How to deal with hair loss

It’s a cruel fact that no one can escape the steady march of time. Eventually, we all will inevitably face some of the unfortunate physical signs of aging: wrinkles, gray hair and loss of muscle mass, to name a few. One common problem that is frequently experienced not only by those who have their AARP cards, but also by guys still in their 20s, is balding. If you’ve noticed that the hair on your head is a little more sparse than it used to be, is there anything you can do besides throw in the towel and hide under a baseball cap for the rest of your life?

Yes! Check out these three simple strategies for dealing with hair loss:

1. Fight Dandruff

Strangely, the body’s defense mechanism against the flaky white stuff seems to also be associated with hair loss, according to Luis Garza, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins. An anti-dandruff shampoo may slow the balding process. Look for products with these active ingredients: pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfide and coal tar.

If you have dandruff and thinning hair, it’s also important to wash your hair regularly. While some people avoid washing their hair in an effort to keep it, experts say that’s a mistake. “They feel like they lose more hair when they wash, so they stop, and that’s not that healthy. In fact, it’s just the opposite,”  Dr. Michele Green, a New York dermatologist, tells WebMD. “If you have dandruff, you should be washing your hair every day or every other day.”

2. Explore Cutting-Edge Treatments

For a long time, the only real treatments available to fight balding were Rogaine and Propecia. Now a new option is on the horizon. Harklinikken is a Danish company that makes a serum made from an extract that promises a 30 percent increase in hair growth. The company is currently expanding in the United States. Although the treatment shows promise, not all doctors are convinced of its efficacy.

“Don’t get me wrong — I really want it to work,” Dr. Senna, a dermatologist and the director of the Hair Academic Innovative Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, told the New York Times. “There aren’t a lot of options, and I’d love to be able to say to my patients, ‘This is something you can try that is worth the money.’ But I can’t do that yet.”

3. Proudly Sport A Bald Head

Whether you opt for a buzz cut or a completely smooth scalp, leaning into your hair loss rather than trying to fight it can be freeing. After all, plenty of celebrities who are roundly considered some of the handsomest men alive rock a look with little to no hair, including Michael Jordan, Jason Statham, Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

[h/t: Men’s Health]