MANILA, Philippines—For the final installment to my Men’s Vanity Month of June series, I will tackle what ails men most—hair loss.
It is said that a woman’s worst nightmare is physically getting fat. For men, it’s going bald.
There are several products my guy friends swear by when it comes to saving their precious strands.
Race driver Mike Potenciano comes from a family afflicted with male-pattern baldness. When I met him years ago, he and his brothers were already thinning on top.
Fast-forward 16 years and I am surprised to see he still has the same amount of hair. In fact, he seems to have more hair.
According to Potenciano, he has tried a combination of Minoxidil and an anti-hair-loss tablet called Finasteride.
Finasteride was originally used to treat prostate problems. It became a big hit when men noticed their hair growing back thicker and darker.
The good news is that this tablet is already available at Mercury Drug, but one needs a prescription from a dermatologist to get it. Moreover, one tablet costs P65.
The catch: One is supposed to take one tablet a day for at least a year. Also, once you stop taking it, your hair will fall off again.
According to Dr. Jun Bormate, a dermatologist at Polymedic, Finasteride is ideal for both men and women who suffer from hair loss and that results show a 63-65 percent re-growth success rate.
Call ProHair at 8786338 to find the doctor nearest you to obtain a prescription.
Side effects for a few men: decreased libido and erectile dysfunction.
You may contact Bormate at (02) 5339216.
Other anti-hair-loss formulations tried and tested by men: Kerastase Aminexil ampoules and Revlon Professionel anti-hair-loss patch.
Sexy scents for men
Take a whiff of your guy’s favorite cologne before buying him a new scent. Like us, if it does not suit his taste, he won’t wear it, so spending for new perfume for him is money down the drain.
If your man likes fresh aquatic scents, get him CK One Summer 2008 edition, which is a mix of watermelon, cucumber, mint, moss and musk. I got this for my father-in-law who just likes to smell clean.
If your man loves citrus fragrances, buy him ISM Deauville, which is a very grown-up Spanish baby-cologne version.
ISM Abbraccio smells like fresh limes and lemons and L’Occitane Verveine Parfum (P1,195) smells like the leaves of the Verbena plant, which is lemony and fresh, but a citrus that lasts.
If he likes vanilla-based scents or if he switches to such fragrances during evenings and cold weather, you may get him Diesel Fuel for Life, a mix of berries and vanilla; or Dunhill London (P3,950/75 ml and P3,050/50 ml), a blend of apple, vanilla and roses with cinnamon, which can comfortably make the transition from day to night especially in this rainy weather and as we approach the colder months toward the holidays.
Meanwhile, the golfer or the beach-loving guy would love the non-greasy but extensively protective SPF 70 Armada Sport sunblock by VMV (P1,300), which is proudly Filipino but making waves abroad in the Americas. Check out www.vmvhypoallergenics.com and rejoice at how much cheaper we get it locally.
E-mail the author at kinnysalas@yahoo.com
