Hair Loss – Cause, Prevention and Treatment

March 25, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

The adult scalp contains about 100,000 hair follicles. Everyday the scalp loses about 100 hairs and they will grow back in 5-6 weeks. Starting at age 40, the levels of by-product prolactin of testosterone of men increases, stimulating the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that causes the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT causing our hair to grow back thinner or not grown back at all. This causes an androgenic alopecia hair loss problem, since DHT shrinks the follicles causing hair thins and hair receding at the forehead, crown and temple for men and thins over the entire scalp for women. What causes hair loss.

1. The Causes of Hair Loss

a) Aging
Human aging is the biological process that is unavoidable but controllable with healthy diet with complex carbohydrates, green foods, garlic, onion, water and juices that will help to decrease the aging process in some degree. It also helps to reduce the amount of DHT produced in our body, result in postponing hair loss to our scalp.

b) Mineral deficiency
Minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, chromium, iodine, zinc, and magnesium are necessary to maintain healthy hair growth. Mineral deficiency will reduce the chance to regulate the blood circulation that promotes healthy hair growth and thyroid hormones that prevent dry hair and hair loss as well as defects in hair color. Too much iron is toxic to your body. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any mineral supplement.

c) Oxygen deficiency
Oxygen deficiency in your blood weakens the hair follicles, leading to dryness of the scalp and hair loss. Uncontrolled diet that is high in saturated fat causes cholesterol building up in your arteries resulting in less oxygen in your blood stream. Also cigarette smoking and second hand smoke reduces the blood flow and increases the blood clotting activity of cells which would clog the blood flow and damage arteries causing oxygen deficiency and results in weaken of the hair follicles.

d) Side affects of medication taken
Some medications contains elements that might cause hair loss such as lithium, warfarin, heparin, and amphetamines. When hair loss is a side effect of a medication, hair growth usually returns to normal once the drug is stopped.

e) Genetic hair loss
Hair loss is due to heredity. It is passed down from generation to generation. Genetic hair loss appears predominately in men, but may also appear in a few select women.

2. Food to Avoid

Foods that can cause hair loss and diminish hair growth.

a) Saturated and Trans fat
Foods such as meat, poultry, and fried foods contain high saturated fat. Foods such as margarine, cheese, and butter contain high amounts of trans fat. These foods cause cholesterol to build up in your arteries and small veins in your scalp resulting in less oxygen being delivered to the cell in your body, including the cells on the follicles.

b) Foods that contain Aspartame and Monosodium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate contain chemicals that causes weight gain, increased appetite and also causes various kinds of health problems such as hair loss.
Aspartame contains toxic chemicals that make you gain weight, increases hunger and causes medical problems like migraines and poor blood circulation.

c) Smoking
As we mentioned in the previous article, smoking can reduce blood flow to the scalp causing hardening in the arteries, limit blood flow and make hair loss worse.

d) Artificial Color
Artifiicial color contains chemical compounds that take their toll on the body’s natural balance.
Specific foods to avoid include colored drinks, color-coated candies, gummy and chewy candies, and many colored cereals.

e) Preservatives
These are potentially toxic to the liver and kidneys that cause hair loss and prevent hair growth as we mentioned in the article “Hair loss part IV–regrow hair with Chinese herbs”.

f) Food Packaging
Polyvinyl chloride is a known carcinogen, and it’s often used as plastic food wrap. It is toxic with high amounts causing damage to the kidney and liver resulting in hair loss.

g) Salt
Eating too much salt can lead to fluid retention and increased blood pressure that cause less oxygen to be delivered to the body’s cells including cells in your scalp in result of losing hair.

