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Male Pattern Baldness Treatment: Can Propecia Defeat Male Pattern Baldness?

By: Robert MacKay


This article was authored by a non-health professional.


Posted Tuesday, January 22, 2008



hair loss hair loss

Propecia is a prescription medication used to treat male pattern baldness. This is the most common type of male hair loss, affecting 95% of all men who are suffering from hair loss. Around 25% of men will start losing their hair by the time that they are 30 and two thirds will be bald by the time that they celebrate their 60th birthday!

Male pattern baldness begins either at the crown of the head with a bald spot or at the hairline as the hair recedes. This type of hair loss appears to be hereditary and it is likely caused by dihydratestosterone, or DHT, a naturally occurring hormone. DHT shrinks hair follicles, which causes them to stop producing viable hairs.

Propecia (or finasteride to give it its technical name) stops the formation of DHT in the scalp by stopping testosterone from converting into DHT. Since DHT shrinks the hair follicles, which scientists believe causes male pattern baldness, this can stop the hair follicles from shrinking any farther. Also, Propecia seems to help some of those with existing baldness to grow back the hair that they have lost. Clinical studies have shown that the medication reduces DHT levels by around 60% in most patients.

When Propecia was in clinical trials, 90% of the men who were tested saw visible results, either in the cessation of hair loss or the re-growth of hair. Nearly half of the men in the study had visible hair re-growth as reported through self-examination. However, over 65% of the men in the study had hair re-growth when the hair was counted using a hair count per square inch measurement by healthcare professionals assisting with the clinical trial.

This medication does not work on all types of hair loss. It works only on the hair on the back of the head and in the middle of the front portion of the head. Men who are losing hair from the temples saw no significant change in their hair loss when taking finasteride.

Propecia works in line with the normal growth and shedding phase of hair growth. The hair-loss stops after about three months in most patients. If a patients ceases treatment after having had initial success he will find that his hair loss will revert to its former pattern within a year of stopping treatment. Finasteride is a prescription medication so if you think that it is the right answer to your hair loss problem you should make an appointment to talk to your doctor.

Finasteride should not be used by women. The medication is designed to work with the male hormone testosterone, so it has little to no effect on the hair loss women experience. Also, this medication is extremely dangerous for women who are pregnant or could become pregnant because the active ingredient in Propecia can cause birth defects in male babies. Women should not handle the tablets if they have been crushed or broken as this could cause them to absorb some of the active ingredient through the skin. Men rarely suffer from side effects but there are recognised side effects, as with all medications. Less than 2% of patients taking the medication reported sexual side effects, such as impotence or lack of libido. Those who suffer side effects normally continue with the treatment and the side effects generally subside with time. For those who discontinue the treatment, the side effects are temporary and disappear within a few weeks of having stopped taking the medication. As losing your hair can be one of the most stressful experiences that a man can face, most men who are losing their hair are prepared to take a risk on the potential side effects given the substantial benefits of Propecia and the relatively low level of side effect occurrence.

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The author writes on health related matters and has an assocaition with The Online Clinic. If you are looking to buy Propecia then this can be done through The Online Clinic following a consultation with a GMC registered doctor.

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