@Doc, our resident science Whiz

[schmosef]

What's up with the current status of viable treatments for male pattern baldness?

Lately it seems like every time I get a hair cut my hair is getting thinner and thinner.

Under the right lightnig conditions, I look like I have a full head of hair, but under the wrong conditions I almost look like Les Nesman!

How much longer am I going to have to suffer this indignity?

Where is the medical community on this important issue?

[Umfriend]

I looked in the mirror today
My eyes just didn't seem so bright
I've lost a few more hairs
I think I'm going bald

I think I'm going bald

Seems like only yesterday
We would sit and talk of dreams all night
Dreams of youth
And simple truths
Now we're so involved
So involved with life

Walk down vanity fair
Memory lane everywhere
Wall Street shuffles there
Dressed in flowing hair

Once we loved the flowers
Now we ask the price of the land
Once we would take water
But now it must be wine
Now we've been
And now we've seen
What price peace of mind

Take a piece of my mind

My life is slipping away
I'm aging every day
But even when I'm grey
I'll still be grey my way

"I Think I'm Going Bald" - Rush

:d

[Brian Ellis]

I'll answer for Dr M.

You rub in generous quantities of snake oil twice a day.

Seriously, there are at least 100 causes for alopecia, about most of which there is bugger-all you can do. Only a good dermatologist can diagnose the cause, after extensive and expensive tests (with his experience, he may hit lucky with the first or second one). The problems may be inflammatory, circulatory, fungal, viral, hormonal, bacterial or simply unknown. The most common male hair loss is possibly due to a combination of testosterone with, maybe, another hormone and a genetic predisposition. Treatment? Well, castration does spring to mind or massive oestrogen injections The easiest form to treat is fungal, with a topical tincture and, sometimes, but recommended only for very recalcitrant cases, a course of pills which may have side-effects. However, this is usually uneven, often in distinct patches, such as with some tinea infections (e.g., ringworm). Sycosis is caused by bacterial infection of the hair follicles but is more often, but not exclusively, on facial hair. It is often aggravated by scratching the itchiness, which breaks the hairs or pulls them out. There are two forms of alopecia areata, which I have suffered from. The early form consists of small temporary bald patches which grow in again after a few months (usually a darker colour in kids). The later form starts out as the early form but then develops into permanent patches which can overlap. I have had the early form intermittently from ~10 years and developed the later form about 12 years ago; it rapidly affected the back of my head from mid-ear level down to the nape of my neck. The cause is totally unknown and there is no treatment for either form.

Take your dermatologist's advice and do NOT buy any OTC treatments; they are all quackeries. It is possible that hair loss may be slowed down with the so-called omega fatty acids, but this is for your dermato to decide, not you.

However, take comfort: women like bald men - look at the success of Yul Brynner and other bald stars.

[Dr Mordrid]

US NIH baldness interactive tutorial;

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/alopecia/htm/_no_75_no_0.htm

READ IT ALL!

Surgical interventions;

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/85/98422.htm

or better yet: DEAL WITH IT!!

As Brian said; there are TONS of women who get off on shaved/bald heads, A LOT!

It's known as the "Mr. Clean" fetish

http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip21045.htm

Examples: http://www.baldrus.com/ladiescomments.shtml

At 24 years old I have finally found a common thread in my attraction to the men I have dated and, oh yes, it's the bald men that get me all worked up. Nothing, and I say this from the bottom of my heart, makes me growl like a cheetah inside when I see the smoothness of a completely bald man's head. Makes me want to scream and break out the oil!

My current boyfriend is balding but shaves his head daily (all of it) and I love it! He thinks I am making it up, but no way, no how! Look at Yule Brynner; talk about a sexy man!

Natalie in Denver, Colorado

I love and prefer baldheaded gentlemen. Once you been with a sexy baldheaded man you'll never go back...

Think about all the fun things you could do with a bald head.

1. You can rub it (gently and slowly over a smooth scalp).
2. Slap it (playfully)
3. Play barberette and shave it (buff and shine) and most importantly.
4. Hold on to it for dear life (during sex).

The bald look is also a more clean-cut and professional look for men.

So I say shine on men... you're beautiful!

Melissa

'nuff said. For many, many women a bald head is not only attractive, it's a sex toy. So, go grab a razor & shave that head. Then grow a moustache and a soul patch.

Your other 'head' will thank you

Dr. Mordrid

[KRSESQ]

My brother in law has the same problem. He wears a hat a fair bit of the time, but otherwise just grits his teeth and bears it.

He's a little self-conscious about it though. When we go walking he tells me "don't look at my head, you'll go blind!" When I suggested over-the-counter Rogain he said "Fark you." Then admitted "that's not for me. I'll live with it."

A co-worker of mine from a few years back made an observation I have a hard time refuting. He said, "Why is it that when a black guy shaves his head he looks cool, but when a white guy shaves his head he looks like a dork?"

Kevin

[Umfriend]

"Why is it that when a black guy shaves his head he looks cool, but when a white guy shaves his head he looks like a dork?"

I am pretty sure Schmo is feeling better with every post here!

[schmosef]

It's not a self-image problem. Or a girl attraction issue.

I just like having hair. Is that so wrong?

[Umfriend]

Not at all.

[Dr Mordrid]

I just like having hair. Is that so wrong?

No. Most of us would like not paying taxes too, for what good it'll do us

When all you have is bologna, make a sandwich....

[Gurm]

Whatever you do, don't try propecia. That shit'll make your (future) kids' dicks fall off. Seriously!

[Brian Ellis]

Whatever you do, don't try propecia. That shit'll make your (future) kids' dicks fall off. Seriously!

Especially the (future) girls'

But they'll have abundant pubic hair

[Gurm]

Actually, I wasn't joking.

I was intrigued by the ads that said "women who are pregnant or may get pregnant in the future should not handle propecia due to the risk of a certain side effect".

I said to myself "what could that side effect BE, that it would be so vaguely yet specifically worded?"

So I called their info line, lied and said I was a healthcare provider, made up an access ID, tried a few times, and finally got on.

Turns out if women touch propecia... not TAKE it, just TOUCH it... it causes chromosomal damage. The damaged chromes result in any male children those women have... EVER... having "malformed external genitalia".

Umm... wow.

This, for the sake of VANITY?

[schmosef]

Imagine how they found this out!

[Gurm]

Imagine how they found this out!

Yes, that thought had, in fact, occured to me.

[Brian Ellis]

Other interesting potential side-effects:
· decreased libido (sex drive);
· decreased volume of ejaculate;
· impotence (trouble getting or keeping an erection); or
· breast tenderness or enlargement.
None of which is surprising when you are considering messing around with anti-endocrines, reducing your testosterene metabolites. Mebbe they should have a combined finasteride/sildenafil pill