3. Hair Loss Prevention and Treatment

I. Here are some important minerals that may help to prevent hair loss and promote hair re-growth:

a) Iron
Iron is involved in the oxygenation of your body’s red blood cells. It is essential for normal hair growth and maintaining healthy hair. If the amount of iron can not be replaced with food intake, iron deficiency will cause hair loss because of oxygen deficiency.

b) Zinc
It helps to secrete the scalp with much needed oil and avoid dandruff that may cause hair loss.

c) Copper
Study shows that these tripeptide complexes may actually be able to regrow hair, even in patients with total hair loss due to alopecia. Healthy tissue concentrations of copper lie between 1. 7 and 3. 5 milligrams. Everything else will cause hair loss.

d) B vitamins
The deficiency of B vitamins (especially B6, B3, B5 and folic acid) in your diet may lead to hair loss.

e) Biotin
Biotin works as an anti aging agent and helps to produce keratin in preventing gray hair and hair loss.
Sources of biotin are: whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk.

f) Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for over-all good health. It’s also beneficial to hair follicles, as it keeps the hair root lubricated. Too much vitamin A might result in hair loss.

g) Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that aids effective circulation in the scalp due to increased oxygen uptake in blood, therefore it plays an important role in promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss.

h) CQ-10
Coenzyme Q10 (CQ-10) is an essential vitamin that provides our body with the nutrients needed to grow healthy hair. They also promote overall vitality, and contribute to beautiful skin and strong nails.

II. Here are some daily foods that might help to prevent hair loss and promote hair re-growth

1. Yogurt and soy
Yogurt and soy contain high amounts of protein that is needed to maintain hair growth. Study shows that soy protein reinforces hair and stimulates its growth.

2. Dark green vegetable
Dark green vegetable contains high amounts of iron that are needed to restore oxygen levels in the blood stream as well as nurturing the body’s cells.

3. Whole grain products
Whole grain contains zinc which is needed to maintain healthy hair. Zinc deficiency can lead to dry hair and oily skin.

4. Essential fatty acid
Essential fatty acid can be found abundant in cold water fish. It helps to maintain healthy cholesterol and reduce triglyceride in result of increasing circulation of blood flow in our body.

6. Nut and seed
Nuts and seeds are fatty foods which are typically the best sources of vitamin E, an immune enhancing antioxidant and nerve protector. Deficiency of vitamin E can lead to skin disorders, dry hair and loss of hair.

7. Carrots
Carrots contain high amounts of vitamin A. It is an antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp. Having too much vitamin A can lead to hair loss.
There are many other foods that help promote hair growth and prevent hair loss, such as fruits, egg, spinach, and broccoli.

Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking large amounts of the above foods. There may be side effects, such as overdoses of vitamin A in carrot might result in hair loss.

III. Traditionally, herbs have been around for over thousands of years and offer much success to prevent or cure diseases well before the discovery of western medicine. Here are some herbs thathave been proven in treating hair loss and promoting hair growth

a) Shikakai
Acacia Concinna is a small shrub-like tree that grows in India. It’s pod-like fruit is collected, dried and then grounded into a fine powder. It is used to cleanse hair, and is known to promote hair growth and get rid of dandruff. Due to these benefits, this powder was named shikakai which means “fruit for the hair”.

b) Grape seed extract
Grape seed extract is a very strong antioxidant that some use as a supplement or remedy to various conditions. It contains high levels of vitamin E and essential fatty acids that are essential for maintaining hair growth and preventing hair loss.

c) Kirin Brewery new discovery
Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido working with Kirin Brewery has discovered a unique property of an extract of hops that can help to activate the melanocyte cells that generate hair pigment.

d) Saw palmetto
As we mentioned in another article, Saw palmetto is the number one choice for men. Saw palmetto helps to block the formation of 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that causes the conversion of testosterone to DHT that causes hair loss.

e) Basil extract
Basil Extract from the natural flowers of the basil plant, works to quickly soothe and calm skin of the scalp.

f) Pumpkin Seed
Pumpkin seeds help to block DHT, which is responsible for genetic hair loss. This common seed is loaded with zinc and magnesium that have the ability to block enzymes which yield DHT causing damage to follicles and resulting in hair loss.

g) Buddleja Davidii Extract
Buddleja Davidii extract contain active ingredients protecting the skin against toxic radicals. It can also help reduce skin aging and protect the skin against the damage caused from stresses and toxins.

h) Green Tea
Green tea contains the chemical globulin that helps to reduce levels of free testosterone, so that it cannot be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the hair follicle.
Be sure to talk to your doctor or dermatologist before taking any herb supplement.

