Many nonprescription hair loss treatments for men--special shampoos, scalp treatments and supplements--purport to give astounding results. The American Hair Loss Association cautions men to take advertisements for "miracle" male pattern baldness cures lightly--only a select number of treatments approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration yield positive results. Proprecia hair loss treatment is one option for men who suffer from androgenetic alopecia; baldness that's influenced by hereditary factors.
About Androgenetic Alopecia
When it comes to thinning hair, receding hairlines and baldness, androgenetic alopecia (common male pattern baldness) is responsible for more than 95 percent of male hair loss, says the AHLA. Appreciable hair loss is noted in two-thirds of American men by age 35, while by age 50, around 85 percent will experience noticeable hair loss. Male pattern baldness can begin when a man is still enjoying his salad days, with roughly 25 percent noticing hair loss before age 21. Your genes are the culprit, notes the Mayo Clinic. If family members on either side of your family suffered from pattern baldness, this increases your risk of suffering the same fate considerably. Heredity also determines the age at which you first notice thinning follicles, as well as the speed, pattern and extent of male pattern baldness.
About Proprecia
Proprecia is the brand name of the oral drug finasteride. Finasteride was first developed by Merck to treat enlarged prostate glands, says the AHLA. During clinical trials, it was noticed that Proprecia had an interesting--and desirable--side-effect: increased hair growth. The manufacturer subsequently decided to have finasteride approved as a treatment for male-pattern baldness as well, and in December 1997, the FDA approved it to treat androgenic alopecia. The AHLA states that Proprecia is the "first drug in history to effectively treat male pattern baldness in the vast majority of men who use it." Finasteride is also sold under the trade name Proscar.
How Proprecia Works
Proprecia works by inhibiting Type II 5-alpha-reductace, an enzyme converts testosterone into a strong androgen: dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a major cause of male-pattern baldness. When taken daily, the AHLA states that Proprecia reduces DHT by as much as 60 percent. Eighty-six percent of men who took Proprecia during a clinical trial noticed that the drug stopped hair loss, while 65 percent of those participating in the study experienced a noticeable increase in hair regrowth.
How It's Used
Mayo Clinic experts state that the typical dosage of Proprecia for adult men is 1mg daily, which should ideally be taken at the same time each day. Effects of Proprecia won't be evident right away; it takes around three months to the drug to exert its effects. Proprecia must be taken consistently to prevent hair loss and sustain new hair growth, says the Mayo Clinic. If you stop taking Proprecia, regrowth will fall out within a year of cessation.
Cautions
Proprecia cannot be taken by women, and the Mayo Clinic states that it poses a risk to women of childbearing age even if they handle the drug, as it can cause dire birth defects in developing fetuses. Taking any oral medication can result in an allergic response, cautions the Mayo Clinic, and Proprecia may have some side effects. Less common are tender, enlarged breasts, rash and swollen lips. Less common and rare side effects include abdominal or back pain, decreased sexual desire/impotence, decreased output of ejaculate, diarrhea, headache and dizziness.
Other
You need a prescription for Proprecia, so it's up to your doctor to help you decide if this is the right hair loss treatment for you. There is one nonprescription topical hair loss treatment available approved by the FDA--minoxinil (Rogaine). The AHLA points out that minoxinil, which doesn't affect the hormonal process that causes hair loss, yields results that are temporary at best and usually subtle. The AHLA advises men with male pattern baldness to choose Proprecia over other hair loss treatments.
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