Can baldness be cured?

Unfortunately male pattern baldness cannot be cured. It is a heredity condition related to genetic make up in each individual body, relating to the balance of testosterone in your hormonal system.

Telogen effluvium (TE), is a separate condition resulting in the temporary loss of hair, and can be cured by rejuvenating damaged or resting follicles, but it is a far less common condition that is largely unrelated to the ageing process.

There are, however, several popular methods for hair replacement. Mostly these are costly and lengthy procedures that carry no guarantees and can have side effects.

FDA certified drugs
The thought of putting chemicals into your body every day to combat balding doesn't seem to trouble the growing number of people who have been prescribed one of the only two FDA approved treatments; Rograine and Propecia. Ironically both were developed for other purposes but caused hair growth as a side effect. Propecia is a DHT inhibitor (DHT being the hormone suppressing the follicle's hair production), while Rogaine is a follicle stimulator.

These can be costly, both on your wallet and health, and have limited results if the follicles are essentially damaged by the ageing process. They are however the most effective of the hundreds of other drugs on the market that are completely useless. One new product, Nutrifolica uses herbal extracts of Habanero to stimulate the follicles and rejuvenate the skin, but results aren't verified.

Hair transplants
This is an expensive option that only the serious or wealthy attempt. It involves transplanting hair from other parts of the head or body into the bald patches. Modern techniques are very sophisticated and safe, but it can become an ongoing process, costing US$20,000 or more. Transplanting hair doesn't solve the problem of dysfunctional follicles that fail to rejuvenate lost hair. Another method involves the grafting of small clumps of hair, which, it is hoped, will 'colonise' a new head of hair.

Hair pieces
A slightly more old-fashioned attempt involves the use of hair pieces to cover bald spots. These too can be quite expensive and unhealthy, usually contributing to hair loss and speeding it up. The bald patch soon outgrows the hair piece and a new one has to be stitched onto your scalp. Synthetic hairpieces have been banned by the FDA for health reasons. Some opt for hair extensions or braids that are attached to existing hair, thought this is only realistic in the early stages of balding.