HEALTHY LIVING


The Bald Truth There is no cure for hair loss, but current treatments can help. :: BY CHRIS ILIADES, M.D. D


espite what you hear on tv commercials, there is no cure for baldness. A recent study in Proceedings of the


National Academy of Sciences got some press


when researchers at Northwestern University were able to engineer messenger RNA — the same type of RNA used in the new COVID-19 vaccines — to get old hair follicles to start growing new hair. But only in old mice, not old men. “There have been millions of dollars spent finding a


cure for baldness, but I don’t expect anything like a cure in the near future,” says Russell Cohen, M.D., chief of dermatology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, New York. “Male pattern baldness is complex, with genetic, age-


related, and hormonal causes.” About 25% of men start losing their hair in their 20s. By


age 70, that number grows to about 70%. The male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) may


cause hair follicles to shrink over time. Baldness also has a powerful genetic component. You can inherit baldness from your father or your mother’s father.


DO MEDICATIONS HELP? Medications are not a cure. As soon as you stop taking them your hair starts to fall out again. But they can help. The oldest option is minoxidil (Rogaine),


available over-the-counter as a liquid, foam, or shampoo. It may slow hair loss and grow some new


hair after about six months. Side effects can include scalp irritation and unwanted hair growth on the face or hands. “Minoxidil has been around for 40 years,”


says Cohen. “It started out as a medication for high blood pressure that has a side effect of


92 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | FEBRUARY 2025


growing new hair. It can grow a noticeable amount of hair in about 10% to 20% of men. “A new option is using oral minoxidil by prescription in


low doses. It may increase hair growth up to 60% or 70%.” Finasteride (Propecia) is an oral medication available by


prescription that has been around for about 30 years. “This medication works by blocking the effects of DHT


on hair growth. It may slow down hair loss, but is less likely to grow new hair,” says Cohen. Finasteride also takes a few months to take effect. Side


effects may include diminished sex drive. The newest option is a scalp injection of blood with the


red blood cells removed, called platelet-rich plasma (PRP). It can thicken hair and may stop hair loss. PRP is safe because it comes from your own blood, Cohen explains. “All these medications work best in men up to about age


50. If you are about age 70 and mostly bald, you are going to stay that way,” says Cohen. Male pattern baldness usually starts as a receding hair


line and a bald spot at the top of the head. In women, female pattern hair loss, which increases


with age, starts at the top of the head and may also cause a receding hairline. “The same medications also work for women, although


Propecia is only used in women after menopause,” says Cohen.


CAN YOU PREVENT IT? “Other than biotin, a B vitamin, which may thicken hair but won’t grow it, all other supplements are snake oil. You can add spinach, kale, and bananas to your diet. These foods have a slight effect on DHT, and they are good for you anyway,” says Cohen. In addition to whatever results medications


may achieve, wigs and hair transplants are also effective and look more realistic than in the past.


PROPECIA©REUTERS / HEAD/LENAR NIGMATULLIN/SHUTTERSTOCK


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