One of the founding members of American rock band Guns N’ Roses has spoken about seeking out treatment for
hair loss.
Steven Adler was once a bouffant blond in the infamous five-piece alongside legendary guitarist Slash - whose hair is almost as famous as his axe skills. Adler explains in a podcast how he recently sought out professional help for his
thinning hair because he didn’t like the shape of his head. He says that his
“lumpy” dome, as he describes it, would not look good bald.
The drummer is losing hair to the genetic condition
Male Pattern Baldness, and at 52 he is evidently in the unlucky half of all men in that age bracket who carry what’s often termed “the balding gene.”
'Middle age' blamed
Adler came clean on the weekly podcast of US comedian and writer Bill Burr, and said that:
“I have that disease where I’m losing my hair it’s called middle age, and it’s going to happen to everyone.”
While middle age is certainly inevitable, Male Pattern Hair Loss is not. As an inherited condition, it is something of a genetic lottery as to who it is passed on to, and therefore possible that some men will not have the relevant genes. This is also why it is possible for male pattern baldness to
skip a generation in families. As the most common hair loss condition in the world, however, the lion’s share of men will be affected by the time they are in their 70s, though signs often start in their late 20s to 30s.
The good news for those who have inherited it is that
Male Hair Loss treatment is within the grasp of millions, and when it is overseen by a specialist clinic who can combine clinically-proven products with appropriate, innovative
hair growth supporting products then the outlook can be promising. In fact, non-invasive hair loss treatment courses can help to both stop the shedding and encourage regrowth and it’s something that Adler says countless rock stars have quietly undertaken.
“Dude, there’s a list a mile long,” he told Burr.
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Guns N' Roses pictured in their hey day. Steven Adler second from the left, Slash far right
The American is certainly not the only celebrity to have blamed an unlovable head shape as the reason they have asked for expert help to stave off baldness. TFI Friday and BBC Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans once
bantered with Elton John that he was losing his hair and said that it was only those men with a head shaped like
“a peanut” who suited the bald look. Patrick Stewart, Jason Statham and
Bruce Willis, he said, were all fine.
Elton John, whose abundant locks hint at a hairpiece, said that he, too, wasn’t keen on rocking the bald look as his head shape make him
“look like Shrek”.
Transplant or treatment?
Although he does say 'treatment', it is unclear from his comments whether Steven Adler was actually referring to
hair transplant surgery or non-surgical, pharmaceutical hair loss treatment. Given the royalties from Guns N’ Roses multi-million selling Appetite for Destruction album alone, it is likely that the £6,000 - £20,000+ in surgical restoration costs would be well within his grasp if he did decide to take that route.

Non-invasive
hair loss treatment for men can work out as a much more affordable - and less noticeable, due to its gradual progression - option. It is a more private approach whereby, in many cases, a daily oral tablet -
finasteride 1mg - is taken to inhibit the enzyme responsible for genetic hair thinning, and/or recommended formulations of
high strength minoxidil - a topical drug - is applied to the scalp once or twice per day, as advised to promote hair growth. These medications are recognised by the UK and USA's medical regulatory boards for this purpose, being both MHRA licensed and FDA approved for the treatment of men's hair loss caused by androgenetic alopecia.
What is interesting is that, if Adler is only now showing signs of thinning, he seems to have escaped any kind of escalation of genetic hair loss that is sometimes caused by a less than clean-living lifestyle. Adler has previously spoken and written about his once appalling
diet and his former addiction to drink and
drugs not to mention the
stress he endured after being sexually abused in his teens and in some cases such a brutal regime on both the mind and body can make androgenetic alopecia happen earlier than it otherwise would, and/or with increased intensity.