Two medications – Minoxidil and Propecia – have been approved for the management and prevention of baldness.
Minoxidil has been used for a number of years to treat baldness. While some success has been reported it appears that the effects of using Minoxidil in this way are only temporary and men using it continue to bald over time – although at a slower rate.
Minoxidil can be purchased over the counter without prescription in concentrations of either 2% or 5%. The medication appears to have the most benefit from 5 months to 2 years, at which point it gradually decreases in effectiveness.
Because Minoxidil has to be used continually it can end up being more expensive than surgical treatment for hair loss.
Propecia or finasteride is a medication which blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – the hormone that causes male pattern baldness.
In January 1998 the FDA approved 1mg of finasteride (Propecia) per day for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Finasteride only seems to be effective on areas of the scalp that are thinning but where there is still some hair present. It doesn’t appear to stimulate growth in completely bald areas. The results are usually best in the first year and then they either remain stable or decrease very slightly in the second year.
Thing to bear in mind if you’re thinking about taking Minoxidil or Propecia is that when you stop taking the drug you will lose the hair that was gained or preserved by the medication – you will then return to the stage of baldness you would have been at if you had never taken the drugs in the first place.
The only permanent solution for hair loss is a Hair Transplant procedure.
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