New drug may provide more cost-effective stroke prevention than warfarin

November 1, 2010 · Posted in hair regrowth · Comment 

A newly approved drug may be a cost-effective way to prevent stroke in patients with an irregular heart rhythm – and may also offer patients better health outcomes than the commonly prescribed, but potentially risky, blood thinner warfarin. That’s according to a new analysis from researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System.

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Baldness Drug Works, But Some Have Sexual Problems

October 24, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

The widely used baldness drug finasteride (Propecia) indeed boosts hair growth in men, but some may develop sexual problems, according to a new analysis….

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Supreme Court weighs lawsuits over vaccine, autism

October 12, 2010 · Posted in hair regrowth · Comment 

The Supreme Court is trying to sort out whether drug companies can be sued for claims of serious side effects from childhood vaccines without driving vaccine makers from the market and risking a public health crisis.

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Calls for help over mephedrone usage soar

October 4, 2010 · Posted in hair regrowth · Comment 

Almost 5,000 inquiries were made by health workers last year about the damaging effects on patients of the drug mephedrone.

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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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Propecia: Ultimate Thinning Hair Treatment Exposed

February 27, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

After trying all sorts of remedies or miracle hair growth formula, most people start contemplating drugs as their thinning hair treatment. One of this prescription drug said to be able to alleviate your problem is a drug known as Finasteride, better known commercially as Propecia. But is this the ultimate thinning hair treatment you are looking for?

Propecia works by inhibiting the production of DHT (dihydrotestorone) throughout the entire body. It works by preventing free testosterone from converting to DHT. DHT is responsible for destroying the scalp by shrinking the hair follicle and prevents hair growth. This drug is taken orally and once treatment began, you will see noticeable difference within 5 to 6 months. Clinical testing proven that this drug is particularly effective thinning hair treatment at the crown area and hairline.

Propecia however is very effective in curing male pattern baldness and totally useless if used by female. This drug has also been implicated in causing severe birth defects in male fetuses and not prescribed to women.

The use of propecia in thinning hair treatment means that the drugs has to be taken everyday and you will only see appreciable difference within 5 to 6 months of using the drug. However, once you stop taking the drugs, you will start losing hairs again. What this means is that you are becoming drug dependent. This is not the only negative side effect you will get from using propecia.

Side Effects Of Propecia

These are known side effects of using Propecia. Bear in mid that these side effects are only observed on 2% of Propecia users.

- Decrease sexual drive

- Decrease in volume ejaculate

- Impotence

- Breast Tenderness / Enlargement

- Blackheads

- Increased face skin oil

- Acne problems

In most cases stopping the medication will resolve the issues.

When you are contemplating using drugs as you thinning hair treatment, do some research or better, go see your doctor and ask for their advice. Even though only 2% of propecia users are affected, do you want to take chances?

Author: Nash Johnson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Rogaine Or Minoxidil – Which One Shall I Use?

February 5, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

Rogaine was the first medicinal drug in history approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating hair loss. By now it has been approved and is available as a cure for baldness in many other countries of the world. Its main active ingredient is minoxidil, a vasodilator that was originally used in the form of the oral drug Loniten to treat high blood pressure. Minoxidil is a hair-growth stimulant but its exact mechanism of action is not known. Since Loniten has long come off patent, generic minoxidil is widely available in pharmacies at a very reasonable price and in most countries it does not require a doctor’s prescription.

Both Rogaine and generic minoxidil solutions come in concentrations of 2% for women and 5% for men but many experimental, generic products use concentrations of up to 20%. Minoxidil is often blamed for causing various negative side effects. Since it has become the most frequently-used drug for treating baldness, its side effects are very well documented and they happen to be often exaggerated. In less than one percent of patients they include an irregular or fast heart beat, very low blood pressure, blurred vision, swelling face and ankles, numbness in the hands, etc. These symptoms are directly related to minoxidil being a vasodilator. In addition, minoxidil can cause increased hair growth on the face and other parts of the body. This is due to its ability to stimulate hair growth. But some side effects that minoxidil is often blamed for are not caused by minoxidil itself. They include inflammation, itchiness and redness of the scalp, dandruff and allergic reactions. These side effects can be attributed to the vehicles used in the solution, such as propylene glycol and isopropyl alcohol (propanol). Many hair loss sufferers have discontinued their minoxidil treatment because of scalp problems, although minoxidil seldom causes such reactions.

