Bald but not hopeless: facts and myths about hair growth products

It usually starts around the age of forty; baldness in men. As many as 60 percent of all men will experience it sooner or later, we read on the Quest website. No wonder the market is flooded with hair growth products that promise male audiences to win back their full head of hair. Can hair growth products really make a difference or do you just keep hoping?

What does the barber say?

Men don't talk about them baldness in my salon, hairdresser Vincent says: “I've seen a few men who use hair growth products, where it works. You have products like biotin, collagen, and vitamins B and D that are good for your hair but don't necessarily stimulate hair growth.”

On social media, you are overwhelmed by a flood of promising hair growth products. Hairdresser Vincent shares his view on this: “9 times out of 10 when I order something via social media, it's not good. That already says a lot about the product.” He therefore warns: “You shouldn't believe everything you see online. Personally, I'm not into these kinds of products. They exist and are being purchased, but does it really work? Well..”

With a wink, he adds: “Men are often too lazy to really use these types of products regularly, especially because it usually involves a long cure.”

Hair growth myths debunked

Shampoos and other lotions often don't do what they promise, says dermatologist Van Dongen, who specializes in hair (diseases): “For example, shampoos containing caffeine: It has been proven that caffeine can stimulate hair growth to a limited extent, but shampoo only has short contact with the scalp, so the effect is negligible in practice.”

“You can find countless lotions and shampoos online that promise hair growth, but for most of them, there is no scientific evidence,” he says. “Most importantly, there are different causes of hair loss: just trying a treatment when you don't know what's causing it can be like putting a band-aid on your finger while your toe bleeds. This also applies to vitamin pills and hair gummies, for example. So if your hair problem has nothing to do with a vitamin deficiency, you'll take a gummy like that for nothing.”

The only proven approach

But what should men do when they go bald? Dermatologist Van Dongen responds: “There are only a few really proven products that work for hair growth. And unlike the claims that can be found on some commercial products, male pattern baldness is never a short cure. If these two proven products have a beneficial effect, the effect will only be maintained with lifelong use.”

So there's hope for men who want their hair back:”Minoxidil is a remedy that stimulates hair growth and improves blood circulation in the scalp. Finasteride country Dutasteride decreases the amount of a specific male hormone that has an adverse effect on hair growth, namely dihydrotestosterone (DHT). A combination of these drugs can certainly improve the hair implant, but of course there is also a risk of side effects. Minoxidil lotion is freely available online, but finasteride and dutasteride pills are only available by prescription.”

Finally, dermatologist Van Dongen also mentions another option: “In some cases, a hair transplant can also offer a solution. Just make sure you are well informed before undergoing this procedure. Indeed, additional drug treatment with the aforementioned drugs may be useful.”