Hair loss is a concern for many men. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, about 243,000 men visited the hospital for hair loss last year. In addition, the number of patients is steadily increasing every year. We took a closer look at ‘hair loss’, which causes stress for many men, together with 5 experts from Hidak.
Q. I am curious about the self-diagnosis method for hair loss.
First, you should carefully observe your own hairline. If the hairline gradually rises upwards, you may suspect hair loss. In particular, men should pay close attention to whether the bangs line rises in an M-shape and whether the bangs hairs become thinner and shorter. Also, if you collect and count the hairs that fall out in a day, on average, more than 100 hairs per day, you may be suspicious of hair loss. It is also a good way to check the thickness of the ‘occipital’ hair. The hair on the back of the head does not change as much in thickness as on the forehead or the crown. Therefore, if the hair in the back of the head is thin compared to the hair in other areas, there is a high possibility that hair loss has already progressed.
– Hidak Dermatology Consulting Doctor Lee Sang-jin (Young & Peel Clinic)
Q. Recently, I have been losing a lot of hair and my seborrheic scalp has gotten worse because I have been under a lot of stress. Is it hair loss?
If you are under a lot of stress and you see symptoms of seborrheic scalpitis and hair loss, it is possible that you have stress-related hair loss. There is no need to worry too much about stress-induced hair loss as it gradually recovers over time. However, since there is a possibility that hereditary hair loss has started, it is considered to be a good idea to visit a hair loss hospital for treatment.
– Hidak Family Medicine Counselor Koh Yong-wook (New Hair Clinic)
Q. Is there any way to improve male pattern baldness without taking hair loss pills?
There is nothing more important than taking a hair loss drug for patients with androgenetic baldness. Hair transplantation or injection treatment cannot fundamentally prevent the progression of hair loss, and the use of minoxidil cannot replace the role of hair loss drugs.
– Hidak Dermatology Consultant Dr. Jaemin Lee (Mourim Clinic)
Q. I am reluctant to take it as it is known that ‘if you take a hair loss pill, your stamina decreases’.
Androgenetic hair loss treatment works by inhibiting DHT, a special form of male hormone. Testosterone, a male hormone, acts more than DHT in the case of male vigor or sperm, and under normal conditions, only about 10% of testosterone is present in DHT. So, even with DHT suppression, testosterone is normal, so it’s usually rare to see a decrease in stamina. According to the papers and the like, on average, about 2% of patients feel a decrease in their energy after taking a hair loss drug.
– Hidak Plastic Surgery Consultant Lim Jae-hyeon (Clear Clinic)
Q. Does smoking adversely affect hair loss?
For smokers, nicotine from cigarettes can affect hair loss. Smoking causes the nicotine to narrow blood vessels and impede blood circulation, and tar and carbon monoxide make it difficult to create an environment for hair to grow well. Rather than a person without hair loss suddenly having hair loss due to smoking, you can think of it as accelerating the progress of hair loss.
– Hidak Family Medicine Counseling Doctor Kyung-bok Kim (Moment Clinic)
* This article has been reconstructed from a Hidak expert’s answer.
Help = Hidak Consulting Doctor Lee Sang-jin (Young & Peel Clinic dermatologist), Hidak Consultant Koh Koh-wook (New Hair Clinic family medicine specialist), Hidak Consulting Doctor Lee Jae-min (Mourim Clinic dermatologist), Hidak Consulting Doctor Lim Jae-hyeon Director ( Clear Clinic Plastic Surgery Specialist), Hidak Consultant Kim Kyung-bok Director (Moment Clinic Family Medicine Specialist)