Minoxidil: Understanding Male Pattern Baldness

Losing your hair at a speed far beyond what is average can be daunting. It can also be a blow towards one’s confidence as your locks are that glorious crown you wear day in and day out. Thinking of what hair loss treatment to sign up for? We’ll tell you why you should try Minoxidil, along with information to help you understand the types of male pattern baldness.

Topical Minoxidil

Topical minoxidil is a medication used to incite hair regrowth. This biomedical treatment for male pattern baldness is often recommended by medical professionals because of its capacity to help the roots regain a stable hair growth cycle which ultimately leads to healthier, thicker locks.

Male Pattern Baldness: What Is It?

Male pattern baldness is a category of hair loss that generally affects a portion of the male population, post-puberty. In most cases, symptoms of male pattern baldness begin to appear as early as in their late 30’s or early 40’s. On the other hand, a majority of said hair loss cases occur from 50 years of age and over.

What distinguishes male pattern baldness is how it seems to follow a certain pattern as hair thins out, and eventually, sheds out completely over time.

3 Basic Male Pattern Baldness Types

1. The M Pattern: Receding Hairline

This is one of the most common hair loss patterns that befall men who are stricken with male pattern baldness. Think of it as a letter M, with the middle trough (as with parts of a water wave) losing hair faster than the opposing crests on either of its sides.

2. The U-Shape: Phase 2 Receding Hairline

This pattern is more of a follow up of the M pattern. As strands of hair continue to thin and decrease in thickness and growth recurrence, the “trough” of the M shape will fade out into an inverted crescent. To be particular, a U pattern.

As the balding progress, the curve of said “U” moves further back and widens its reach until the entire frontal region and mid-scalp are completely devoid of hair. It is possible that only the parietal ridge (sides of one’s head) will see hair growth. Even so, the follicles that emerge will be very thin, especially if the U pattern has already widened in scope.

3. The Type IV Male Pattern Baldness

Researches show that this classification of male pattern baldness is just as standard as the first two. In this pattern, hair loss begins at the very vertex. A head full of hair will begin to have a clear, hairless region in an oval form, right at the furthest portion of the anatomical calvaria.

To put this into perspective, you can bow your head and feel the topmost portion of your scalp before it descends onto your nape. That is the vertex.

Due to the location of the balding, most don’t realize this kind of hair loss until it has worsened because it begins in a region that is rarely seen. One can stand in front of a mirror and not notice it during its early balding phase.

According to some balding classifications, this Type IV is often accompanied by either the U pattern or the M pattern.