Furthermore, many generic, minoxidil-based lotions contain supplementary ingredients that are supposed to enhance their overall efficacy, such as azelaic acid, retinoic acid, herbal extracts, etc. These substances, especially the herbal extracts, are known to be allergenic to many people. It is advisable to try several different minoxidil-based products, for instance, those that do not contain propylene glycol, in order to test their tolerability for your scalp. A more expensive product, e.g. the original formulation – Rogaine solution – is not necessarily a better option than a less expensive generic mixture. However, Rogaine foam, though quite expensive, is usually very well tolerated. Anti-dandruff shampoos, e.g. Nizoral, can, in the majority of patients, be employed successfully to treat scalp inflammations, itchiness and dandruff caused by the use of minoxidil-based topicals.

Author: Dody Gasparik
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Hair Loss Treatment Information

January 19, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

Americans who suffer from hair loss have access to two drugs, both of which the FDA has approved for use as a hair loss treatment. Yet that does not mean that American drug stores stock only two different treatments, treatments that can help a patient to counter hair loss problems. Certain medicines that have been marketed as a cure for an alternate medical problem also work as an aid in the fight against unwanted hair loss.

When physicians find that a drug can be used to treat a medical condition other than the condition for which it was approved by the FDA, then that drug is said to have an “off-label use.” Avodart serves as an excellent example of just how off-label use can help someone who suffers from hair loss.. Avodart is sold as a drug for men with benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH).

Avodart prevents the formation of DHT. For that reason, Glaxo Smith Kline markets the drig as a treatment for BPH. Since a high level of DHT can lead to hair loss, some men have tried using Avodart as a treatment for hair loss.

The drug named Nizoral serves as another example of how the off-label use some medicines can benefit patients with troublesome hair loss. The FDA has approved Nizoral as a treatment for dandruff. It increases the thickness of the hair. Because it also keeps DHT from binding to hair follicles, Nizoral appears able to help patients who are bothered by hair loss.

Beyond the potential benefits of medicines found to have an off-label use, the known benefits of approved drugs promise help to those with hair loss. One of those drugs is Propecia. Like Avodart, Propecia blocks the ability of DHT to interfere with the hair growth cycle. Propecia keeps a particular enzyme from binding to testosterone. In that way, it prevents the formation of DHT.

Of course not all physicians in the U.S. recommend Propecia as a treatment for hair loss. Some doctors suggest that patients with hair loss try using Rogaine. Rogaine makes it easier for existing hairs to take-in the nutrients that are in the blood. Rogaine encourages the growth of tiny hairs in the scalp. Following the application of Rogaine, those tiny hairs become longer and thicker hairs.

Researchers pursue their work on another way to create longer and thicker hairs. In the future, those with hair loss could benefit from a drug with thymosin beta 4. That protein helps the hair follicle to hold onto acitin, a hair-strengthening substance.

Author: Romy Raut
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Question – Does Propecia Work?

January 18, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) gave its answer to the question “Does Propecia Work? when it gave approval to Merck & Co. to market this drug back in 1998.

For any drug to receive FDA approval, years of tests are involved and a huge investment of time and resources on the part of the pharmaceutical companies involved.

In the case of Propecia, over 1,500 men were involved in a two year study. The results showed that over 80% noticed an improvement in their hair growth and density. So the answer to the question “Does Propecia work?” is: Yes, in the majority of cases.

Obviously results differ on an individual basis and some men will experience better results than others. The drug needs to be taken daily for at least 2-3 months before making a final decision as to whether it is worth continuing.

Bear in mind that once you start taking Propecia you have committed yourself to a lifelong course of medication. Stop taking Propecia after hair has started to increase and you risk losing what you gained.

Just how does Propecia work?

The male hormone testosterone is involved. It is a contributing factor in the production of DHT, (Dihydrotestosterone) which can cause hair follicles to malfunction and shut down. Propecia blocks the process in which DHT is formed.

Each Propecia tablet contains 1mg of Finasteride, a drug originally used to combat prostate cancer in men over 50. It was prescribed in 5mg doses. It was noted that those who used this drug often experienced increased hair growth. Propecia is just the brand name of a different version of Finasteride specifically prescribed to combat male hair loss on the crown of the head or the mid-scalp area.

Does Propecia work for women too?

No. Precautions issued with the drug stress that this medication is for men only.

Additionally, although each tablet is coated pregnant women or women who think they might be pregnant are advised not to handle this medication. Contact with crushed or broken Propecia tablets can lead to deformities in the sex organs of male children.

