Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow - Who Says “Thin” Is In?

A Little Off the Top
Topnotch tips to help define your style from the owner of Shorty’s Barber Shop and Public Service Salon in Los Angeles, Chris Bair.

Thinning hair isn’t on any man's wish list, and at Shorty’s Barber Shop we are constantly asked for advice on what to do to stop, change or mitigate it. So how do we make a guy go from looking like Homer Simpson hair to having the godly locks of Thor?

Well, really not a whole lot.

I spoke with one of the world’s foremost experts on hair loss, Dermatologist Dr. Peter Goldman of Beverly Hills (www.gdderm.com), and was given some “in the know” advice for the follicle-challenged gent. He explained that loss prevention is the key, because getting it to grow back is much harder than just keeping it. Be proactive, use proper shampoos that cut down on the main culprit of hair loss, DHT, which is the primary contributing factor in male pattern baldness. You can also use styling products that thicken and give you volume, and book an appointment with a qualified hair loss doctor like Dr. Goldman for a consultation. If that isn’t possible, here are a few other tips to make your locks look a bit more lush in your day-to-day grooming.

One amazing product comes from Nioxin, a leader in hair loss prevention. They have an amazing line of shampoos and conditioners (above, left) that help keep your hair and scalp clean, healthy, and lower DHT, thus keeping your hair growing. Their kits are tailored for various hair types, from normal to chemically treated. However, their new Nioxin Diamax (above, right) actually increases the thickness of each existing hair strand for fuller looking hair. This is a treatment, with the added benefits of really making your hair feel and look healthy. www.Nioxin.com

Now that you’ve got your hair looking and feeling fuller, you need a styling product for thin hair. At Shorty’s, we developed a product for just that! Thick-It is a thickening and texturing cream that gives your hair a lived-in natural appearance with unbelievable thickness, incredible definition, and attitude. www.Getshortys.com

Finally Dr. Goldman says of the above items:

“Several over-the-counter medications are helpful in reducing thinning hair on the scalp. The first is 2% and 5% minoxidil. The more expensive, but not any better solution, is called Rogaine 2% and Rogaine 5%. The 5% is considered Rogaine for men, the 2% for women, but really men and women can use either one, and the 5% in our opinion is significantly better, works faster and more completely.

"Another helpful product is Biotin 5 mg (also called Biotin 5000 mcg). Take one tablet daily and watch for increase rate of hair growth and thickening of the follicles as well. The third additional product is Saw Palmetto tablets. Take one daily and watch for improvements."

IMPORTANT REMINDER: All of these suggested medications take a minimum of 3-6 months to begin to work, so don't get discouraged. By about 12 months, you will have seen most of the improvement. If you are not being helped by these suggestions, it simply means yours is a more difficult case and requires stronger, prescription medications.

And your other option? Just shave it off, because there is nothing worse than a comb over. We all know there are many amazingly handsome bald men out there so just own it!

Chris Bair (pictured at the top) is owner of the award-winning, trendsetting Shorty’s Barber Shop and Public Service salon in California. Always observing and sharing new trends that make for interesting twists and turns in culture and lifestyle, Bair is a regular contributor to Gay.net. For more information on Bair’s shops, visit www.shortysbarbershop.com and www.publicservicela.com, or follow him on Twitter @shortysbarber.