Male pattern baldness (MPB) takes no prisoners. It usually starts in your late teenage years and is heavily dependent on your genes – if your mother’s or father’s sides have a history of hair loss, chances are that you’ll be battling it too. While MPB selectively chooses who to ravage (bless those men with strong enough genes to combat it), when it does conquer your scalp, it does so without any remorse. MPB usually begins at your temples before slowly making its relentless march upward until the only follicular survivors left are usually at the sides and back of your head.
Hair loss researchers are at a loss as to why the hair at the sides and back of your head are resistant to DHT, a by-product of testosterone and the chemical responsible for weakening and eventually causing the hair at the top of your head to drop out and the follicles to stop growing. And while there are many products out there that purportedly stop hair thinning and loss and even claim to make your hair grow back, many experts are in consensus that more than 90 per cent of these products outright do not work. The two that actually do – products that contain Finasteride and Minoxidil – comes with a few side effects such as low libido and erectile dysfunction.
That hasn’t stopped these manufacturers though. The hair loss industry is worth $3.5 billion and is only set to grow in the future.
All is not lost. Researchers have been making rather giant strides in the field and a permanent cure for hair loss might not be too far off in the future. We might even see one within the next decade. But while we’re waiting for that earth shaking announcement, here are three products, approved by the August Man team, which will help you regain your confidence and reclaim your mane.
Kerastase Densifique Serum Jeunesse
Designed for men with greying and thinning hair, Densifique Serum Jeunesse is the result of 10 years of hair loss research and while it doesn’t solve the hair loss conundrum, it does preserve the hair’s capacity for youthfulness and protects the scalp from melanin loss and grey hair. The result: better and more youthful hair texture, more volume and shine, and less grey hair.
Lab Series Age Rescue Densifying Shampoo and Conditioner
So it is technically two products but these bathroom powerhouses work together as one to help your hair combat the three signs of hair ageing – dryness, dullness and hair density. As we age, our hair glands produce less oil, thus affecting moisture retention and making hair look dry. When your hair is dry, it loses its elasticity and bounce, and makes it look thinner. The Age Rescue set fights these three factors, making the remaining hair on your head look healthy and vibrant.
Redken Cerafill Dense FX
The Cerafill Dense FX is one of the winners in the 2015 August Man Grooming Awards for good reason – it works. While it doesn’t stop hair loss, the product instantly thickens the diameter of every strand of your hair, creating fullness and density and the illusion that your hair is thick and vibrant. The Cerafill Dense FX is safe for coloured and chemically treated hair, so you don’t have to worry about side effects or possible repercussions down the road.