Hair loss is a complicated problem. More than 6.5 million men in the UK suffer from Male Pattern Baldness, which is the most common cause of hair loss in men. For many men, the slow receding of the hairline or sudden appearance of a bald spot can shatter their self-confidence.
Fortunately, there are solutions to the problem. But choosing the right one for you can be a daunting task. Here, we’re going to break it down, with some pros and cons for each.
#1 – The Hair Transplant
The hair transplant is the first fix that comes to everyone’s mind. But it’s also one of the most invasive, painful and expensive procedures you can have. And contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t permanent either.
Over the last decade, hair transplants have soared in popularity. Thousands of men are willing to pay over the odds to try their luck and see if a transplant works for them. You’ve likely heard stories about men from the UK travelling to places like Turkey searching for a cheaper alternative to the prices that UK surgeons charge.
Cost is one of the major barriers to hair transplant surgery. The procedure costs thousands of pounds, and for the best chance of good results, you’ll be paying a premium.
Even the best surgeons can’t predict how your scalp will react to transplant surgery. Scarring is common in transplant patients, where you can see small scars around every implanted follicle. This isn’t a problem if your hair grows back thick, but if for some reason you’re struggling to achieve fuller coverage around the treated area, you’ll be able to see these scars.
Recovery from a hair transplant is often a long and uncomfortable process too. Most patients can return to work just three days after the surgery, but some can expect to be in some discomfort for at least a few weeks. It’s also crucial not to sleep on the treated area to avoid pulling out the newly inserted follicles.
Most importantly, a hair transplant is NOT a permanent solution to hair loss. Without treating the cause of the hair loss, your hairline will keep receding. This can mean paying out for additional transplants for some men as the hairline keeps receding back past the original treated area, leaving an ‘island’ of hair. To avoid this, many men will have to use a special prescribed solution to maintain their new hair and avoid any more from falling out.
#2 – Topical Finasteride and Unthin
Of all of the treatments, solutions and coverups we’ve mentioned above, none have the potential and power of topical finasteride. This treatment is proven to reverse male pattern baldness in 9/10 men and is becoming ever more popular.
Finasteride is a prescribed treatment that helps to reduce the amount of dihydrotestosterone (or DHT, for short) that’s on your scalp. DHT is the number one cause of male pattern baldness, and finasteride targets the problem directly.
Unthin is a hair loss brand that takes an innovative approach to reverse male pattern baldness with topical finasteride.
While some treatments administer finasteride via an oral pill, which can come with significant side effects, Unthin encompasses finasteride into its Treatment Spray, which is applied directly to the scalp, which minimises the chance of possible reactions.
Combined with the finasteride is minoxidil, another proven solution that increases blood flow to the hair follicles. These two ingredients combined into a topical spray provide the best results for reversing hair loss.
Unthin’s Treatment Spray can help you reverse your hair loss in as little as three months. After just six months of using the treatment, you can expect to see significant regrowth in the treated areas.
Unthin is also suitable as a replacement for the finasteride pills that many hair transplant patients will be taking.
Unlike some of the previous solutions we’ve talked about, Unthin isn’t going to break the bank. Compared to the thousands of pounds you’d be spending on a transplant or toupée, you can get your hair growth journey started with Unthin for just £25.
Unthin has given me a special code that I can share with you for £25 off your first month! Go to www.unthin.co.uk and use code ‘hairline’ at the checkout.
#3 – The Toupée
More popular in the 20th century than they are today, a toupée is still a solution that some men prefer when covering up their hair loss. It’s important to remember that this is just that, a cover-up. You won’t be curing or reversing your hair loss this way.
A toupée is a small wig or hairpiece that is worn on a bald spot on the scalp, often on the crown. They are made from either synthetic or artificial hair and are usually attached to your scalp with some kind of adhesive or glue. The best toupées will be matched to your natural hair colour. There are some very talented barbers in the UK who can make your hair look unaffected by male pattern baldness, but again, there are some cons.
The first is, again, cost. Buying a toupée is expensive in its own right, but you’ll also have to factor in the cost of getting it professionally fitted. The best, most realistic looking ones can cost several thousand pounds, and the cost of having them fitted and styled can vary wildly.
There are also several costs associated with maintaining your new look. Many people forget that while the hair in your toupée won’t grow, the hair around it will. This can lead to some peculiar looks while the hair around your toupée grows out much longer. You’ll be visiting the barber’s shop very often to maintain your style.
You’ll also want to be aware of how much it costs to clean your toupée. Just like with your natural hair, it’ll need washing and conditioning to keep it looking its best. You’ll need special products for this, which can increase the cost of having a toupée in the long run.
Finally, as we’ve said before, a toupée isn’t a “treatment” for your hair loss. You’re simply hiding the problem instead of addressing its root causes. Your bald patch may continue to grow over time, making the situation more difficult to treat further down the line.
#4 – The “Shave It Off”
It’s very likely that you’ve already heard this one. If you’ve ever spoken to a stranger in the pub about your hairline, they’ve probably given you the one-liner that you don’t want to hear: “just shave it off.”
Of course, some men do just that, and there are many millions of men who live comfortably without a single hair on their head. But what works for one man might not work for another, and some men would much prefer to keep their hair if they can.
There are no serious pros or cons to going full nuclear and shaving your head. Of course, when shaving your hair down to the scalp, it can take a long time to grow back to how it once was. So if you change your mind immediately after taking the plunge, you’ll be waiting a while to undo your mistake. And you’ll be colder in winter. But that’s about it.
Regardless, having a bald head isn’t for everyone. Some people suit it, some people don’t. But if you’re looking for a solution to your hair loss, shaving it won’t help.
Unthin has given me a special code that I can share with you for £25 off your first month! Go to www.unthin.co.uk and use code ‘hairline’ at the checkout.
Discussion about this post