Baldness: Concerns and Treatment Options

There are a variety of reasons for hair loss, but a popular notion is that hair loss is passed down through the maternal side of the family. As seen on The Doctors, a teenager whose father still has a full head of hair expresses concern that he will lose his hair because all the males on his mother’s side are bald.

Millions of American men and women suffer from hair loss and hair thinning but there have been great strides made to restore hair, including hair transplants. This is not the hair transplant of the past however. New technology uses FUE (follicular unit extraction) to remove strategic groupings of the follicular unit and the hair is placed where desired. Hair restoration specialist Dr. Alan Bauman, who has pioneered the administration of FUE in America, says, “The major advantage of any FUE procedure is the lack of a linear scar,” which erases the tell-tale line of demarcation that typical patients who have undergone hair transplants may have.

Early detection of whether you may go bald is also another option for the patient from the show. A genetic test is now available to see if a patient is susceptible to hair loss—a simple cheek swab can determine if someone is predetermined to be bald and if treated early, hair loss treatment such as topical and oral medications are most effective.

Also available is the Finasteride Response Test, which is recommended for patients considering the oral medication finasteride. According to the manufacturer, there are a certain percentages of patients that do not respond to finasteride and the test is important for anyone considering going on the medication.

The topical solution minoxidil is the only FDA-approved topical medication for male and female pattern hair loss. Minoxidil comes in 5 percent solution for men and 2 percent for women.