Men worry about going bald all the time, and I understand why. I mean, who really wants to lose all of their hair? Not me. And, who really wants to lose only the hair in the middle of their head? Not me. So, if I don’t want to lose it, I’m sure you don’t want to, either.

Unfortunately, many men lose a lot of their hair by the time they hit their mid-30s. As a matter of fact, an approximate two-thirds of men lose their hair by that time. Some men that are going bald will shave their entire head and cope with the change, while others will try to find certain ways to keep their hair for as long as possible. However, do all of the techniques that you guys try actually work?

Well, I’m here to tell you that a lot of commercials and ads are wrong; Many processes to prevent hair loss don’t work. That doesn’t mean you should lose hope, though. Why, you may ask? Because there are a few things that do actually help, and I’ve researched them for you! According to Dr. Melissa Piliang, M.D., these five suggestions will help you out:

Meditate and Exercise

According to many health care professionals, the #1 cause that leads to hair loss is stress. Therefore, if your stress levels are high, your hair loss levels may be high, too. So, what’s the science behind your hair loss increasing when your stress levels are high? Well, when you’re stressed out, your body tells your hair follicles to go in a sort of resting stage. When they’re in a resting stage, they are no longer “allowed” to grow for the time being.

Other hair loss issues can arise, too. For example, if you have been anxious lately, your hormone levels may start to get out of whack. Specifically speaking, when you’re anxious for a long period of time, the hormone known as cortisol in your body will elevate rather quickly, in turn making other hormones fluctuate. Raising cortisol levels can potentially speed up the process of going bald, unfortunately.

So, if you feel a little stressed out or anxious, try to calm down using different meditation practices. It’s free, it only takes a few minutes each day, and it can slow down hair loss levels rather quickly. If you’d rather do something that keeps you active, hit the gym and exercise once a day. Either mediation or exercising daily can decrease those cortisol levels, which will ultimately decrease your odds of hair loss.

Rogaine

Though Rogaine can’t return the hair you’ve lost, it can stop the hair loss process in its tracts. Scientifically, Rogaine is able to increase the blood flow to your hair follicles, increase the oxygen to your hair follicles, and increase the nutrients to your hair follicles, all in one topical medication.

As far as options go, Rogaine is recommended to be applied to the head in a foam form rather than a liquid form. Most users of the liquid form have complained, stating that the medication causes irritation. In addition, the liquid form tends to leave men’s hair looking greasy most of the time.

When you do get the topical medication, medical professionals tell their patients to rub it into their scalp every morning and every evening for the best results.

Plus: The topical medication is not linked to issues with sexual performance such as erectile dysfunction, whereas oral medications to prevent hair loss are.

Minus: Hair growth promoted by Rogaine will not be as thick and full as your original hair was.

Lasers

Lasers come in the form of a wand or a helmet and can be purchased at rates of $200 to $900. Most wands or helmets must be worn for approximately a half hour every other day for optimal hair growth. Scientifically, each device uses low light levels to promote the growth of hair follicles.

Though many studies have proven that these lasers do work, many customers have yet to share feedback. Though this is an option for those going through hair loss stages in life, it’s not the #1 option.

Ketoconazole Shampoo

Shampoos that have ketoconazole in them are 100 times better than shampoos that don’t have the ingredient, specifically for men who have hair loss issues. For example, the shampoo known as Nizoral can help you when it comes to hair loss.

Though Nizoral may be marketed as an anti-dandruff shampoo, that doesn’t mean it’s only good for that. As a matter of fact, the ingredient ketoconazole is known to be an anti-androgen component. Anti-androgen components are known to block the conversion from testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, which ultimately stops the hair follicles from shrinking.

Once you’ve purchased the shampoo, or once your doctor has prescribed an increased dose of the shampoo, you’re on your way to producing more hair. All you have to do is massage the shampoo into your scalp, leave it there for about 2 to 3 minutes, and then rinse it under water.

Vitamin D

Some, not all, cases of hair loss have been linked to men’s deficiencies in vitamin D. Why is this, you may ask? This is because vitamin D helps reset the growth phases of hair follicles.

If you’d like to start re-growing your hair the natural way, start incorporating vitamin D in your diet more often. You can do this by eating foods such as swordfish, tuna, and salmon. You can also do this by drinking beverages such as milk and orange juice.

However, do not try to soak up more vitamin D by tanning outside in the sun every chance you get, as this may make the hair loss issue, and other issues, worse. Tanning a bald head may lead to an increase risk in skin cancer, so I would be careful with this if I were you.

I hope you enjoyed the advice, guys!

By Jenny Lyn