Hair loss is a common issue amongst middle-aged men, with male pattern baldness, receding hairline and thinning on top all issues affecting more than 80 percent of men at some point in their lifetime, and an increasing number of those men are only in their 30s or 40s.
For many, it’s an instant confidence killer that leaves them wanting to cover up the problem, with many feeling forced to resort to shaving and trimming to avoid any obvious contrast between longer lengths and sparser patches or wear hats to mask it all together. But with constant advancements being made in the pharmaceutical and men’s grooming fields, male pattern baldness could soon be a thing of the past, with a range of mousses, sprays and oils on the market today promising to reduce thinning and, in some cases, even restore growth.
And that’s not the only way men are now restoring their manes to former glory, as there have also been advances in the cosmetic surgery field that address this issue – some with quite impressive results.
Here, we take a look at the best ways to beat men’s hair loss in 2021 – from the quick and easy to the slow and steady. Whichever route you choose, being follically challenged is no longer the sentence it once was when it comes to your image or your confidence, so get ready for that much needed boost.
Minoxidil
One of the most effective at-home treatments for hair loss and thinning, minoxidil has won itself much acclaim in recent years, and is available in a range of different formulas including oil, foam and cream. Widely available in both four and five percent formulations, depending on the severity of your problem, this antihypertensive miracle is applied directly to the scalp and encourages follicles to reawaken. Applied twice daily, it has been clinically proven to work in 85 percent of men who try it. You may experience some light shedding in the first few weeks of use, but don’t be alarmed – it’s all part of the process, and the regrowth will be worth it.
Hair transplant
An increasing number of men are opting for a more serious means of restoring their heads of hair, particularly where the loss is more serious than just a little light thinning. Hair transplants have come a long way since their early days, and where early adopters may have found themselves the subject of ridicule, their success rate is now such that they are being taken far more seriously, with a flurry of celebrities – including David Beckham, Matthew McConaughey and Sylvester Stallone – said to have flocked to Turkey for the specialist procedure and paving the way for numerous well-off civilians to do the same.
Although the procedure is available in the UK, Turkey is considered to have some of the best transplant clinics and surgeons in the world, and today it’s possible to book luxury packages including flights and hotel accommodation.
The transplant procedure involves transferring hair from a donor area – in other words, an area that isn’t affected by hair loss – to an area where the hair is thinning or entirely bald. Anywhere between 10 and 80 percent of hair can be expected to grow back within three to four months, so whilst a fully restored head of hair isn’t guaranteed, the chances of improvements are good.
And if all else fails? Try a toupee
For those with absolutely no hair left on their head, a transplant isn’t always an option – so you might be better off purchasing yourself a toupee from the likes of Hairbro.com – but it’s always worth booking a consultation with a reputable surgeon, as there are often some innovative solutions that can be implemented to ensure you see success.
That said, there are a range of realistic luxury toupees and wigs available on the market today that are so convincing, no-one will even realise you’re wearing one. For maximum discretion, it’s best to invest before your thinning or balding becomes too obvious so that you can mask the process entirely.