IV. Traditionally Chinese herbs have been around for over 4000 years and have offered much success to prevent or cure diseases well before the discovery of western medicine. Hair loss is directly linked to kidney deficiency syndrome in Chinese traditional medicine. People with hair loss problems especially in their early life may have a weak Kidney. Here are some Chinese herbs that have been proven in treating hair loss and promoting hair growth

a) Dong Quai
Traditionally, Chinese woman used Dong Quai to restore blood cells and increase the circulation of oxygen in the bloodstream to cells after period. Dong Quai contains phytoestrogen that helps to block the androgen receptor site in result of blocking the conversion of testerone to DHT, therefore reducing the chance of hair loss due to aging.

b) Ginseng
Ginseng is said to have the power of rejuvenating and energizing the body. It also helps to stimulate circulation of oxygen in our bloodstream to the cells of our body as well as the cells in our scalp.

c) Shou wu (polygonum)
Shou Wu is a polygonum multiflorum plant. It is now being used in conjuncture with other herbals, as an active ingredient in shampoos and orally administered to prevent hair loss as well as aiding the restoration of roots and production of new hair.

d) Psoralea seeds
Study shows that psoralea extract and exposure to ultra violet light will help to restore hair loss and promote hair regrowth with a 33% success rate.

e) Mulberry
Chinese herbalists believe that mulberry is an excellent tonic for the kidney, liver and blood that provides more oxygen in the bloodstream as well as small blood vessels in the scalp.

f) Chinese Yam
Numerous successful studies have been performed in examining the benefits of the Chinese yam. Chinese yam can help to nourish the liver, kidney and blood in result of preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.

g) Green tea
Green tea containing catechins inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone into hair-unfriendly DHT. So drinking great tea everyday is an effective treatment for male pattern baldness.

h) Chinese foxblove root
Chinese foxblove root contains cornus, the chemical that help to nurture the kidney, liver and blood in result of promoting hair growth.

i) Wolf berry
One of the natural superfoods has been used in traditional Chinese cooking. Wolf berry helps to eliminate toxins in the body in result of better function of the kidney, liver and blood that help to promote hair growth.

Chinese medicine believes that the benefit of nourishing the kidney and blood tonic helps for healthy hair growth and preventing hair loss.

V. Here are some prescription and over the counter drugs that might help prevent further hair loss and promote hair growth.

1. Minoxidil
Minoxidil is an over the counter drug and is a spray or lotion that you put directly on your scalp twice a day. It is available without a prescription. It is believed to work by affecting potassium- regulating mechanisms in the hair follicle. Study shows that it helps to slow and stop hair loss and regrow new hair with over 60 % success rate. Be sure talk to your doctor or dermatologist before taking minoxidil. It might cause rash to some patients.

2. Finasteride
Finastteride is an oral prescription medication. Finasteride is a synthetic hormone that halts hair loss and stimulates new hair growth. It is a medication that selectively inhibits the activity of an enzyme that converts the “male hormone” testosterone into a form that is active in hair follicles.

3. Rogaine
Rogaine is a clear alcohol-based solution and should be applied to a person’s thinning area with it’s supplied dropper or spray twice a day. It helps about 25 percent of men and 20 percent of women to grow back moderate amounts of hair very gradually, mostly on the very top of the head. They must keep using Rogaine indefinitely to keep the new hair.

4. Retin-A
Retin-A is only available by prescription in the US. In the right doses and when combined with Minoxidil it can be a hair growth stimulator. Studies shows that Retin- A can result in moderate hair growth in some patients.

5. Proscar
Proscar contains the same active ingredient finasteride. Proscar has the effect of lowering the hormone DHT, which interacts with bald vulnerable hair follicles and causes hair loss. By reducing the DHT in the patient’s body the finasteride in the Proscar proved to slow and even stop or reverse hair loss in many men.

Before taking any hair loss medication over the counter, please consult first with your doctor or dermatologist.

I hope this information will help. If you need more information of the above subject, please visit my home page at:

Author: Kyle J Norton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Propecia Hair Loss Treatment – Are the Results Worth the Health Risks?

March 25, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

If you are like me, then you probably will not settle with living your life without a full head of hair. Have you ever heard of the propecia hair loss treatment? I’m sure you’ve heard about all the success people are having using it, but is the health and safety concerns surrounding the treatment worth the risk of taking it?

