Androgenetic Alopecia: Understanding Your Treatment Options for Male-Pattern Hair Loss

Does your bald spot grow bigger by the day? Is your hairline visibly moving further back on your head? These are common signs of androgenetic alopecia, also known as male-pattern hair loss. 

If you don’t mind going bald, there’s no need to take any action about your androgenetic alopecia. But if your hair loss bothers you for any reason, expert dermatologist Vitaly Blatnoy, MD, and the team at Orlando Dermatology Center in Orlando and Oviedo, Florida, can help. 

Advanced dermatological treatments for hair loss can help you regrow your natural hair so you don’t have to cover your bald spot or receding hairline. Here, we cover a few of today’s leading treatments for androgenetic alopecia we offer at Orlando Dermatology Center. 

Understanding hair growth medications

Medications for hair loss work by slowing the rate of your hair loss while helping new hair grow. Your dermatologist tells you exactly how to use your medication to get the best possible result.

Topical medications

Sometimes, treating male-pattern hair loss is as simple as applying a medication to your scalp. Perhaps the best-known topical medication for this purpose is minoxidil (Rogaine®).

Oral medications

Oral medications for hair loss, like finasteride, are available by prescription. You take them once a day, and they start to work after about four months when used consistently.

Understanding laser therapy for hair loss

The experts at Orlando Dermatology Center specialize in using laser treatments to stimulate your follicles, which might help them grow hair again. Low-level laser therapy boosts blood flow in your scalp to help nourish the follicles that have stopped growing hair. 

Your dermatologist might recommend low-level laser therapy if your follicles haven’t responded well to hair loss medications. They may recommend laser therapy alongside medications to help your hair grow back. 

About hair transplant surgery

Several surgical techniques can treat male-pattern hair loss by transferring healthy follicles from another part of your scalp into the balding area. 

Depending on their chosen technique, your dermatologist might harvest and transfer individual follicles, or they may take whole strips of hair follicles. In either case, it can take up to a year to see the full result of a hair transplant. You might need touch-up transplant surgeries later to maintain your hair thickness. 

Low-level laser therapy might improve your chances of seeing positive results from a hair transplant. It also reduces healing time because the laser has a beneficial effect on wound healing. 

Learn more about hair loss treatments

If you’re ready to address your male-pattern hair loss head-on, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Schedule a treatment consultation online or over the phone at Orlando Dermatology Center today.