Receding hairlines can often be the punch-line of many jokes between young male friends. But in actual fact a lot of you men really struggle with losing your hair, especially if it happens when you’re still in your prime. 

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Male pattern baldness is the most common type of premature hair lose for the male population with 40% of men having a noticeable loss of hair by the age of 35.  It is a hereditary condition and usually starts with a receding hairline, then the hair on top begins to thin out until just the back and sides have hair remaining. 

 

Your hair can be a key part of your identity, so hair loss can make you feel like you're losing a part of yourself. It can really damage your self-confidence. One day you may find yourself looking in the mirror and feeling that you're less attractive because of it. It may make you feel a lot older than you are too, as hair loss often has connotations of old age. If you’re struggling to come to terms with premature hair loss then it is really important that you reach out to someone, whether that is a friend or a professional.

 

Some men are able to embrace receding hair by shaving their hair off completely. If you’re on of those men then good for you, go rock that look. And you’re in the right place because Chinstrap believe having a strong beard game really compliments a shaved head. 

 

But if you’re one of those guys who would do absolutely anything to get your full head of hair back then you're in luck as science have given you some solutions to combat hair loss. 

 

Treatment for most hair loss cases, including male pattern baldness, is not covered by the NHS. Most treatments are often quite expensive and success cannot be guaranteed as everyones body will respond deferentially. But here are some treatments to look into if you want to restore your hairline. 

 

 

Medication

Two of the most popular and effective medicines are finasteride and minoxidil, with both being recommended by the NHS for treating hair loss. Finasteride comes in the form of a pill and it is available through prescription from a GP or dermatologist. Results should be noticeable after 3-6 months from this medication. Minoxidil comes in either a liquid or foam solution which you apply to the top of your scalp. You can purchase it over the counter and should start to see changes from 2-6 months of use. Both finasteride and minoxidil will only be effective with continued used and if treatment stops then the balding process will begin again. 

 

 

Transplants

Hair transplants are another option and this is the route Wanye Rooney went down, but it’s expensive costing anywhere between £1000 and £30,000. There are two methods; Follicular Unit Transplantation and Follicular Unit Extraction. For both methods it will take 6 months for new hair to appear with the full results being visible after 12-18 months. 

 

 

Wigs

Wigs are a third option for combating hair loss and are great for those with extensive hair loss. There are two kinds of wigs that you can purchase; synthetic wigs and real hair wigs. Synthetic wigs are made from acrylic and will cost between £60 and £300. They will last you around 6-9 months before needing replaced; real hair wigs need replacing a lot less frequently and should last 3-4 years. But they are more expensive and can cost anywhere between £200-£2000. Synthetic wigs are a lot easier to maintain compared to those made with real hair but they're more likely to become itchy and hot. 

 

Wigs are a great option for treating hair loss and restoring your self-confidence. Just ask Paul Bowen who showed the world his incredible transformation after getting his much anticipated custom wig. 

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Whatever option you chose, if any, make sure you've done thorough research to find what is best suited for you.