pattern hair loss varies between ethnicities and is based on genetic factors.
It often commences early and thinning can sometimes be seen in patients as early as 15yrs of age. Fortunately MPHL progresses slowly. If diagnosed and treated early this rate of progression can be significantly reduced through appropriate treatment.
Why do men develop male pattern hair loss?
MPHL is a form of androgenetic alopecia.
Androgens have an adverse follicular miniaturisation effect on hair follicles in genetically predisposed men.
Androgens also will shorten the anagen (active hair growth) phase in genetically predisposed men. These factors combine to give a progressive patterned hair loss that is easy to identify. Patterns can vary between ethnicities but the areas affected are common to all ethnicities.
New research is showing evidence of contributary factors to MPHL. Low grade inflammatory processes and alteration in other chemical pathways such as the prostaglandin pathway are shown to contribute to the overall mechanism of male pattern hair loss.
Treatment of MPHL
MPHL is a medically benign condition. However, hair loss is a cause of much social anxiety and loss of self confidence in men. Hair loss affects male self-esteem due to association (but nor medically correct) with:
- Ageing
- Hair loss adversely affecting sexual attraction/reduced desirability
- Perception of reduced virility
As a result at some stage most men will consider treatment to reduce MPHL especially if they have had a particularly early onset of the condition.
Treatment of MPHL includes the following methodologies:
- Intradermal Dutasteride scalp injection therapy
- Oral minoxidil and/or oral finasteride
- Topical minoxidil and finasteride preparations
- Platelet Rich Plasma injection therapy (PRP injection therapy)