Propecia Side Effects

December 9, 2009 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

Propecia has side effects but they are very limited and often harmless. Propecia has been used by over one million men since its FDA approval 1998. The FDA approval means that Propecia was carefully clinically tested and the test results were well documented.

Propecia (Finasteride) is beside Rogaine (Minoxidil) the only FDA approved drug against hair loss. It works by blocking a major part of the DHT hormone production. DHT is one of the reasons why men loose hair because it makes your hair follicles to shrink and therefore produce thinner hair or no hair at all anymore. Propecia reduces DHT levels so that the hair folicles can recover and produce more hair again.

Propecia side effects happen in less then 2% of men and go away when you stop using the drug. Although very uncommon they can be disturbing because they are of sexual nature. The side effects can be less desire and problems achieving an erection. There might also be a decrease in semen production. The side effects go away when you stop taking Propecia. These side effects also decreased to 0.3% of men or less by the fifth year of treatment.

Propecia can also affect a blood test called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) for the screening of prostate cancer. If you have a such a test done then inform your doctor that you are taking Propecia.

Other side effects are allergic reactions like itching, rash, hives, swelling of the lips and face, breast tenderness and enlargement and testicular pain. If you notice some of these side effects then consult with your doctor.

There are no long term side effects of Propecia known other than the ones mentioned above. The Propecia alternative Rogaine with the active component Minoxidil also blocks DHT but since it is applied to the head and not taken orally like Propecia the only side effects are a possible itching of the scalp.

Propecia works best for the vertex (top of the head) area. As for the vertex area clinical studies have shown that 2 out of 3 men could stop hair loss and regrow hair. Propecia is also effective for the anterior mid-scalp (middle front of the head) area. It is not very effective in other areas of the head. It is not for women.

Propecia is no over-night hair loss remedy. You must take the drug at least 3-6 months before you can see results. It’s recommended that you take Propecia at least for one year to see if it works for you or not. Since you can stop the uncommon and mostly harmless side effects of Propecia buy simply stopping to take the drug, you should give it a try.

Author: Jake D. Darren
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Can Hair Follicles Be Revived?

December 2, 2009 · Posted in hair loss · Comment 

When a person begins to consistently lose their hair to a point where it is starting to become noticeable to others the initial reaction is often to seek out higher quality conditioners or shampoos, thinking perhaps they will reverse the balding process. Sad to say, this generally is not case. In fact, while higher quality hair care products may make your remaining hair feel soft and healthy they will not address the cause of most types of hair loss including, but not limited to androgenetic alopecia.

Androgenetic alopecia is more commonly known as male or female pattern baldness and is responsible for over eight out of ten cases of balding in men and one in four instances of hair thinning is women. This condition is hereditary and propagated by the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone, which is converted from testosterone deep within the hair follicle.

When asking can hair follicles be revived what one is generally asking is whether or not androgenetic alopecia can be reversed. You see, over time as dihydrotestosterone accumulates in the hair follicle it begins to impact each follicle it comes in contact with, causing them to shrink to a point where hair growth/replacement is no longer possible. As more and more of your precious follicles are impacted balding will only get worse. At this point some type of action must be taken to avoid severe balding or thinning.

Can hair follicles be revived? The answer is sometimes. It would be easy for me to sit here and paint a rosy picture but that would not be an honest evaluation. The fact of the matter is that your chances are very good if your goal is to protect your remaining hair follicles from damage. In fact the FDA approved drug minoxidil is effective in nine out of ten cases. On the other hand it is only effective about 30 percent of the time at opening up those dead or badly damaged follicles.

Another important point in asking can hair follicles be revived is the levels of dihydrotestosterone being produced. Most experts agree, that if dihydrotestosterone is not at the very least moderated then the balding process will likely continue.

In summary, can hair follicles be revived is a question that ultimately boils down to how much follicle damage has occurred before treatment is started. The good news is if you have recognized male or female pattern balding in its early stages your chances will be very good to keep your remaining hair for many more years to come. And who knows, you might even recover some of that long lost hair.

What to do next? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth products (specially formulated for both men and women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated treatments can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years
experience in the field.
Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at
Purchase Remedies.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/can-hair-follicles-be-revived-1532024.html

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