We all may not want to admit it, but a man’s confidence, pride, and overall happiness is directly affected by Propecia and balding. Some men feel awkward or embarrassed to seek help and try different hairloss treatments. But when you think about it what’s more embarrassing: being bald for the rest of your life or using hair products to prevent being bald all-together?

The Propecia hair loss treatment is getting much of the attention in the alopecia industry. This is mainly because it has the highest success rate out of all treatments available today. Thanks to this new medication, many men have been able to avoid being bald for the rest of their life and continue to live happy and confident lives.

But if you have already heard of the Propecia hair loss treatment, you probably heard about the potential side effects that come with taking it on a daily basis. To be more specific, I am talking about the adverse sexual side effects that come with taking it.

During clinical studies, about 1 out of every 50 people that took the Propecia hair loss treatment ended up developing some sort of adverse sexual side effect ranging from impotence to erectile dysfunction to decreased libido. This is primarily due to the fact that the Propecia hair loss treatment directly alters your hormonal levels.

Now granted that a large majority of the people that take the Propecia hair loss medication avoid developing these side effects, it’s still something to take into consideration when debating about trying it. Especially if you are young, you may not want to jeopardize your sex drive and ability to have a family just so you can have a full head of hair.

Thankfully, there are other options for men that feel this way. Besides getting a transplant or using cosmetic-based products to hide the fact that you are balding, there’s only one other FDA-approved treatment for alopecia worth trying.

Author: Matthew McAuthor
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Propecia Was Huge In The Regrowth from Hair Loss

March 20, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

Four years ago I would go out to a night club and wear one of my favorite shirts and nicely pressed slacks and I would be told that I looked forty years old. It was very hard to take as I had just turned 36. I would go on to hear this kind of talk a lot around this time.

I moved to a new area and when I would go out, I would always get funny looks and reactions. I’ve always been an independent person so I didn’t mind going out to a local establishment alone but I was always friendly and had some kind of magnetism that seemed to always attract people.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m just an average looking guy. I am tall and have always stayed in good shape and have always had a friendly and good sense of humor. Because I’m a bigger guy, people seem to make friends with me as I may make them feel comfortable. This is how it had always been since I was twenty years old. However, it wasn’t happening anymore. Inside I was still the same sarcastic, humorous and friendly person but on the outside I must have appeared to look like a loner or a physco-serial killer.

I have never went out of my way to make new friends. However, occasionally when you would just come across people I was getting negative reactions. I knew that there was nothing at all different about me except for one thing. I was still big and had a good body, I was still tan, I still had nice, clean white teeth. I still wore brand new expensive shirts. The only thing that had changed was my hair. It was thinning and looked miniaturized and it was very apparent.

I knew that this was my only draw back but I really didn’t know what to do about it. I always made a good living and the thought of hair transplants was totally out of the question. I thought about just shaving it as it seemed “that look” was becoming more common. But I could just never come to do it as I always had this thought in my mind that there was a solution.

I bought a bottle of Propecia and for some reason I kept it in my medicine cabinet for about 6 months. I think that I was scared to take it. Everything that I had read seemed to imply that there were too many side effects. At the time, I hadn’t begun to do any real research.

So I just hung in there and decided to start scouring the internet and do as much research as possible. I went to the discussion forums and I started to listen to a radio talk show about hair loss. The more that I researched, I started to realize that I must take the Propecia right away or my hair is going to start looking worse.

Even though I was still a little nervous I finally made a decision and I just went for it. I went to a Dermatologist and requested a prescription and he agreed that my hair was miniaturized and he felt that I would be a perfect candidate for Propecia. I had read in these forums that others were experimenting with this “big three” regimen and when I decided to get the prescription for the propecia, I would also start on the other two products as well. My plan was to give myself one full year of taking the three products and I would pray that the routine would work. After ninety days I was starting to see progress. As each month went by I would tell myself that I’m at 15% and now I’m at 20% and so on. Now that I look back, I see that I was being way too conservative. When I thought that I was at 50% of the way there and on the road to recovery, I was probably really only at 20%. I still had another 80% of improvement to go. As some people would say, I hadn’t even “scratched the surface”

After almost three years of this regimen I must say that I am very happy and that my results are definitely better then expected. I was a guy who had obvious hair loss to anybody that knew me or not. Now I’m a guy that still has a little frontal recession and still a little thinning in the crown and for the most part has a significant amount of hair.

