Propecia (Finasteride) and other treatment options for male pattern baldness
Becoming slowly bald is a natural stage of the ageing process for most men. Specialist thinks that for men are affected by this condition require no treatment if they don’t want it. Still for some men, hair loss can be stressful, especially if it happens early in life and changes the appearance of a man. In such cases treatment is necessary.
Concerning oral medications for hair loss treatment nowadays there are three medicines available that can help – Dutasteride, (trade name Avodart), Finasteride, (trade name Propecia) and Minoxidil (trade name Regaine). Avodart (Dutesteride) is accessible with a prescription only and used to treat prostate cancer. Propecia (Finasteride) and Regaine (Minoxidil) can be bought for hair loss treatment without prescription in local pharmacies and online.
Hair starts growing again in about 2 in 3 men who take Propecia tablet each day. In about 1 in 3 men hair does not start growing, but all men do not lose hair while taking Propecia. According to the clinical studies Propecia has no effect in about 1 in 100 men and most men have good chances to stop hair loss and have new hair start growing again.
Finasteride effect can be noticed after several months of oral administration and up to 1-2 years for full hair growth. So the medication should be used regularly. A patient should know that hair will fall again if treatment is stopped. If the treatment has successful results a patient should carry on taking the drug to keep the effect.
Finasteride in most cases has no serious side effects; still about 2 in 100 treated men report loss of sex drive and this unpleasant side effect may be a factor for stopping the treatment with Propecia and trying the other option.
Finasteride does not work in women with male pattern hair loss; women in general must not use this medication.
Normal hair growth cycle
The speed of hair growth is approximately 1.25 centimeters a month that makes 15 centimeters a year. The speed of hair growth slows down when a person grows older and makes about 0.25 cm a month.
Normal hair growth cycle depends on the process of cell division when new cells are produced they push the hair forward thus making it longer. A head with healthy hair has usually about 100.000 hairs which normally live or stay on the head for one up to six years. It is natural to lose about 100 hairs a day. The new hairs replace the lost ones and the process begins again. Common baldness develops when new hairs do not replace the fallen.
Normal hair growth cycle includes three basic stages: growth, rest and regeneration stages.
1. Anagen (growth) is the first stage with new hair growing in the hair bulb or follicle.This normal growth stage takes several years resulting in fully grown hair covering the head.
2. Catagen (rest) is the following stage when hair stops growing because the cell division ceased. The hair root or follicle base starts to contract with the consequence that the hair moves away from the root of the follicle which provides nutrients.
3. Telogen (regeneration) is the final stage. New hair starts under the old hair and eventually it falls out after a few months.
It is known that hair grows at the same speed all over the human head. There is no significant difference between the parts of the scalp.
Is male pattern baldness so harmless?
Male pattern baldness is considered to be a medical condition, commonly met in men, which cannot make harm to the general health of a man. Still more recent researches have shown that this condition can be related to heart disease in men. One of the studies has matched the results of the research involving 45 year old men who had baldness with men of the same age who had normal hair. The findings were that men who had frontal loss of hair at the crown had a little chance of the development of heart disease (nine men for every 100 with normal hair) while those men who had severe male pattern baldness at the crown had a meaningful chance of heart disease (32 for every 100 men with normal hair).
The risk for men suffering from increased hair loss at the crown enlarges in case these men have high cholesterol or uncontrolled blood pressure.
Still there should be other tests and studies conducted to evaluate the link between male pattern hair loss and the possibility of the heart disorders development.
What causes male pattern hair loss?
Hair grows about 1-1.5 centimeters every month. Hair usually grows for 2 to 6 years, and then it comes to the next period when it does not grow remaining the same length for some time, then it falls out. And the process of growing of a new hair begins again. It was estimated that approximately 85 -90% of the hair on the average human head is in the growing phase and 10-15% is not.
Men who start losing hair usually undergo the following things:
- The hair follicles on the scalp which are influenced by inside chemical changes slowly get smaller than normal.
- Every new hair gets even thinner than the previous one, as the follicle shortens.
- Every new hair does not grow normal length of time, and falls out quicker than normal.
- Finally few hair follicles remain which can also disappear with time.
Men who are losing hair eventually have the follicles that fail to grow new hair. One of the most frequent causes of MPHL is hormone and gene changes. Other hair loss causes may be:
- Telogen effluvium is a state which usually happens after constant stress, trauma or surgery.
- Alopecia areata is the response of the body immune system on stress when the hair partly grows under the skin.
- Fungal infection or psoriasis disorder representing a chronic scalp skin disease can cause significant hair loss.
- Existing medical diseases and health conditions such as hypothyroidism or improper diet may cause hair to fall out.
What happens to the hair during MPHL?
