Propecia’s Sides Effects – How Bad Are They?

February 17, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

It’s one thing to go bald but the thought of impotence is an entirely different ball game. Propecia is a familiar name in the world of male hair loss but there’s still a lot of hesitation regarding its side effects, particularly among younger men. Already feeling slightly vulnerable at the recession of their hairlines, for young men in their prime, decreased sex drive, less semen production and difficulty in getting an erection are not things they’re prepared to risk in order to retain a full head of hair. Yet there is ample evidence that Propecia is a safe and effective hair loss treatment, with minimal chance of side effects.

Less than 2% of men who take Propecia experience such sexual consequences and they soon disperse once a person stops using the medication. Most men would happily sacrifice their locks if it meant they could keep their sexual dignity, but most don’t realise that they’ve got more chance of ending up with a swollen pancreas on paracetamol or bleeding intestines from ibuprofen than any of the side effects of Propecia.

Propecia is a tablet that prevents hair loss in men by inhibiting the formation of DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is essential during the development of the male foetus and throughout puberty for the maturing of male characteristics, but as an adult, the only thing DHT is believed to contribute to is prostate enlargement and acne.

Propecia was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 and after more than ten years of being medically approved as a treatment for hair loss, there have been no reports of serious long term side effects as a result of using the 1mg, one-a-day treatment. A five-year controlled clinical study provided not only long-term scientific data of Propecia’s effectiveness in treating male pattern baldness, but also confirmed the excellent safety profile of Propecia.

Some men would agree that the benefits likely to be gained far outweigh the 2% chance of experiencing the side effects of Propecia. Another reason to give it a try at least is because Propecia doesn’t stay in the system for long — a week once ceasing use in fact — and if you do experience any negative outcomes, they stop once Propecia is out of the body. Still, some can have their cake and eat it too. The majority of those who do experience side effects will see a gradual cessation within a couple of months of continued use.

There may be nothing more natural than going bald but it doesn’t mean men have to like it. Those who are concerned should speak to a hair loss specialist about what method of retention would be best for them — because everyone’s different.

Author: Kate Moody
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Rogaine Side Effects

January 14, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

There may be some side effects with Rogaine. Some users do experience certain problems such as scalp irritation, itching, and dandruff. However, this can be treated with a good shampoo. Some user reported an increase in hair shedding at the start of the treatment. It is just temporary, and treatment should not be stopped. Indeed, this may actually be a signal that the treatment is working.

Due to the medication’s alcohol content, some users may develop a contact rash or irritated skin. In addition, with excessive doses, some users may experience dizziness or a rapid heartbeat. However, with normal use these effects are uncommon. A minority of Rogaine users experience “hypertrichosis” problem. This is hair growth on the face or other bodily areas. This side effect appears in about 3-5 % of women who use the 2% solution, and higher among women using the 5% solution. In this case, the treatment should be stopped.

Rogaine should not be used if a person has any of these systemic effects:

  • Chest pain
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Faintness
  • Dizziness
  • Sudden unexplained weight gain
  • swelling of the extremities

Tell your doctor quickly if you get any of these (less common) Rogaine side effects:

  • Increased hair loss
  • Dizziness
  • Burning of scalp
  • Inflammation at root of hair
  • Rash/reddened skin
  • Upset stomach/vomiting
  • Acne on scalp
  • Headaches
  • Breast tenderness
  • Increased growth/darker pigmentation of fine (vellus) body hair

If too much of this drug is absorbed by your body, you need to tell your doctor quickly. These are the symptoms:

  • Racing/irregular heartbeat
  • Chest pain
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Numb/tingling hands, feet, or face
  • Blurred vision
  • Fainting
  • Decrease in libido
  • Rapid weight gain
  • Swelling of face, hands, feet and/or lower legs

You should also tell your doctor if any of the following applies to you:

  • If you have any allergy (especially to minoxidil or propylene glycol).
  • If you’re pregnant, or plan to become so during your treatment – minoxidil in oral form will pass into breast milk and is not recommended during breast-feeding. (Topically applied minoxidil hasn’t been studied in pregnant women).
  • If you are taking any medicine (prescription or non-prescription) especially anti-hypertensive drugs, diuretics, or vitamins.
  • If you’re using Vaseline, Corticosteroids or Tretinoin (Retin-A) on your scalp. These things can cause too much minoxidil to be absorbed and so increase your chances of side effects.
  • Alcohol can make the side effects of Rogaine/minoxidil worse.
  • Generic Rogaine contains 80% alcohol and is flammable – keep it away from fire as well as eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • There are other concerns with this drug – make sure you read the label carefully before you start using it.

You can find more information about Rogaine side effects by clicking http://www.rogainehair.com/rogaine_review.htm.

Author: Edgar Gilbertson
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Propecia Side Effects – How Serious?

December 24, 2009 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

Propecia is the name of the drug Finasteride prescribed in 1mg doses to combat hair loss in men. Propecia side effects include some forms of sexual dysfunction which may alarm some users.

Just what is the evidence and are there any statistics to help us evaluate the risks involved with the side effects of Propecia?

The effects of Propecia and the side effects were noted on 1,553 males who took Propecia over a 2 year period.

Clinical trials produced the following statistics for Propecia side effects:

  • Decrease in sexual desire: 1.8%
  • Problems with erection: 1.3%
  • Decrease in semen volume ejaculated: 1.2%

To put these figures into perspective, when monitoring Propecia’s side effects, 3.8% experienced some kind of sexual dysfunction while 2.1% of the men using a placebo also experienced the same problems.

Additionally, these side effects were reversible in the men who discontinued taking Propecia and within some weeks they had disappeared.

One point to note is that the stopping of Propecia can result in losing any hair that has been regrown. The drug needs to be taken indefinitely to maintain the hair growth and density.

However, if a user discontinued taking the drug after experiencing the Propecia side effects noted above, it is very unlikely he would experience any decrease in hair growth. This is because it takes between three to six months of daily use to see any increase in hair growth and the side effects are experienced well before then.

As Propecia effects hormone levels some men experienced tenderness in the breast. However, this was a small number and no more than those who used the placebo.

Another aspect of Propecia side effects has to do with the detection of prostate cancer. The drug Finasteride which is contained in the Propecia tablets was originally marketed to combat prostate cancer in men over 50. It was prescribed in 5 mg doses.

Finasteride can affect a man’s PSA levels (prostate specific antigen) which is often used as a screening test for prostate cancer. The use of Propecia may therefore affect the detection of prostate cancer. It has yet to be confirmed whether prolonged use of Propecia can actually reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

While the figures given above may not seem significant and in view of the fact these Propecia side effects are reversible if the drug is discontinued it may appear that there is little cause for concern.

However, another aspect should be noted. Even though a drug may receive FDA approval after rigorous tests and many years of clinical trials and reports, FDA approval does not mean the long term effects of a drug are known.

This perhaps is the most worrying aspect about Propecia’s side effects. The fact that young men often take this drug for male pattern baldness and maintaining their level of hair growth is dependent on taking the drug, it means that a man will be using this medication perhaps for decades.

Just what are the side effects of Propecia after decades of use? Since it was only approved in 1998 no one can say.

In conclusion: While Propecia side effects may seem almost inconsequential from the information currently available, a young man who uses it for life may have to deal with more serious consequences in the future.

Author: Mike Jones
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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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