Whether you’re in your 20s or 50s, hair loss significantly impacts your self-confidence. However, hair loss is something many men will face in their lifetime in the form of male pattern baldness.
The good news is many treatment options are available to help you grow thick, healthy hair again. The bad news? Not all treatments work, and some come with potentially dangerous side effects.
In this blog, we’ll explore what causes male pattern baldness, what kind of treatments you should avoid, and 5 of the best solutions for lasting hair growth without the side effects.
What Is Male Pattern Baldness?
Male pattern hair loss, also known as male androgenetic alopecia, is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Male pattern baldness can start as young as your late teens, but for many men, it starts to show up with age. By age 50, more than half of white men will have visible signs of the condition, including:
- Noticeable hair thinning
- A receding hairline
- Losing more hair in the shower or with brushing
- Bald spots or balding at the top of the head
In people with androgenetic alopecia, the growth phase (anagen) of the hair growth cycle begins to increase, while the hair loss phase (telogen) remains constant or is prolonged. Over time, the anagen phase becomes so short that new hair follicles can’t grow long enough to reach the surface of the skin. Hair loss becomes irreversible once the muscle that attaches around hair follicles has detached from the strands entirely.
The two most common causes of male pattern baldness include your genes and your hormones. If you have a family history of baldness, you have an approximately 80% increased chance of developing it yourself. There isn’t anything you can do about your genes, unfortunately. If you know you are more at risk of balding, your best bet to keep your hair is to start treatments at the first sign of hair loss.
A treatable cause of hair loss is a hormonal imbalance. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a sex hormone found to contribute to body hair development. But it can also make you lose your hair faster and earlier. Derived from testosterone, DHT is necessary in normal amounts but causes hair loss when levels become too high in the body. Hormone replacement therapy can help balance your DHT levels.
Regardless of the cause of your male pattern baldness, there are numerous treatment options available to stop and reverse hair loss if it’s caught early. Below, we’ll explore why some treatments are better than others.
The Issue With Certain Hair Loss Treatments
While several prescription treatments for hair loss are on the market, the most commonly recognized ones include topical minoxidil (Rogaine) and oral finasteride (Propecia). These medications are both FDA-approved to treat male pattern baldness. However, they only partially reverse baldness and can have frustrating side effects.
Minoxidil is known to accelerate hair loss for several weeks before you’ll notice an improvement in hair growth. Additionally, side effects with Rogaine range from minor to major. Minor adverse effects can include itching, dandruff, and skin reddening.
The more risky side effects of Rogaine include chest pain and heart problems. In one study, topical minoxidil caused significant increases in left ventricular end-diastolic volume, cardiac output, and ventricular mass.
The main concern with oral finasteride is the impact it can have on sexual function. For men, Propecia can cause sexual dysfunction in the form of erectile dysfunction, low libido, and loss of sexual stimulation. These side effects will go away once the medication is stopped. More minor side effects men can experience include headaches, rashes, dizziness, swelling in the hands or feet, and inverted nipples.
5 Safe Yet Effective Hair Growth Treatments For Male Pattern Baldness
Because male pattern baldness impacts the hair growth cycle, almost all treatment options require continuous use to maintain results. Some treatments must be taken or used daily, while others can provide weeks of hair growth before you need another treatment.
If you are experiencing hair loss, early treatment is essential. The key is to find a treatment option that significantly reduces hair loss, fits your schedule, and doesn’t come with risky side effects.
So where should you start? The options below improve your hair’s thickness, fullness, and texture naturally. Read on to find out which treatment could be right for you!
1. Peptide Treatments
Peptides, naturally occurring chains of amino acids found in the body, can impact everything from your gut health to your libido. They can also help you fight back against hair loss. Two peptides, in particular, have been studied for their impact on hair growth.
Protein transduction domain (PTD)-Dvl-binding motif (DBM), offered as a peptide-based follicle regeneration treatment, prevents hair follicles from shrinking at a cell level. PTD-DBM prevents hair loss and promotes new hair growth—providing quick results without potential damage to the heart.
Another option, Zinc Thymulin (ZT), can also be used to restore hair lost from male pattern baldness. Zinc and Thymulin are two natural compounds involved in hair follicle growth. ZT can be applied to the scalp in a spray solution to treat hair loss, bald patches, and more.