I went out to a local establishment recently and a 27 year old guy talked to me for about an hour and he told me that he was 27 and that I’m “what 32,33?” I said try 39. He said “really, wow you actually look about 32 and you seem like a 32 year old” Of course the first thing that comes to your mind is that he was just trying to be nice and just complementing me. But I really believe that he was sincere as I have been getting a lot of this kind of treatment for the past year.
I can go out now and I have that magnetism again where people want to know me or talk to me instead of looking at me like I’m some crazy man. I still wear the nice shirts, I still work out and my body still looks as good as it did when I was 36, my teeth are still nice and white and I still look tan. The only thing that is different is my hair. It doesn’t look thin and miniaturized anymore. It looks like a normal full head of hair.

I truly believe that the way your hair looks tells a lot about a person’s age. The hair is the frame for your face and I must say I know that my hair looks 10 times better today then it did back when I was 36. You would think that since I have androgenic alopecia that my hair would look thinner and worse each year.

Actually the reverse has happened for me and time is actually on my side instead of against me because I have reversed the progression of my hair loss. Instead of having a higher level of DHT in my scalp miniaturizing my existing hair follicles, I take finasteride, better known as Propecia. Finasteride has been proven to block Type II 5 alpha reductace, the enzhyme that converts testosterone to DHT.

Although Propecia is the main player of The Big Three, there are still two other products that I feel must be taken. The three products taken together seem to work in a synergistic manner. Propecia does its thing, minoxidil has its role and nizoral also plays a key part. However, one plus one plus one equals four as far as the overall effect of the treatments. Nizoral makes Minoxidil more effective and Mixoxidil works better when taking propecia.

www.ReGrowNow.com is a web site that has been set up to educate the hair loss sufferer with real facts, articles and information. It is a website that has no products to sell. They will though send you free information and even Cd’s with audio files and hair loss information.

I have been taking the Big Three now for almost three years and I must say the regimen has really changed my life.

Author: Mark Brassia
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

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Choosing One From the Many Hair Loss Products in the Market

March 16, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

Hair is a major part of ones appearance, a confidence booster. And when people, men or women, start losing hair, their confidence levels take a dive, some suffer from severe depression. Normally people loose about 50 to 100 hair per day, which is very normal but if this number much more then a doctor should consulted immediately.

Excessive hair loss from the scalp can cause baldness and it could be due to many factors. Heredity is a major factor here. Being on certain medication, undergoing some treatment, improper diet, high stress levels can all lead to temporary or permanent baldness. In males, hairline starts receding and hair becomes thinner near the top. In women, thinning of hair is seen on the scalp and has follows no pattern, like males.

There are many types of hair loss or baldness and it is very important to know the cause of baldness before going for a product or treatment. Today the market is flooded with hair loss products which claim 100% regrowth of hair. But one should not apply any hair loss product without consulting a doctor first as causes for hair loss varies from person to person. It is found that a male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is converted to testosterone by an enzyme 5 alpha reductase which is a major factor for androgenetic alopecia, or loss of hair due to ageing.

There are two FDA approved products; namely finasteride and minoxidil, which have a high success rate. One of the hair loss products is Propecia, a finasteride tablet, which is an oral pill. This oral pill has to be taken once a day; it blocks the enzyme which creates DHT. DHT is the hormone which is associated with thinning hair and baldness. This pill is only for men and should not be used by women and children.

The other hair loss product is minoxidil which in United States is marketed as topical Rogaine solution. It helps people, both males and females, with Androgenic alopecia, losing hair due to age. It increases the blood supply to hair follicles and thus stimulates growth of hair. Now a generic version of minoxidil is also available.

Products like Nizoral and Avodart are not FDA approved but have some what been effective. US brand name for Dutasteride is Avodart which has been found to treat male pattern baldness on the top and crown of the head.

Topical and oral treatments, both have their pros and cons. An oral tablet is easy to take than a topical solution. It is seen that a combination treatment of oral with topical hair loss product is successful.

