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    Doctor Representative 35YrsAfter's Avatar
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    Default Useful Purpose or Just Vanity?

    I remember a while back, I read an article about men’s hair loss stating that male scalp hair serves no purpose other than cosmetic. The reality is, hair acts as a barrier to the sun and protects your scalp. That’s the opinion of the president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

    Dr. Paul McAndrews, clinical professor at the USC School of Medicine has had a great deal of experience removing skin cancers of the scalp. He generally finds them on the part-line or cow-lick area. Dr. McAndrews recommends those with a thick head of hair move their part line. Since you are reading this in a hair loss forum, chances are, this advice does not apply to you. When I was in my late 20’s, my hair was thin enough to allow enough of the sun’s harmful rays to reach my scalp to cause a bad sunburn. Repeated exposure to the sun’s harmful rays caused my scalp to develop Actinic Keratosis. Roughly 10% of Actinic Keratosis will develop into skin cancer if left untreated. You get rid of Actinic Keratosis by applying cancer-killing medications, but they make the treated area look like a mess for several weeks. I personally used 5-Fluorouracil to treat my AK. It worked, but keeping my head covered in the sun would have obviously been a better option.
    Current hair transplant technology hasn’t advanced to the point where a person with extensive hair loss can achieve really thick universal coverage. I do believe that day will come when a man's hair can be fully restored. Just don’t let anyone tell you that wanting your hair back is pure vanity.

    -35YrsAfter works at Dr. Cole’s office

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