A receding hairline is a common problem for men, but this can be prevented or treated. A receding hairline or hair loss at the temples is the forerunner of androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss experienced by men.
With male pattern baldness, temporal hair loss occurs before losing hair at the crown or vertex of the scalp. The receding hairline and balding crown gradually extend and meet, creating a larger balding scalp area.
Triggers and Treatments of Temporal Hair Loss
Temporal hair loss may occur due to genetic factors. When the hormone testosterone combines with the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is produced. This attacks and gradually shrinks the hair follicles, which eventually makes hair fall out excessively. In a small percentage of people, temporal hair loss can also be due to health problems.
A physician should be consulted to discuss the various treatment options for temporal hair loss. He may refer the patient to a hair loss specialist, or conduct some lab tests to ensure that the hair loss is not due to some medical condition.
Medicines may also be prescribed to reverse the condition. Over-the-counter treatment with a topical lotion may be prescribed at first. More aggressive treatments may be advised if these do not work.
Temporal Hair Loss Treatments
There are some FDA-approved and medically established treatment options for temporal hair loss. These are as follows:
• Hair Transplants
• Finasteride
• Minoxidil
• Flap Surgery
A hair transplant is the most instant solution to temporal hair loss and a receding hairline. It is a surgical procedure and the doctor has to first determine the number of grafts required and discuss the cost with the patient.
The doctor normally uses 1-hair follicular unit grafts to create a natural temporal hairline. These are surgically implanted in an irregular zigzag pattern. Donor strips of hair are uprooted and transferred to the bald areas by the doctor. Hair which is grafted is not susceptible to DHT-induced hair loss, so it has a high rate of survival.
Another form of temporal hair loss treatment is through taking finasteride. This is a synthetic antiandrogen. Studies on patients of baldness who took 1mg of this tablet daily showed the growth of new scalp hair after continuing the treatment for some time. However, hair loss can reoccur if the medication is stopped. There are also side effects to this oral medication.
On the other hand, the drug minoxidil is a hair lotion which is known to promote hair growth. It should be used twice a day for effective hair growth. It is an FDA-approved anti-balding topical treatment and is considered safe to use by women as well.
However, like finasteride, hair loss occurs again if the application is discontinued. Temporal hair loss can be treated effectively with a combination of both the tablet and the lotion.
Flap surgery is another form of temporal hair loss treatment, though it is the least desirable. In this method, a strip of scalp which is balding is removed and the hair-growing area adjacent to it is moved upwards, in place of the bald strip. This method looks quite unnatural and has many drawbacks.
Hair implants, though expensive at first, have proved to be an effective and permanent temporal hair loss treatment and this method of treatment is gaining popularity.