Author: Caitlina Fuller
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Propecia As a Hair Loss Preventative Treatment

March 15, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

Propecia is a special hair loss prevention medicinal supplement which is designed for men only. It is only for men because it causes an increase in the amount of testosterone in the body. Women who handle whole or crushed pills can have negative side effects which could also affect a developing baby. In men, it creates and promotes an environment which is beneficial to hair and prevents the probability that hair loss will happen.

Prevention of hair loss through the use of Propecia is possible with a dosage as small as 1mg. This dosage is just the right amount for most men to get the most benefit from the drug. This causes the hair loss to stop and possibly reverse during the period in which the drug is being taken. The effects of the active ingredient are known to last as long as the drug is being taken. Hair that is maintained will begin to be lost within a 6-12 month period of time after ceasing treatments with Propecia.

Re-growth of hair is possible in a percentage of men. This is also caused by the increase in the hormone testosterone in the men. The process will re-grow hair in many men who have suffered hair loss in many areas of the head. The hair will be thick and natural looking as well as provide the thickening of thinned hair in male pattern baldness. When Propecia is taken for long periods of time, re-growth of hair could be as significant enough to regain an almost perfectly normal look absent of hair loss for a small percentage of men.

The use of Propecia for the treatment of prostate cancer is also possible in higher doses. This can help reduce swelling in the prostate which can provide the necessary healing ability for the body to undergo treatment. It can also reduce the rate of prostate cancer by 30 percent with normal usage by those who are at risk of prostate cancer. There are several men who can benefit from the use of Propecia as a method of prostate cancer prevention.

Negative side effects of the drug include impotence, abnormal ejaculation, abnormal sexual function, lower ejaculatory volume, erectile dysfunction and much more. The risks involved with Propecia in terms of side effects are usually below 2 percent of the population of men who use it. For impotence, this can be as high as 18 percent as a common side effect for the men who user Propecia for hair loss. One of the most feared side effects of the drug are irreversible sexual dysfunction which could occur indefinitely after the halt of the use of Propecia. Use of the drug is strictly dependant on the men who wish to have the possibility to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.

Author: Nelly Conway
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Male Pattern Baldness and Propecia

March 10, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

Men of all nationalities are affected by male pattern baldness. Approximately 25% show signs of hair loss by the age of 30, increasing to two-thirds by the age of 60. The cause is usually a genetic oversensitivity to the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hair loss in men is characterised by the ‘receding hairline’ – where hair recedes from the lateral sides of the forehead.

There are only two hair loss treatments that have been clinically proven to stop hair loss and promote re-growth. These are Minoxidil and Propecia.

Propecia is only available to men over the age of 18. The active ingredient in Propecia, Finasteride, was first approved for use in 1992 to treat prostate enlargement. Users noticed an increase in hair growth after taking the drug. There have since been two clinical studies by Merck Pharmaceuticals on the effects of Propecia , a 2 year study and a 5 year study.

In the 2 year study, of the 535 men taking Propecia, 99% had visible results: 66% had visible re-growth and 33% had no further hair loss. In the 5 year study, of the 279 men taking Propecia, 90% had visible results: 48% has visible re-growth and 42% suffered no further hair loss. Propecia works by reducing DHT levels in the scalp and thereby appears to inhibit the shrinking action of hair follicles. Once the shrinking action is controlled, the hair starts to re-grow.

As with all medications, there are some side effects. A small number of men experienced minor sexual side effects: less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection and a decrease in the amount of semen. These are uncommon, occurring in less than 2% of men. All side effects went away either a short time after commencing treatment or when treatment was stopped. For those considering taking Propecia, it is recommended to get guidance from a medical professional.

Although the cause for baldness in men is nearly always DHT, it can affect men differently. Medical experts with experience of treating male pattern baldness have found that combining Propecia with Minoxidil enhances the treatment, producing faster results. There are also hair growth boosters that can supplement these medications by creating a treatment programme tailored for the individual.

Author: Sophie Crane
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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Does Propecia Really Work

March 5, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

When a person is losing their hair they will try almost anything to stop it from happening. They will put their faith in almost any product or procedure that comes down the pike, hoping against hope that this one is really going to work for them. In the battle against hair loss, Propecia is one product that seems to have risen to the top, at least in terms of publicity. When you read the vast amount of press that this product has received many people say that it has been responsible for hair growing back on their heads. However, an enormous amount of publicity does not necessarily mean that a hair loss product actually works.

