There are 2 medications approved to treat balding. The first is minoxidil (brand name Rogaine) which is applied directly to the scalp. It helps slow the balding in most men. In about 10 percent of men, it makes a dramatic difference and starts new hair growth. It may work best in men in their twenties and thirties who are just beginning to bald. It may take as long as a year to find out how well this medication works. The ongoing treatments can be expensive and if treatment is stopped, hair loss will begin again.

The second medication is finasteride, which is taken orally. Finasteride (brand name Propecia) blocks the action of a form of testosterone that appears to cause hair loss. It stops hair loss in over 80 percent of men, and starts new hair growth in about 50 percent. It may take up to a year to see results. Hair growth stops and balding resumes if the finasteride is discontinued.

Other medical options are the punch graft hair transfer, which takes little tufts of hair from the back of the head and moves them to the front or top of the scalp. Scalp reduction is a surgical approach where the surgeon actually moves the back of the scalp up to the crown of the head. The most popular non-medical option is a hairpiece.

With advancing age, hair naturally becomes finer and shorter. As hair thins, it becomes flatter and oilier. Excessive oil clogs pores and causes malnutrition of the hair root. This can perpetuate hair loss. Most healthcare providers agree that if you have an oily scalp with thinning hair, frequent shampooing is advised.

The Laser Comb is the only drug-free product meant for home use in combating hair loss that's won the endorsement of the Food and Drug Administration. As the device's name suggests, it combines a low-level laser with a comb. When drawn through the hair, the laser strikes the scalp to promote hair growth.