The younger, the balder

Ah, puberty. A time for young males to discover many things for the first time: the opposite sex, the multi-tasking function of certain body parts, and that they are going bald.

Because, according to Michael Bernstein, president of the Asian Society of Trichology and Svenson’s chief trichologist, men could start losing their hair as early as 16 years old. 

And since I am slightly older than 16 years old, I asked Bernstein — also a member of the London Trichology Association and trichologist to British Royalty — to extend his services to a member of Tru-Orange Royalty so that I could retain my crowning glory for the benefit of my wife, my legion of No Girlfriends Since Birth (NGSB) and DOM fans, and my three female readers.

 PHILIPPINE STAR: What exactly is a trichologist? And do I have to take off my clothes when I see you?

Michael Bernstein: Hardly necessary (laughs). A trichologist specializes in hair and scalp disorders. We aren’t doctors so we aren’t allowed to prescribe drugs. All our treatments are herbal or “cosmo-ceutical.”  

Now that I know you don’t have the authority to check me for hernia, the next question is: what is the cause of baldness among men? Is it payback for the indiscretions of youth? Evolutionary terrorism? God’s punchline?

The main reason for hair loss is the male hormone testosterone, so I got some good news for those bald-headed guys, they must be covered in testosterone and be very good lovers.

But that’s supposed to an old wives’ tale. But old wives should know, right? (laughs)

That’s why they turn out to be old wives. But surely there must be some reason why some men are more inclined to go bald versus other men? Do bald men occupy a higher circle in heaven?

Genetics would be a big thing. It depends on your father, grandfather, etcetera.

Funny enough, I don’t know if there are more people who are bald in this modern age. I went to Xian, China and saw rows and rows of terracotta soldiers and it was very interesting that none of them were bald. I don’t know if this was genuine thing of that time and the men didn’t go bald then. Or the fact that our modern diet and way of life creates more of these (bald men). It’s just an observation.

So the best way not go bald is to become a terracotta soldier. What age do men start losing their hair with dignity? And how about with indignity?

Hair loss is predominantly a young man’s problem. That’s because from 16 to 30 years old, your testosterone level is high because nature wants you to breed. And one of the main reasons for hair loss is testosterone being converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The really serious age to lose hair is straight after puberty.

But all of us who grew up in all-boys Catholic schools were told that we would go bald if we exercised our biological imperatives with our right hand on a regular basis. Or left hand, if the right hand got tired.

It’s a nice way to lose hair (laughs).

Is there any other way to prevent the onset of baldness aside from becoming a eunuch?

Stop exercising your biological imperative (laughs).

Seriously now, if you had a genetic predisposition to a heart problem in your family, you would definitely try and stop eating too much fat, start exercising, take things like Lipitor for cholesterol and look after yourself. We do the same thing for hair. Instead of Lipitor, we (at Svenson) use DHT inhibitors, try to make sure that the scalp is as clean as it can be and eliminate all the negatives that cause hair loss. Even though we cannot guarantee you are not going to lose your hair, we are going to try as much as possible to help you in the fight against hair loss. 

I see, you guys are like the Freddie Roach for men on the brink of baldness. Can stress also lead to hair loss?

Yes, stress tends to excite the adrenal glands because you produce more adrenalin, which makes more sebum. Whenever you have the presence of sebum, you tend to have the testosterone.  Stress also tends to deplete your vitamin supply and amino acids.  Stress is a major cause not only of hair loss but also of any problems to do with the body.

For those who drink to get over the misery of progressive hair loss, can this also exacerbate hair loss?

The good news is drinking in moderation can be helpful for your hair.  The same way that drinking red wine and whiskey is good for your heart; it’s the same reason that it’s good for your hair. 

(RJ’s dad: I’ll drink to whatever I have left!)

That doesn’t mean you drink a whole bottle for lunch and another for dinner.  It means a glass of wine or a glass of scotch or brandy later.  The other side, smoking is bad for you, period.  It has been proven to exacerbate hair loss.

(DOM representative: No wonder I lost all my hair. Because I’m smoking.)

Can major “changes in life” situations lead to hair loss? Like breaking up with a girlfriend or getting fired from a job or losing to a controversial split decision?

Definitely! Divorce, bereavement, illness, all these things can exacerbate hair loss.  Sometimes it can only be a temporary loss, you will lose your hair for about three months but the hair will re-grow.  The trouble is when men lose their hair it’s difficult for the hair to regain normal growth pattern because of the testosterone.

(DOM representative: That career as a eunuch doesn’t seem to be such a bad idea after all.)

Why is the hair usually the first to go? There are other body parts that grown men are happy to live without. Their love handles, their appendix, and non-visible body parts that come in pairs. Why the hair?

Your hair is very important because it forms part of your looks. But when you think about it, hair doesn’t support life. It just makes you look good.  Therefore, whenever you have imbalance within the body (i.e. heart, lungs, liver), the body automatically takes the nutrients away from the hair to look after the more important parts of the body.

I think my body and I need to have a serious talk to get our priorities straight.

This is why when you’re ill, your hair suffers.  It’s a great barometer of health. When your hair is not good it’s an indication that something is wrong with you.

(DOM representative: You mean to say when I went bald it wasn’t just because I was sick in the head?)

