Did you realize that 2/3 of American men begin to lose their hair before the age of thirty-five, and that by the age of 50 eighty-five percent of men have noticeably thinning hair? Are yo one of the millions of men struggling with the onset of hair loss? Or do you already have to cop with a frustrating bald spot or receding hairline?



As you can see by the statistics above, if you are experiencing hair loss you are not alone. Men tend to lose hair as they age, and while this has become widely accepted in society most men are extremely frustrated by hair loss and would do anything to stop it. There are many treatments available that claim to stop or reverse hair loss in men, but they can be expensive to try and may not be effective.

The treatments that are available to men vary depending upon the root cause of the individual's premature balding. In some cases hair loss cannot be arrested or reversed, but in many cases it can. Before you try to find a treatment to stop or reverse your loss of hair you should understand the different conditions that can case it. Here are the main ones:

* Heredity and Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). By far the most common cause of male hair loss, MPB is hereditary and usually treatable. MPB is directly attributable to approximately 80% of the cases of premature hair loss in men. There are several products designed to ward off MPB - the key is to find one that works for you.

* Hormonal imbalance. In men, a hormonal imbalance can be caused by an underactive or overactive thyroid gland. This can cause hair loss and can be an indication that a serious health issue exists and needs to be addressed. If you suspect a hormonal imbalance may be the cause of hair loss, see your doctor.

* Fungal infections. Infections such as ringworm can invade the hair and skin of your scalp, resulting in hair loss. Once infections are treated, hair generally grows back. Fungal infections can be treated with an oral or topical medication.

* Medications. If you are currently taking any medication, check the label for indications that hair loss may be a side-effect of the drug. Radiation treatment or chemotherapy are usually attributed to hair loss but there are other medications that might be responsible for hair loss as well. Make sure you read the labels of the medications that you are taking, and consult your physician if you have further questions.

* Underlying disease. There are a number of illnesses that can lead to hair loss. Two examples are diabetes and lupus. Usually hair loss due to underlying disease is often accompanied by other symptoms indicative of the causal illness. If you have other symptoms that accompany hair loss that lead you to believe that you might be ill, consult your doctor.

If you are experiencing premature loss of hair you should rule out illness, infection and medication as root causes by consulting your doctor. It is likely that Male Pattern Baldness is the root cause. If this is the case there are a number of remedies available that each show varying levels of effectiveness in different subjects. You can likely find one that will slow or even reverse your hair loss, but searching can be difficult and expensive.