Finasteride

If you are male, over 40 and is showing signs of thinning hair and balding, chances are you have heard or researched on finasteride. It is a very popular and commonly used hair loss treatment specifically produced for men.

What Is Finasteride?

Finasteride is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of enlarged prostate and male pattern baldness. While we do not see the connection between the prostate and the crown of hair up there, the workings are explained in the internal mechanisms of the body.

Finasteride is the only FDA-approved prescription medicine that is particularly used for treating male pattern baldness. It has been used for years and has been found to be effective and safe for men of all ages and ethnic background.

It is usually used as a lone treatment or in conjunction with another drug, minoxidil. Aside from being used as a treatment for male pattern baldness, it is also used as a drug to complement hair transplants. It is not recommended for women. Thus, finasteride is an all-male drug.

How Does It Work Against Hair Loss?

Male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is a disorder that is linked to androgens. Hair loss in men is often traced to the presence of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the scalp. DHT is converted from the male androgen testosterone when it comes into contact with an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase or 5AR.

Finasteride is a DHT inhibitor. It inhibits the production of the enzyme 5 AR thereby preventing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. By decreasing the DHT present in the scalp, it also decreases the harmful effects of DHT to the hair follicles. This prevents further damage and provides the necessary environment for healthy hair regrowth.

Finasteride as a drug both works to prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth. Early users, i.e. those that use finasteride at the first signs of thinning, are more likely to achieve better hair cover than those who are already bald of have very little hair left.

For prostate enlargement, finasteride also works the same way internally as prostate enlargement is also a condition triggered by DHT.

How To Use Finasteride?

Finasteride is marketed under different brands. It is a pill that is to be taken orally once in a day. The recommended dose is 1 mg daily and can be taken with or without food anytime during your waking hours.

Continuous use for not less than three months is necessary to observe considerable success in the treatment. If treatment is stopped, DHT levels will again rise on the scalp and resumption of hair loss is a big possibility. Thus, continuous use is needed to maintain hair volume.

Most patients taking finasteride report no serious side effects from taking the drug, save for few isolated cases.

If any, side effects reported are:

• Decreased libido

• Erectile dysfunction

• Decreased ejaculation

On discontinuing therapy, these effects are expected to be resolved immediately.

There are no clinical studies that support the efficacy of the combined use finasteride and minoxidil. However, such combination has been routinely prescribed by many hair doctors and has been observed to be useful.

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