4 Hair Care Products To Avoid Hair Loss

You might not see it, but roughly one quarter of men in their 20s experience hair loss. For men in their 50s, about half go bald. It's another one of nature's cruel pranks: depriving men of rich, thick hair so early in life.

Toupees, plugs, and absurd combovers were once the only options available for men to veil their baldness. But with science in the service of mankind, there has been a surge of products and techniques to not only treat baldness before it happens, but totally reverse it. And I'm not talking pills. Quality hair products exist to help keep your hair on your head and keep it healthy.

a chemical reaction
Male pattern baldness, also known by its uglier and scarier clinical name androgenetic alopecia , is caused by some really funky chemistry on your scalp. It starts with testosterone, the male sex hormone. Harmless on its own, testosterone gets converted to the dicey dihydrotestosterone (DHT) when in contact with oil glands in the hair follicles. These glands hold the enzyme Type II 5-alpha reductase, which monkeys with your man hormone.

DHT, in turn, gets in your scalp follicles and shrinks them. At the same time, it makes the protective membrane of the scalp thicken, restricting blood flow to the capillaries. This makes further hair growth impossible. The hairs fall out at a natural rate, but aren't replaced. And that's it in a nutshell.
stop dht in its tracks

The abundance of Type II 5-alpha reductase is genetically determined, and thus hard to change. What can be done, however, is attack the DHT before it has a chance to do any harm. Many substances, often found in nature, have shown to block the action of 5-alpha reductase, blocking DHT production. Things like zinc, pro-vitamin B5, saw palmetto, and ginkgo biloba are increasingly used in quality men's products to keep hair young and healthy.

While halting the damage done by DHT, these products also revive the hair follicles, which remain dormant. Once the thick membrane is thinned away and the follicle reopened, hair can grow naturally again -- without wigs or plugs.

At the vanguard of the assault on hair loss is the MiN Home Maintenance system. Combining the latest hair loss science with aesthetic know-how, MiN products offer a complete line of hair care and grooming products to keep hair thick and looking good. There's no known cure for male pattern baldness, but the right products can definitely help slow it down and prevent it.

MiN is ideal for professional 30-year-olds who may be feeling the onset of pattern baldness, but also for any man who wants to keep his hair his own. Used regularly, it keeps those pesky chemicals from wreaking havoc in your man mane. Check out MiN's Home Maintenance products to see which one suits your hair needs.

1- Wash & Rinse Cleansing Pack
The complete hair cleaning and upkeep kit, MiN's Wash & Rinse products are packed with some very impressive science. The Wash features plant-derived fatty acids that inhibit 5-alpha reductase enzymes before they react with testosterone. Pro-vitamin B5 and zinc serve as backup, latching on to the binding sites in the hair follicle where DHT would do its damage.

Vitamins A, C and E forage for and kill free radicals that do tissue damage, while wheat and silk proteins nourish and strengthen the follicles. Glycerin and xanthan gum maintain the scalp's moisture, which prevents dandruff. Finally, the omnipotent aloe vera eases scalp tension, which makes hair that much more manageable.

The Rinse tops it off with loads of natural moisturizers to impart that model-like smoothness. An extra boost of vitamins fortified with green tea extract eradicates any remaining free radicals.

The best part is that it's formulated to wash off completely, which means no residual build up on the hair or scalp. And to top it off, it has no heavy fragrance, which can be a real turnoff to most people.

2- Grooming Crème
MiN's Grooming Crème provides the control of a gel without being a gel. It's for those who want a light touchup without making the hair firm. Actually, it makes hair soft and manageable while giving it a healthy-looking shine, especially with frizzy and difficult hair.

It's also laced with conditioning ingredients that nourish your hair all day long. Antonio Banderas uses this product. Could this be part of his secret to success?

3- Firm Gel
For more serious styling, the Firm Gel does the job while keeping DHT at bay. Of a different consistency than regular gels, Firm Gel is non-sticky and alcohol-free, and never dries in flakes.

Its anti-DHT ingredients include saw palmetto, azelaic acid, and panthenol, all of which block DHT receptors in the hair follicles.

Firm Gel also conditions hair while holding it with a blend of aloe vera, moisturizers, vitamins, and green tea extract. And like the Wash & Rinse, it doesn't have a heavy smell. It is a complete grooming product.

4- Travel Lite 10 Pack
For those who like to travel light, or simply want to sample MiN's products, the Travel Lite 10 Pack is ideal. You get a set of 10 Wash & Rinse Duo Packs that are good for a few uses at 0.25 ounces each. Compact and discreet, they can be stored just about anywhere. And they are identical to their full-sized Wash & Rinse equivalents.

full and flowing
A man's head is the first thing people see. Any man who wants a full-bodied head of hair surely wants the most refined products, and they're out there, thanks to reliable science. Now male pattern baldness, once unavoidable, is optional.