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Are All Those Who Suffer from Hair Loss Destined to Go Completely Bald? - Monday, June 15, 2009

Question:

I'm experiencing male pattern baldness at 23 years old. I was wondering since it started pretty early if hair loss will continue until I'm completely bald.

Answer:

The good news is not everyone who experiences male pattern hair loss (including those who start losing hair young) will go completely bald by the time they're old men. The bad news is hair loss is a progressive condition and will be as conservative or aggressive as your genes dictate. There is some discussion that all men with male pattern baldness would eventually go completely bald if they lived for hundreds of years. The theory here is that hair loss really never really stops but how fast it accelerates varies from person to person. Whether or not this is true, I've seen young men in their early 20s who are completely bald on top and men in their 80s with only a slightly recessed hairline.

Family history of hair loss can be a possible indicator as to where you are headed, but it's not fool proof. Regular checkups with a dermatologist or trichologist can also help give you an idea which of your hairs have started to miniaturize and thus, may eventually die completely.

Hair loss medication like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) have been known to slow down or stop hair loss from continuing. In some cases, both medications may reverse the miniaturization process and thicken thinning hair. Consider talking to your doctor about these medications and how they might help you save the hair you have.

Bill (Falceros) - Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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