Information regarding Propecia, its Use and Purchase

Information regarding Propecia, its Use and Purchase


For men who are experiencing hair loss, one of the more popular treatments worth considering is called Finasteride. This anti-androgen is marketed as Generic Propecia, Generic Proscar and Prosteride. For the purpose of this article, we will use the term Propecia to describe the various forms of Finasteride, as Propecia is by far the most asked about, and most widely used version of the anti-androgen.

Propecia is an anti-androgen which works by inhibiting what is called 5-alpha reductase. 5-alpha reductase is an enzyme which converts testosterone into something called dihydrotesterone. It was initially approved in 1992, but was called Proscar at the time, and was a treatment mainly used for prostate enlargement. However, a study on 1mg of Finasteride had demonstrated hair regrowth in male pattern hair loss, which prompted the FDA to approve Finasteride in 1997 as a male pattern hair loss treatment.

Propecia is a drug trade name which is the product of Merck & Co. In Propecia, only 1 milligram of Finasteride can actually be found. The patent on Propecia owned by Merck had expired on June 19 of 2006, allowing the FDA to approve a generic formulation for Finasteride which is available in 5 milligram tablets.
Finasteride is generally not indicated by use for women, and Propecia does not have any affect at all on hair loss in women. Additionally, the Finasteride in Propecia has been known to cause birth defects in unborn babies, and has therefore been placed in the FDA’s Pregnancy Category X.

Causes of hairloss in women

Causes of hairloss in women

Hair loss is a cause of havoc in many women. One sensible idea will be to first know the right cause and then look for an effective treatment. There can be several causes of hair loss in women. It may be due to hormonal imbalance, nutrients' deficiency, traumatic conditions, and even due to genes. Following is a brief description of some of the causes of hair loss in women.

Common Causes of Hair Loss in Women:

Dihydroxytestosterone: Women have testosterone, a male sex hormone, in trace amounts. An enzyme called Type II 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). High levels of DHT get attached to hair follicles in the scalp. As a result, the hair follicles shrink and find it difficult to survive, hence hair loss. It is studied that even lower levels of DHT cause hair loss in women. Andogenetic alopecia is the medical term given to such a kind of hair loss.

Stressful Events:

A strand of hair completes its life-cycle in three stages. The growing phase called anagen, resting phase called catagen, and shedding off phase called telogen. Under certain traumatic or stressful events, 85% of hair makes a shift from anagen and catagen phase to telogen phase directly and very early. Thus, you experience loss of hair. Stressful events, therefore, can be one of the causes of sudden hair loss in women. Such events can be childbirth, a severe infection, malnutrition, major surgery and extreme stress. This type of hair loss is called Telogen effluvium. It is generally reversible.
Chemotherapy: Any impairment in the mitosis or metabolism process in the hair follicle, leads to a kind of hair loss called Anagen effluvium. Mostly, such impairments are caused by chemotherapy. The reason is, that chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cancerous cells. However, other rapidly dividing cells in your body, which are absolutely normal, also get affected. Cells in the hair follicles, which are in the anagen phase of growth, are one of them. Anagen effluvium is the term assigned to such a type of hair loss.

Tight Hair Styles:

Some tight hair styles such as braids, cornrows, ponytails and hair extensions constantly pull at hair. Over a period of time, a localized trauma is produced on the hair follicles, which eventually leads to hair loss. Such a hair loss can be avoided by detecting and stopping the cause on time. This type of hair loss is medically called Traction alopecia.

Can Propecia help men suffering from hair loss?

When a man in his 20s realizes that he is losing his hair it is likely that he is experiencing androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) which is the most common reason for hair loss and balding. Treatment options such as Propecia is the best options for this type of hair loss and when used together, give you the best chance at treating baldness and stimulating new hair growth.

When a man starts to lose his hair at such a young age it is likely that there is a family history of male pattern baldness, and the person will often see himself looking like his bald dad in just a few years time. The most important first step is to consult a physician who is knowledgeable about hair loss. Once a diagnosis of male pattern baldness has been made, just know that there is hope. With medication like Propecia, the progression of hair loss can be slowed down, stopped, or in some cases completely reversed.

Dealing with hair loss in a young man can be very challenging and upsetting. Most friends likely have not started losing hair yet which makes it even worse. Frequently, men who begin noticing hair loss in their late teens will bald rapidly through their early 20s. Studies of Propecia showed that 90% of men who take Propecia regularly did not progress in their balding. Why not use a medicine that can prevent that from happening 9 times out of 10? One of the primary reasons men who know about Propecia don’t use it is concerns about the possible side effects. Fortunately, side effects are rare. Propecia is also helpful to use twice a day to the vertex and frontal scalp. This will improve the odds not only of stabilizing hair loss, but maybe seeing new growth as well.