I am a man who has been follically challenged for too many years to count.  When I saw an article titled “7 common hair loss myths: the truth about male pattern baldness” it interested me greatly.  When I started to research this issue, I discovered that Michigan has a connection to the male pattern baldness issue. Rogaine was invented by scientists and researchers in Kalamazoo Michigan by Upjohn in the 1980s and was the first product ever clinically proven to grow hair.  Pharmacia bought Upjohn and when Pfizer bought Pharmacia Rogaine became the product of Pfizer.  Pfizer has a very large presence in Portage Michigan.

The Detroit Free Press published a piece by Henry Ford Health System that discusses the myths about hair loss.  They inform us that over 50% of men who are over the age of 50 do struggle with some degree of male pattern baldness.  Unfortunately, mine started shortly after college.  At least I made it through college with my hair.

Here are the seven myths they addressed:

  1. Wearing hats leads to baldness.There's zero evidence to suggest that wearing hats — even on a daily basis — leads to hair loss or hair follicle damage. Hats that are dirty, however, can lead to an infection, which can increase the odds that you'll lose some hair. So it's a good idea to wash and rotate your hats frequently.

  2. Baldness is your mother's father's fault. Moms' lineagehas long been blamed for male pattern baldness, but the reality is, hair loss is a genetic trait you can inherit from either parent. So look at both parents, check out your siblings and even pay attention to first cousins. If baldness is a recurring trait, you may want to pay closer attention to your mane.

  3. "Natural" supplements can promote hair regrowth.No amount of vitamins or minerals can help regrow hair. That rule applies to herbs like stinging nettle and saw palmetto, too. But eating a healthy diet and avoiding nutrient deficiencies can help ensure you keep the hair you already have.

  4. Hair loss means you're carrying around too much testosterone. The amount of hair on your head has very little to do with the testosteronecirculating in your bloodstream. Instead, male pattern hair loss comes down to hair follicle sensitivity to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

  5. Stress speeds up male pattern baldness. True, traumatic and emotional events can trigger temporary hair loss, but this type of hair loss is not the same as male pattern baldness, which is permanent. With trauma-induced hair loss, your hair follicles press pause. After the threat has passed, they resume their "normal" cycle again.

  6. Baldness happens from too much sun exposure. While there are plenty of reasons to steer clear of the sun, the threat of going bald is not one of them. Your follicles continue to function with ultraviolet radiation from the sun, but your hair shaft may degrade and become brittle over time.

  7. Hair restoration treatments don't work.The Food and Drug Administration-approved medication, Finasteride (Propecia), is one effective method for preventing further hair loss. The drug works by blocking an enzyme that changes testosterone to DHT in the hair follicles. It works best among men whose hair is just beginning to thin. The rub: If you stop taking the medication, your hair loss will continue. Rogaine (minoxidil), a topical medication that you apply twice daily, can work, too — and it's available without a prescription. Although an expensive procedure, transplant of hairs from the back of the head to the front can also be effective. These hairs are not under the same influence of DHT and can persist over time.

Wow, I have been only blaming my mother’s genes all these years.

This is me when I had a full head of beautiful hair:

Courtesy of Renk
Courtesy of Renk
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This is me now, follically:

Courtesy of Renk
Courtesy of Renk
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Men, what would you pay for a treatment that would be able to restore your own head of hair to its teenage glory.  I am a frugal person but I must admit I would pay quite a bit of cash to get my hair back from when I was 18.

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