Many men struggle with androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness. In fact, there are about 35 million American males currently experiencing this problem to some degree or another. But despite its ubiquity, there are quite a few common misconceptions about the condition and its treatments (which include hair implants for men, at the top of the list, as well as hair growth drugs and laser treatments). Here are the top five myths about male pattern baldness and hair implants for men, busted:
- Male Pattern Baldness Is Passed on Through the Mother
People commonly say that you can see your hair loss future by looking at your maternal grandfather’s head. But hair loss is determined by genetics passed down from both your mother and your father — can’t blame mom for this one.
- Wearing Hats Makes You Go Bald
People frequently blame baseball caps for male baldness, saying they block oxygen and therefore hair growth. But your hair gets its oxygen supply from the blood, not the air.
- Hair Transplants Can’t Look Natural
Hair transplants can actually look the most natural of all the hair loss solutions floating around, since they use a patient’s own hair and let the implanted follicle produce hair naturally.
- The More Grafts You Can Get in a Session, the Better
While it’s natural that you’d want to get the greatest possible effect from a single surgery and prevent the need for further procedures, it’s a good idea to listen to your surgeon when it comes to the maximum number of grafts per surgery. This can prevent hair transplant scars and maximize hair regrowth.
- It’s Better to Get Hair Transplants When Young
While medical hair regrowth methods (drugs such as Propecia and Rogaine) work best before severe hair loss has occurred, there’s no reason to get hair transplants young; hair transplants don’t prevent further loss. In fact, hair loss can occur in an unpredictable pattern, so it can be a good idea to wait a few years and see where the thinning is worst before seeking out a hair transplant surgeon.
Do you have any questions about hair implants for men? Ask or share your expertise in the comments.