Finasteride helps cope with the problem of baldness, hair loss – this is one of the drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of this problem. What is finasteride? This is a 1 mg prescription drug in the form of tablets for oral use in many countries, including the United States. It is also used as an additional treatment for hair loss, for example, after an FUE hair transplant surgery in India.
Table of Contents
How Does Finasteride Begin to Act?
It was noted that finasteride helps restore normal hair growth by 50% in men in a year of regular use and by 66% in two years of regular use. In general, it was noted that more than 85% of men taking finasteride (also sold under the brand name Propecia) regularly stop hair loss during treatment.
Finasteride Properties and Application Results
Type of treatment: 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (preventative).
Availability: The drug is available on prescription for men over 18 years old in countries such as the United States.
Clinical result: Regular intake of finasteride for one year helps restore hair growth in 48% of patients, for two years in 66%. 7% of the subjects who were given a placebo showed restoration of hair growth by the end of the first and second years of use.
Marked Result: The marked result is clinical. The best result was observed when combining finasteride with the simultaneous use of minoxidil (2% or 5% solution).
Side effects: Reduced sexual desire, decreased sperm count in 2% of patients.
What Use Finasteride For?
Basically, finasteride is taken in order to stop hair loss, baldness, and protect the remaining hair. It also allows you to increase the amount of hair in more than 60% of cases, studies say. However, only 42% of the subjects showed significant improvements.
Finasteride is often taken by young men who want to stop hair loss. It is also used as an additional treatment for excessive hair loss in conjunction with a 2% or 5% solution of minoxidil.
Finasteride: How Does it Work?
Testosterone, which is found in the blood vessels of healthy adult males, is usually associated with 5-alpha reductase. This interaction leads to the production of a stronger male hormone called dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone plays a major role in the healthy development of the genitals at the embryonic stage of development and secondary sexual characteristics in puberty.
When a man begins to grow bald, genetically programmed dihydrotestosterone receptors begin to develop in many hair follicles. Of course, this does not happen in all men, but only in those who have a hereditary predisposition to male pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is transmitted with genes through the mother.
Dihydrotestosterone binds receptors that are formed in many bulbs, perceiving them as foreign bodies in the human body. This chemical change not only affects the hair but also causes irritation and redness. The condition of the hair begins to deteriorate under the influence of dihydrotestosterone, as a result of which the hair loses its healthy appearance in just a few years.
Reception of finasteride helps prevent the formation of dihydrotestosterone, its content in the blood is significantly reduced, and the effect on the hair follicles stops in just a few months.
What is the Dose of Finasteride?
Finasteride exists in the form of 1 mg tablets and is sold under the name Propecia. A large dose of finasteride – 5 mg – leads to the systematic inhibition of dihydrotestosterone and is used to treat prostate enlargement, sold under the brand name Proscar.
Side Effects From Finasteride
The main advantage of this treatment is that after a month of use, you will know how your body reacts to this drug, and you can stop taking it without harm to health if you notice problems.
It should be noted that some side effects may occur at the beginning of use, while your body adapts to this drug, but disappears later. It is very important for people suffering from liver disorders to consult a doctor before taking finasteride since its metabolism occurs in the liver.
Correct Use of Finasteride
Finasteride should be taken in tablets, the daily dose is 1 mg, you can not miss the dose. It is difficult for some people to follow the regular intake of the drug: sometimes they forget to take a pill, then take two, and so on.
It is important to consider that with this regimen, the drug will not have a beneficial effect on your hair, but only harm your body. Finasteride is a drug that has a direct effect on hormones. Hormones are very sensitive chemicals that work together. This means that regular intake of the drug creates a stable hormonal balance and ensures a healthy state of your body.
In general, despite the presence of side effects, finasteride can become a good ally in the fight against alopecia. However, although finasteride can stop hair loss and help it grow back in most cases, good results can only be achieved if you follow the dose and consult a doctor.