Does Propecia work for all kinds of hair loss?

No. The drug is effective for hair loss on the crown of the head and mid-scalp. There is insufficient evidence to suggest it can help a receding hair line or loss of hair on the sides of the head.

From comments on user forums to do with hair loss it is evident that Propecia does work for many men. However, there are serious precautionary factors to consider:

1. This is a lifelong commitment which can be quite costly. Additionally the long term effects over decades of use are at this point impossible to predict.

2. A small percentage of men (around 3%) experienced various forms of sexual dysfunction including impotence, once they started taking Propecia. These effects quickly disappeared once the medication was stopped. In the clinical trials it is true that around 2% of the men using the placebo, a sugar tablet, also experienced forms of sexual dysfunction. So the number of men actually affected is quite small. However, it is important to be aware of these side effects.

Regretfully there is no ideal solution for hair loss at this time. However, there are a variety of choices available in combating hair loss. Prescription drugs such as Propecia are one option. Natural herbal remedies without side effects are another. See the resource box.

In conclusion: Does Propecia work? Yes, in the majority of cases from all the clinical evidence and user feedback available. Are you prepared for the possible implications of long term use? That is something you have to seriously consider.

Author: Mike Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Propecia – The Antidote For Male Pattern Baldness

December 29, 2009 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

Rely on Propecia for treating hair loss

Propecia is an oral prescription drug which is approved by the FDA. Propecia is one of the most popular drugs used for treating mild to moderate male pattern hair loss, particularly on the top and mid-scalp area of the head. In small doses, this drug is also used to treat prostatic hyperplasia, while larger doses are recommended during the treatment of prostrate cancer. A number of clinical trials have proved that in most cases, Propecia can successfully prevent further loss of hair, while in some men it can also lead to hair re-growth. However, results do vary depending on the severity of the case, and it may not be possible to re-grow all the hair you have lost.

Does Propecia live up to all the hype?

Propecia is available in the form of a pill and contains 1mg of the drug called finasteride. It is manufactured by Merck & Co. Inc. The benefits of Propecia are well documented by a series of clinical trials. Most men suffering from hair loss reported visible improvement after a course of Propecia, either in the form of re-growth or stopping of hair loss. However, in order to be effective, the drug needs to be taken every day for a period ranging between 3 and 6 months before results show. And if you want to retain your re-grown hair, you need to keep up with the course.

How does Propecia work?

One of the major reasons why some men are affected by male pattern baldness, known as androgenetic alopecia in medical terms, is excessive levels of a chemical called DHT in their scalp. DHT shrinks hair follicles so that they are no longer visible. Propecia helps in reducing DHT levels to a significant extent by inhibiting its formation. Thus, the affected hair follicles are prevented from further shrinking. Finasteride, a drug that was originally used in the treatment of prostrate cancer, is the main component of Propecia. The drug is generally prescribed in doses of 5mg and is particularly successful in combating hair loss in the crown of the head.

What is the ideal dosage and frequency of use for Propecia?

It’s safe to take a single tablet of Propecia per day. Doctors do recommend half a tablet and a full tablet to be taken alternatively, but this is not the officially recommended dosage. Large-scale official clinical trials have shown that the drug works most effectively if taken once a day. Moreover, the drug has a half life of 5 to 6 hours. Thus, you will derive no benefit from Propecia if you skip a dose. It is always advisable to consult your doctor and talk over your concerns

How accessible is Propecia?

As Propecia is a prescription-only drug, you need to consult your doctor or purchase it online from a registered doctor. There are a number of reliable sites that follow professional and ethical standards while selling drugs. These require you to take an online consultation with a registered doctor before delivering the drug treatment to your doorstep. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps in order to receive a valid prescription to buy Propecia online. Buying it from a secure site will allay all your concerns about privacy as well as security.

What kind of adverse reactions accompany Propecia?

Although no drug can claim to be free from side effects, most studies have determined that the adverse effects of Propecia, the only male pattern baldness drug approved by the FDA, are largely uncommon and do not affect a large number of sufferers. During clinical trials, sufferers did experience adverse symptoms like lower levels of sexual desire, erectile dysfunction, or lesser amounts of semen. However, these adverse reactions disappeared as soon as these users stopped taking the drug. Pregnant women should never handle Propecia in a broken or crushed form as the active ingredient present in the drug may lead to abnormalities in the sex organs of a male baby.

Author: Sally Gomes
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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