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Hollywood has several leading men who embrace baldness. Vin Diesel and Bruce Willis, for example, have scalps as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
But there are others who make you wonder, well, have they had help in the follicle department? Is George Clooney naturally that hirsute up there? Come to think of it, Robert De Niro’s hairline seems to have been in the same state of recession for decades. Dustin Hoffman? He’s 72 yet his hair is almost as full and springy as it was when he did The Graduate back in ’67.
Ben Affleck is said to have had treatment. As have Al Pacino, Ted Danson and Matthew McConaughey…
And Australian cricketer Shane Warne made no secret of the fact that he had treatment when his hair started falling out. He underwent laser therapy and became one of the celebrities in the advertising campaign for the international hair clinic Advanced Hair Studio.
So, why does baldness occur, what are your cover-up options and can you do anything to stop your hair from falling out in the first place?
Why baldness occurs
Going bald is genetic – if your grandfather and your father were bald the chances are high you’ll be too. And don’t forget about the men on your mother’s side of the family: baldness can be passed on through your mum too.
Baldness is caused by the effects of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the hair follicles on the front, top and crown of the scalp. Follicles on the back and sides of the scalp aren’t affected by DHT, which is why men have a circle of hair left around the head.
DHT causes hair loss by shortening the growth phase of the hair cycle, decreasing the size of the follicles and producing increasingly shorter, finer hairs that eventually disappear completely. Some men produce more DHT than others, which is why they go bald and other guys don’t.
A new lease on life
Didier Simeon, a hair-treatment consultant, says giving people a new head of hair is like giving them “a new lease on life”. He advises bald men to consult an expert when it comes to hair-loss treatments.
“Manufacturers prey on people’s insecurities and often do more damage than good. And when the products don’t work, people lose all hope of restoring their hair.”
Over-the-counter medication and other products that slow down the production of DHT are available, Didier says, but it’s best to consult a doctor or hair expert to determine if there’ll be side effects. Some types of medication can affect your sex drive.
Hair loss can also be accelerated by medication taken for conditions such as depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, gout and thyroid disorders.
Cover-up options
If you decide to invest the time and money to give your mane a bit of TLC, your options are as follows:
1. Permanent hair reconstruction
What it involves:
Hair experts select human hair that best matches your own hair in colour, thickness, wave and curl. The hair is then attached to strips of special fabric (wefts) that are sewn into the scalp, row by row, by a plastic surgeon until the bald areas are covered.
The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic and takes between three to four hours. There can be some discomfort for a few days after the procedure.
Follow-up care:
This treatment lasts a lifetime and can be washed, brushed and treated as you would your own hair. Your new hair will not grow although your own hair obviously will. You can have your hair cut at any salon as well as at the clinic where the procedure was done. As you age, colour can be applied to the cosmetic hair to blend in with your own hair.
2. Hair transplant
What it involves:
The procedure – performed by a plastic surgeon – is done under local anaesthetic. A strip of hair-bearing skin is removed from the back or sides of your scalp where the hair is growing at its best and used to cover the area where there’s permanent hair loss. The area from which the hair was taken is then sutured closed.
The hair that was removed is separated into tiny grafts containing just two or three hairs, which are placed into tiny slits that have been made in your bald area. Your body’s natural “glue” anchors the graft within minutes. The procedure takes several hours depending on the size of the area to be covered. Stitches are removed 10 to 12 days later.
The transplanted hair falls out over the following few weeks, but within three to four months the hair starts to grow again and will continue to grow for the rest of your life. The full results will become apparent some eight months to a year after the transplant – so you need to be patient.
Follow-up care:
Although your transplanted hair will grow permanently, you could still lose hair in other areas and might need more transplants at a later stage.
3. Non-surgical skin graft (hair-by-hair reconstruction)
What it involves:
Samples of your hair’s colour and texture are taken and a head of new hair is manufactured to match your hair as closely as possible. This takes about six weeks.
When your new hair is ready, your scalp will be cleaned, surgical adhesive will be applied, and the new hair anchored in one piece. No stitching or anaesthetic is required. The procedure is done by hair experts at clinics that specialise in hair replacement.
Follow-up care:
Although you can swim and surf with this hair, you’ll need to return to your clinic every four to six weeks to ensure it is properly anchored. The new hair has a life span of about 18 months after which it will need to be replaced.
4. Laser therapy
What it involves:
This treatment works only if you’ve been bald for less than five years and is most suited to young people.
You sit under a laser machine for 30-minute sessions. The laser rotates over your scalp, increasing blood circulation and breaking down DHT, the hormone responsible for hair loss. Regular treatments are usually required over a six-month period.
Follow-up care:
Laser therapy works best in conjunction with products that reduce DHT. You’ll also need to consult your trichologist once a month to assess the success of the treatment.
Can baldness be prevented?
Unfortunately there’s little you can do to stop going bald, experts say, although there are some dos and don’ts you can follow to help you hold onto the locks you’ve got for as long as possible.
Do:
- Avoid excessive sun exposure and swimming in the sea as these can weaken and break your hair. Keratin, the protein cells that coat hair to give it strength and gloss, can be easily damaged by too much activity in the sun and sea.
- Massage a protective layer of water-resistant lotion, such as cocoa butter, into your hair before swimming to combat damage from the sun and salt water. Wash your hair as soon as possible afterwards and apply a good leave-in conditioner.
- Rinse your hair immediately with fresh water after swimming in a chlorine pool. Chlorine causes hair to become dry and brittle.
- Take supplements containing B vitamins as research has shown a diet lacking in especially B6 and folic acid can cause hair loss. Bell peppers, spinach, tuna, bananas and chicken breasts are excellent sources of B6. Foods high in folic acid include kiwi fruit, papaya, broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, spinach and cooked kidneys.
- Include essential fatty acids in your diet. Those found in flaxseed oil, primrose oil and salmon oil improve the texture of your hair and prevent it from becoming brittle and more likely to break.
- Eat foods that contain biotin (also known as vitamin B7), which is vital for hair health. Sources include brewer’s yeast, brown rice, green peas, lentils, oats, soya beans, bulgur wheat, sunflower seeds and walnuts. Use hair-care products that contain biotin.
Don’t:
- Brush your hair too often as this can lead to damage and loss. Use a wide-tooth comb to untangle hair or run your fingers through wet hair to release knots.
- Backcomb (or “tease”) your hair, no matter how trendy it may be. Backcombing pushes the hair the wrong way and causes hair loss in the long term.
- Do a David Beckham and go for corn rows. It damages the follicles and accelerates balding.
- Have too many hot oil treatments. This can cause inflammation of the hair follicle, leading to scarring and hair loss.
- Have too much vitamin A. An excessive intake of foods high in vitamin A (duck, turkey, lamb, pork, apricots, peaches, tomatoes and apples) can cause hair loss.
