As a male, the idea that one could be losing their hair can be incredibly troublesome and anxiety-spawning. While males aren’t under the obligation to be so conscious of their image, it cannot be denied that it’s a socially acceptable action to mock baldness and male hair loss. In this article, I will attempt to outline the reality of the situation rather than market expensive hair loss medicine.

The first sign of male pattern baldness is a receding hairline. On first discovery this can be an incredibly worrying sight. Most males see their hair as a form of identity and a defining factor of their image, and therefore what makes them themselves. This of course is not to be confused with alopecia, which is usually related to stress or an illness, this form of hair loss presents itself in patches across the scalp, and if noticed should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.

Male pattern baldness bears no other symptoms and is transmitted through your DNA; it doesn’t come through any particular side of the family, and it can be a very slow process. The men that experience extreme anxiety over hair loss should be relieved to hear that there are options to restore hair, but most of them come at a high price. The most important thing to do at this stage is to have a good long think about whether or not your hair is actually an important factor, and whether the need to maintain your hair is not a sign of underlying low-self-esteem and self-image problems. On the internet, the top results for male hair loss are dominated by pharmaceutical and private medical companies telling you that you can feel more like yourself again by purchasing one of their high priced products. While not attempting to make your decision for you, I would say that it is far more of a valuable personal journey to simply accept factors in life that are out of your control.

In contrast, some men who work in public relations jobs where their appearance and presentation is an incredibly important factor in the success of their career can not be faulted for wanting to restore their appearance. These treatments do not come without their issues, the most commonly used drug to halt hair loss (Finasteride) is costly, and hair loss will catch up with you after you stop taking it. This drug is also used for treatment of prostate conditions and can cause irregularities with the gland.

All in all, male hair loss is a forced introspective event in our lives and nobody can fault which path you choose to take. Just remember that your decision should be yours alone, and not affected by the social norm or the pressures of others.