I’m sure you’ve heard all the possible stories that have to do with hair loss. Which ones among them are true and which ones are government conspiracies?

Wearing tight hats or helmets will make you go bald? Rubbish. Shampooing your hair every day is bad for you? Rubbish.

Really? That’s not what my yaya says.

You are much better off having your hair and scalp clean.  You wash your face every day and your scalp is a continuation of your face.  My own opinion is if you don’t shampoo daily, you get a buildup of sebum and dead skin cells, clog the follicles and develop a breeding ground for bacteria that can pose problems.

I always thought the wisdom of my yaya was infallible.

Having too much sex …

Rubbish.

If you’re lucky about too much sex, then forget about your hair (laughs).

(DOM representative: Now I know why I lost all my hair.)

What do you think of the use of aloe (gugo) when it comes to treating hair loss? Yaya should be right about that one, at least.

Aloe is an ingredient in our (Svenson) hair treatments, it’s a very good herb. Whether one would use it alone, I don’t know.

In retrospect, my dad’s yaya religiously lathered gugo on his scalp everyday for the past 30 years. Imagine how many aloe plants died in vain.  How about over-the-counter drugs like Minoxidil and Finasteride that are used to prevent hair loss?

Those two drugs are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and can be recommended by doctors. But underline the word drugs — whether Minoxidil, Finasteride, nicotine or prohibited drugs — they are addictive. The more you have, the more you want, the more you need. The problem with both of those drugs is that you have to use them forever. They don’t eliminate the (hair loss) problem, they just try and bolster the hair through. The idea of Finasteride is something that will block the 5a-reductase (enzyme that converts testosterone into the evil dihydrotestosterone) is very good, in theory. I’m sure is will help a lot of people. But one has to remember there can be side effects that can cause sexual dysfunction. 

I’ve read that side effects such as erectile dysfunction only occur among one to two percent of those who take the drug.

Remember, that’s the pharmaceutical manufacturer telling you that it’s one to two percent. If you told that to the guys who took it, their wives would say, “For goodness’ sake, try something else.” Or else what the hell do we want hair for!? (laughs)

What makes Svenson hair treatment different versus the OTC hair loss medications? 

For OTC medications, when you buy a bottle of X, Y, Z, it is expected to cause wonders and treat every hair loss situation for every hair type. But a Svenson treatment is designed for the individual.  Moreover, all Svenson consultants are trained and qualified trichologists.  

So I don’t need to take off my clothes for them as well?  Mr. Bernstein, may I kindly approach you at a very measured pace and ask you to examine my head? Please let me know if my regular Svenson treatments have been working.  The other head, please.

(After sifting gingerly through my royal hairline) As it so happens, you have a predisposition to losing your hair.

Oh no, what position should I assume then?

Because it’s quite fine in certain areas. Fortunately, you’ve got a good hairline. But the fact that you have this predisposition, I think you’re benefiting greatly from Svenson’s preventative care treatments.

Take that, genetics!

You’re good because you’ve still got hair, you haven’t lost it and you’re looking after it the same way that you would look out for your teeth by going to the dentist. You’re doing exactly the right thing.  And, really, I think you’d look awful bald (laughs).

(RJ’s dad: Them’s fighting words.)

The way that Svenson is doing preventative care for you is by giving you what we call corrective treatment, which corrects the condition on the scalp. The corrective treatment removes excess oil from too much sebum production, sloughs off flaking, eliminates dirt and other wastes that affect the health of hair follicles, increases blood flow to the hair follicles and prepares the hair follicles for the next treatment.  The next treatment — anti-DHT — is a little bit like Lipitor getting rid of cholesterol as we use DHT inhibitors to inhibit the 5a-reductase enzyme, the main cause of hair loss. Aside from that, the anti-DHT treatment stabilizes hair conditions, prevents hair loss from progressing and strengthens the hair. And your last treatment is the hair stimulant which strengthens, nourishes and oxidizes hair roots to provide more nutrients needed for hair growth, controls falling and thinning, enhances hair growth for a much fuller hair, and strengthens hair strands to make them healthier. 

Where can I venerate at your altar, Mr. Bernstein?  And what happens, God forbid, when I conclude my treatments from Svenson? Will my hair return back to its original state? Will my head become a reflective surface?

We (at Svenson) are trying to get the scalp back in its natural hair growth cycle. Of course one would think that if they stop treatment, it will go back (to its previous state). But remember, your testosterone level will never be the same as when you went through puberty and that on-surge of male hormones built up even before you started treatment at, say, 25 or 26 years old. At that age, you’ve got years of buildup that we’re trying to eliminate. So our theory is that even though you still produce DHT, it will be much weaker than it was before. We can’t necessarily say that exactly but that’s the theory we’ve been working on, and it does seem to work.

My scalp tends to agree.  Mr. Bernstein, since you are an expert on all things hair-related, may I ask you a question that has been bothering men since puberty: What is the purpose of the hair down there?

Even though I am an expert with hair, my expertise only goes from the ears upwards.

I better put my clothes back on then.

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For information on Svenson’s hair treatment services, call 892-HAIR (4247).

For comments, suggestions or you know the purpose of the hair down there, please e-mail ledesma.rj@gmail.com or visit www.rjledesma.net. Follow @rjled on Twitter!