Hair Loss Article – Untitled
By Julio Vincent Gambuto
For every hair that goes missing on that queen’s crown of yours, there is a myth as to
why it split. If you’re like most people, you think Mom’s genes are responsible for your
thinning hair or that wearing a hat made you lose your locks before your time. Not true.
In fact, there’s been a good deal of progress by the medical community to give us more
information than ever about what causes hair loss and what we can and can’t do to avoid
it, prevent it, re-grow it or replace it. Here are the mane points:
THE FACTS
Hair loss affects over 40 million men in America. Depending on who’s doing the math,
that’s over 4 million gay men with Androgenetic Alopecia, more commonly known as
“Oh, sweetheart, you’re getting thin up there.” Androgenetic alopecia causes the
miniaturization of hair follicles, which shortens the growth cycle of a piece of hair,
making it shorter and thinner. Over time, the follicle can stop producing hair at all. The
condition is hereditary and, in fact, can be passed along from either mother or father,
sometimes but not always skipping generations. Bottom line, you can’t avoid it. So, if
you’re not prepared to shave it all off, get up and take some action.
NOW WHAT?
Long after the days when Sy Sperling, Founder of the Hair Club for Men, admitted to us
all that not only was he the president of the transplantation association, but a client,
treatment for “Oh, sweetheart, you’re getting thin up there” has come a long way. Those
who want their very own before-and-after successes story have basically four courses of
action:
A. Scalp Treatment. Topical scalp treatments like Rogaine are now sold over-the-counter
and require twice daily application of the follicle-stimulator monoxidil. Monoxidil, the
only FDA-approved topical treatment, rejuvenates shrinking follicles and turns the hair
switch back on. But does it work? While studies have shown that upwards of 60% of
users (of monoxidil-based products) e