Although thousands upon thousands of people afflicted with alopecia have put their trust in hundreds of different products and spent millions of dollars, most of this time, effort and money has been spent in vain. Sadly, very few of these people have ever had any hair grow back on their heads. Even sadder is the fact that there is no shortage of people and companies out there that will market so called miracle cures for baldness, preying upon people who are desperate to get their hair back.

If there is one product out there that people afflicted with balding conditions seem to be embracing it would have to be Propecia, or finasteride as the scientists who developed it in Merck laboratories call it. It is an FDA approved pill that men can take daily by mouth. In fact it is the first and only FDA approved pill approved for the treatment of baldness, and it has shown positive results for balding conditions on the vertex and anterior sections of the head, otherwise know as the top and middle front areas of the head. There is no solid evidence that it works for men with receding hairlines at the temples.

An independent panel performed a five year study on men aged 18 to 41 who took Propecia and the results were quite impressive. They studied photographic evidence and determined that most of the men who participated in the study began to see positive results 3 to 12 months after starting Propecia. These results ranged from a lot of hair growing back to a small amount of hair returning to their head. Subjects that did not see positive results after 12 months did not see positive results at all by the end of the study. However, this was an uncommon result as 9 out of 10 men involved in this study saw some degree of hair re-growth.

Although Propecia has received rave reviews, there are some downsides. One of the biggest ones is the fact that it can only be used by men. Although baldness strikes mostly adult males there are thousands of women and even children around the world who suffer from various hair loss conditions. They cannot take Propecia. Another downside is that some men experience certain sexual side effects. The most common of these side effects are a decrease in the desire to have sex, problems with erections and a decrease in semen amounts. These side affects occurred with less than 2% of the men studied and they disappeared once the men stopped taking the pills. This brings us to another downside, which is the fact that any positive results achieved with hair re-growth will be lost if you stop taking the pills. That means that if you want to keep the hair that grows back on your head you have to take the pills for the rest of your life. Most men would agree that it is a small price to pay to get their hair back.

Propecia is available by prescription only. If you decide that you want to start taking it you can visit your doctor and they will set you up. A lot of online pharmacies now offer U.S. licensed physicians that can give you an evaluation and write you a prescription over the phone or over the internet. Although there are some shady online pharmacy web sites there are many more that are reputable U.S. licensed pharmacies that sell FDA approved drugs. You just need to do a little research to find the good ones.

While there are many products and services out there that are claiming to be the latest cure for baldness it is important to keep in mind that most of them do not work. However, Propecia is not one of them. It is the only FDA approved pill for the treatment of hair loss. This is because an independent five year study has proven that 9 out 10 men show some re-growth of hair 3 to 12 months after starting Propecia. Some showed a little bit of success in re-growing their hair and some showed a lot of success. A very small percentage experienced sexual side effects. When you think about it, taking a pill every day is a small price to pay for getting hair to grow back on your head.

Author: Michael Connelly
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Dutasteride – Powerful Hair Loss Treatment

March 2, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

For men who are balding there is a new drug on the horizon that promises better results than Propecia. This new drug is named Dutasteride and goes by the brand name Avodart.

Dutasteride was invented as a treatment for the treatment of prostate enlargement. In clinical trials the doctors noticed that a side effedt of the drug was hair re-growth in the balding patients. Propecia was also discovered in this way several years ago.

The excitment about Dutasteride is the fact that it has proven to be more effective and faster acting than any other treatment thus far in the fight aqainst hair loss. Dutasteride works by blocking the formation of DHT 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. What makes Dutasteride even more effective is it’s ability to also inhibit both types of 5-alpha reductase (5AR).

As with other hair loss drugs women should not take Dutasteride. In fact pregnant women should not even handle the drug as it is easily absorbed through the skin. Dutasteride can cause serious side effects in newborns. Birth defects may occur when large amounts of the drug are absorbed into the body during the period of fetal development. Men who have taken Dutasteride should not donate blood for atleast 6 months after stopping treatment.

Propecia and Avodart should be taken once a day. It has been found that after two years of treatment, Propecia effectively grows hair in about 66% of patients. Also, about 83% of the subjects receiving this treatment continue to maintain their existing hair after two years.

Author: Tim Grimsley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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