Each hair is placed in a hole in the skin called a follicle. Hair loss in men happens when the follicle shrinks, ending in shorter and finer hair. Finally, a very small follicle remains with no hair inside.
There is a male hormone or androgen in hair follicle, mainly it is testosterone. Hair follicle also has a special enzyme – 5-alpha-reductase (5aR).
Once testosterone hormone starts affecting the enzyme, it is converted to dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This process produces excessive DHT in hair root and the anagen phase of hair cycle becomes shorter. This makes shorter, fine and slightly visible hair.
The vertex, the highest part on the head and the head line are most vulnerable parts of the male’s head showing most classical hair loss pattern among male.
Propecia taking tips
Propecia is a potent medication which should be used with care and under your doctor’s control. So before using this medication visit your doctor. If you have been prescribed Propecia to treat your condition ask your doctor all the necessary information about how to use and store this medication.
Use Propecia as directed by your medical professional. In case you forget something check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
An extra patient leaflet is available with this medication, be sure to have it. Ask your doctor if you have questions about the information in this leaflet.
Propecia is an oral medication that should be taken by mouth only. Propecia can be taken with or without food.
You should take Propecia as long as it was prescribed to you. Take it even if you notice the enhancement in your condition. Try taking your dose every day.
If you miss a dose exclude the missed dose and return to your regular dosing schedule. It is prohibited to take 2 doses at once.
Propecia important safety information
If you have been prescribed Propecia for your MPHL treatment, read carefully this information or ask your doctor all the questions you have about this drug.
Notice that you may have to take this drug for up to 3 months before you notice any improvement. Still do not take more than the recommended dose to have the better result. It may cause harm to your health.
If you think your condition do not change within a year, ask your doctor about other treatment options.
Propecia may cause sexual problems such as loss of desire or ability. These side effects appear in those men who take Propecia for more than 3 months. Inform your doctor about them.
Propecia tablets are specially coated to prevent contact with finasteride. The coating is not effective if the tablets are damaged, broken, or crushed. Remember that finasteride may be dangerous for pregnant women. Keep this drug away from women, children and pets.
Your doctor will inform you that you should not donate blood while you are taking Propecia to prevent exposure through a blood transfusion to a pregnant woman.
Propecia may interfere with certain lab tests, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. Inform your lab personnel that you are on Propecia if you undergo blood tests.
Propecia should not be used by women and children, the drug may be dangerous for health if taken without control.
Propecia for MPHL treatment
Generic Name: Finasteride
Finasteride was produced for market selling in the UK in 2002, but first it has appeared in the USA since 1997.
Propecia is used for treating male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in men.
Finasteride belongs to a drug class of steroid reductase inhibitors. It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone(DHT) in the body. The production of this hormone in the body causes hair loss in men. The drug blocks DHT and stops certain types of hair loss in men. The hair follicles can enlarge back to normal because they are then not affected by this hormone.
Before starting any treatment of your MPHL, consult a medical professional.If you have any questions about finasteride, ask your doctor. Propecia is a prescription drug and should be used only by a person for whom it is ordered. Do not share it with other people.
If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
Risk factors for male pattern baldness
Practically in all men some baldness or receding of hair develops by the time they are in their 60s. But the age is not the main factor for men to lose the hair. One in five 30 year-olds, and half of 50 year-olds are practically bald. Read about main factors which can cause MPHL.
The first is gender; it means that men are more vulnerable to suffer from hair loss than women. It happens because of the greater amount of testosterone hormone men produce.
The second factor is family history of receding hair in men. If your father and your grandfather from one or both sides have experienced this condition, it is likely that you will also have it.
The age plays a role in getting reduced hair in men; still most of men experience it when they receive the age over 60 years.
One of the most powerful factors which can provoke hair loss is stress. In case it is continuous and chronic your MPHL will increase.
The core factor is the interaction of male’s scalp hormones with the genetic risk, which influence the normal hair growth cycle.
Male Pattern Hair Loss (MPHL)
MPHL or androgenetic alopecia (or male pattern baldness) is the most common type of hair loss, (can cause more than 80 percent of all hair loss) in males. This condition can develop in men of different ages and is usually the result of a genetic event that causes dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a male hormone which affects the hair follicles; they become thinner and start disappearing. The hair grow becomes slowly until hair is practically invisible or may even absolutely disappear. A man can become absolutely bald after 15-25 years of losing hair; some men go bald in 5 – 7 years.
Men usually lose hair at the front part of their heads and on the top (crown) of the head. A bald area gradually appears in the middle of the scalp and the receding front, until the bald area on the top with time increases and joins together.
Very often men with MPHL have a completely bald head with only a rim of hair around the back and sides of the scalp.