The Belgravia Centre Blog

Hair loss is non-discriminatory when it comes to age, race and gender, but baldness on the other hand is largely a male dominated sector. It is entirely possible for men to prevent baldness and even re-grow hair on a partially bald head – just take a look at our before and during treatment photos – but the key to getting the best results is knowledge: knowing what causes baldness, what treatments are best suited to you and how you can personally maximise your results.

The Cause of Baldness

Male pattern baldness is the most common reason why men lose hair and there are two ways it can present itself. Some men start out with a receding hairline and a bald spot on the top of the head until eventually the two areas meet and only rim of hair around the back and sides of the scalp is left. Others may simply notice thinning hair on the crown, or diffusely spread over the scalp. Both patterns are caused by the same mechanism, but it’s genetics that determine which hair follicles are prone to the effects of hair loss.

Male pattern baldness is caused by a genetic sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT (a converted form of testosterone), which binds to the hair follicles in the scalp and causing them to shrink until eventually they stop producing hair. Testosterone levels are normal in balding men and although it’s not clear why, the follicles on the top of the scalp tend to be more susceptible to the effects of DHT as opposed to the back and sides, or any other hair producing area on the body for that matter.

Hair loss can occur at any age and some men may start to notice a little thinning or receding as early as puberty. Generally though, roughly half of all men will have experienced male pattern baldness by the time they’re 50 and as much as 80% of men in their late 70’s will have had hair loss.

How to Prevent Baldness

Male pattern baldness is by far the most common condition that the Belgravia Centre deals with. Using a combination of clinically proven hair loss treatments and supporting hair growth products and supplements, we have found that most men will experience hair loss stabilisation and varying degrees of hair re-growth in a reasonably short period of time. You can see examples of men who have used our tailored treatment courses and their results by viewing our hair loss success stories section.

Propecia 

Preventing baldness from the root source requires a suppression of DHT. Propecia is a daily pill that’s clinically proven to prevent the formation of DHT without affecting testosterone levels. The hair follicles can then effectively get back to business as usual without their normal lifecycle being hindered genetically.

Minoxidil

Propecia can sometimes generate new hair growth but the most effective treatment for this purpose is minoxidil. It’s a vasodilator which means it stimulates blood flow to the hair follicles, relaxes the tissues surrounding the follicle, opens up potassium channels and allows the deliverance of essential nutrients to the follicles to encourage continued hair growth.

Minoxidil is a topical treatment, applied directly to the scalp once or twice a day and is often found in 2% and 4% concentrations. However, the Belgravia Centre finds that a 5% concentration is most effective for diffuse-spread thinning and an extra strength minoxidil 12.5% cream to be the most effective treatment for re-growth and maintenance of the hairline, particularly at the temple area.

Hair Growth Boosters

After treating thousands of cases of hair loss over many years, the Belgravia Centre has found that there are many ways to improve the results of hair loss treatments and tailor the program to suit the individual. We may incorporate a number of hair growth booster products to complement the clinically proven treatments and enhance their effectiveness.

Examples of these include the HairMax LaserComb, a hand-held, low-power laser device acknowledged by the FDA for its effectiveness, and supplements like Hair Vitalics that can help to maintain and improve the condition of the hair by providing essential nutrients.

Hair growth boosters cannot individually prevent hair loss, but when used alongside clinically proven treatments they can provide the back-up which will help target hair loss from every angle, and keep the hair and scalp in prime condition for optimal hair growth.

Other Ways of Dealing with Baldness

The gradual onset of baldness is one of the most common occurrences in men and a normal part of the aging process. For some men, baldness is not a big issue and no treatment is wanted or needed. A lot of men who are losing hair or are left with a rim of hair around the sides and back of the scalp will prefer to shave it all off and adopt the bald look.

Hair transplants are usually not suitable for men who are completely bald. To perform a transplant, the surgeon must be able to extract hair follicles that are still active and can produce hair. Anyone considering a hair transplant is advised to try clinically proven hair loss treatments first.

Wigs and hairpieces are a dying solution for balding men who are looking for ways to prevent hair loss now rather than deal with baldness later. However, they’re still an effective option for those who have exhausted other means of treatment and have very little to no hair.

Further information and reviews on other hair loss products can be found by using the blog’s ‘search box’ featured to the right of this story.

Arrange a free consultation by messaging the centre or calling 020 7730 6666.

Complete an online diagnostic form for Belgravia’s mail-order hair loss service.