Peptide treatments need time to build up in your body, so expect to use these treatments for more than 6 weeks before you notice a significant improvement.
2. Under-The-Skin Infusion Treatments
Often, topical creams and prescriptions are ineffective because they can’t penetrate deep enough into the skin to provide lasting results. For example, the Sensus TransDermal Infusion System infuses macromolecules into the skin using gentle electrical pulses. The Sensus TransDermal Infusion System is FDA-approved, non-invasive, and provided in-office by a medical specialist.
Specialists often combine systems like the Sensus TransDermal with serums specifically formulated to promote hair growth. One popular option is the U.SK Under Skin Health Saver. This serum is formulated with key ingredients that address the core problems related to hair loss.
Combining the U.SK Under Skin Hair Saver with the TransDermal Infusion System supercharges the solution’s delivery, enhances hair growth results, and increases the value you get from the treatments. Together, the treatments can:
- Revitalize follicles and improve scalp health
- Reverse the appearance of hair loss
- Improve the shine, thickness, and density of the strands
- Deliver noticeable results with no needles, pain, or downtime
3. Laser Hair Growth Treatments
We often associate lasers with pain, but this non-invasive treatment provides noticeable results without any pain or discomfort. FDA-approved laser hair therapy uses low-level laser energy to heal damaged hair follicles and promote new follicle growth. The device has a success rate of 90% in most clinics, and the only reported side effects are mild scalp irritation.
According to research, laser hair therapy can:
- Increase the production of ATP to energize & repair the weakened follicles
- Increase blood micro-circulation and nutrient absorption in the scalp
- Increase oxygen uptake and calcium ion mobilization
- Increase the rate of removal of harmful DHT
- Decrease follicular inflammation
- Allow weakened follicles to heal and regrow normal, thick, healthy hairs
4. Laser Hair Growth Cap
In-office treatments aren’t your only option for noticeable results. Treatments like the GetHairMD™ Laser Cap provide the benefits and effectiveness of laser hair therapy with the convenience of at-home treatment.
The GetHairMD™ Laser Cap is a baseball cap insert you can use anywhere, anytime, to get the same benefits as laser hair therapy. The FDA-approved treatment regrows hair by increasing cellular activity and healing weakened and dying hair follicles. As with laser hair growth therapy, the treatment is painless, non-invasive, and has no side effects.
The GetHairMD™ Laser Cap can work as a supplemental treatment with other hair loss solutions or as a standalone treatment for those seeking less intensive, preventative, or maintenance-oriented treatment options.
5. FUE Hair Transplant
While considered one of the most invasive treatment options, hair transplants can provide dramatic and permanent results to men suffering from early to mid stages of androgenetic alopecia. Hair transplants work by moving healthy hair on your scalp to an area experiencing thinning or baldness. In many cases, the results of the transplants last a lifetime.
An FUE hair transplant extracts healthy hair grafts one by one from a donor site using a minimally invasive one-millimeter punch device. Unlike traditional transplants, FUE hair transplants leave behind minimal scarring and are done under local anesthesia, so you are conscious but comfortable, relaxed, and pain-free.
The most common side effects for FUE hair transplants include some tenderness around the donor site. This is a normal part of the healing process and typically subsides in a few days.
Certain factors come into play to determine if you’re an ideal candidate, so it’s important to consult with an experienced specialist to see if a hair transplant could be right for you.
How Can You Get Your Hair & Confidence Back?
Hair loss can take its toll on your self-confidence. But just because male pattern baldness is common doesn’t mean you have to settle for bald patches. Several FDA-approved hair loss treatments are available to restore your hair’s natural volume and thickness.
Some treatments work better than others, and some can come with side effects that could affect your quality of life. It’s always a good idea to talk with your doctor about which treatments best fit your needs so you can keep your hair and feel like yourself again.
At The Resurge Clinic, we understand how frustrating hair loss can be. We offer a variety of hair loss treatments designed to give you noticeable results naturally—without dangerous side effects.
The sooner you treat hair loss, the better your results will be. Whether you’re noticing a little thinning or dealing with major bald spots, don’t wait to take action. Schedule a consultation with The Resurge Clinic today, and let’s work together to get you the thick, healthy hair you deserve.
