Discovering Finasteride - Your Key to Hair Growth:
Hair thinning, hair loss and a receding hairline may be due to a host of reasons genetic predisposition, changes in the hormone profile, ageing, a medical condition or your lifestyle.
Certain sections of the scalp are affected by the DHT hormone which triggers recession of the hair as well as male pattern hair loss. This is where Finasteride plays the wonder drug! Finasteride is one of the most extensively researched drugs to manage male pattern hair loss and baldness.
Understanding Finasteride: An Overview
Finasteride is prescribed by doctors to treat benign prostate hyperplasia and male pattern hair loss. It is an FDA-approved medication and is extremely popular in successfully managing male pattern baldness. Male pattern hair loss is a condition that’s linked to both genetics as well as fluctuations in hormones.
What is Finasteride?
Finasteride is a 5 ARI. It blocks the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase, which changes the hormone testosterone into DHT. DHT is the chief culprit that causes the hair follicles to shrivel up and shrink, thereby causing hair loss; and Finasteride helps put a stopper to hair loss and decelerates it’s pace. With age, you are bound to experience hair loss, but it will be less radical if you use Finasteride.
History and Development of Finasteride:
Finasteride was first used in 1992 to treat benign enlargement of the prostate, at a dose of 5 mg. In the 70s, Imperato-McGinley was conducting research in a village in the Dominican Republic, where he studied that those males who were deficient in the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme, did not have hair loss as they aged and they also had smaller prostate glands. These individuals had low levels of DHT.
The drug Finasteride was crafted to block the 5 alpha reductase enzyme and this helped decrease the size of the prostate gland as well as battled hair loss. It took 20 years for the drug to get developed, manufactured and approved for medicinal use.
In 1997, Finasteride received FDA approval to manage male pattern hair loss at a dose of 1 mg.
How does Finasteride work?
Finasteride impedes the action of 5 alpha reductase. This drug stops the conversion of testosterone into DHT, by blocking the 5 alpha reductase enzyme and thus prevents hair loss and balding. The effects of Finasteride last only when you take the medication.
DHT has a pivotal part to play in the development of male pattern baldness. If you are genetically susceptible to hair loss, DHT binds to the receptors in the hair follicles and shrinks and miniaturizes them, resulting in rapid hair loss.
Finasteride stops the action of the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme and thereby decreases the amount of DHT, consequently protecting your hair follicles from DHT-related damage and thwarting hair loss.
Research and clinical trials have demonstrated that Finasteride brings down DHT levels in the blood by more than 70%. As a consequence, hair loss slows down dramatically, or may even halt completely. People have also observed hair regrowth after starting a Finasteride regimen.
Timeline for Finasteride:
0 to 3 months
Finasteride has started to work, however, you will not see any results. What’s more, some may also notice more hair fall in the first 1 month; do not panic, it will soon cease.
3 to 4 months
At 3 months you will notice that the hair loss has slowed down or stopped completely. A little bit of hair regrowth may also become apparent.
4 months and beyond
From the 4th month on, hair restoration starts to ramp up radically. At 12 months you will see remarkable results.
The Benefits of Finasteride for Hair Loss:
Treating Baldness with Finasteride:
- Finasteride thickens the hair and helps it grow longer and stronger.
- The medicine overturns the miniaturization of the hair follicles – as a result, the tiny, shrivelled miniaturized hair follicles and hair become thick and big again.
- Finasteride increases the number of hair in the anagen phase – therefore the hair stays in the anagen or the growth phase for a longer period of time and grows longer, and thwarts hair loss.
How Finasteride Promotes Hair Growth:
Finasteride augments the hair count and slows down the rate of hair loss and consequently the progression of male pattern balding.
Finasteride will not permanently stop male pattern hair loss treat it or reverse it. Finasteride slows or stops hair loss and boosts hair growth – regardless, hair loss will continue. Furthermore, you need to take the medication long-term.
How to Use Finasteride Effectively:
- Finasteride to treat male pattern hair loss, is used at a dose of 1 mg per day.
- It’s an oral medicine; swallow the tablet whole. Do not break or chew the tablet. Make sure, you take Finasteride at the same time every day.
- You must take Finasteride only as directed by the doctor. Do not overdose, or take more often than prescribed and do not take for a longer time than told to you by your doctor.
The Importance of Consistency in Using Finasteride:
When you are taking Finasteride to deal with male pattern hair loss, it will take you a minimum of 3 months before you see any results. Finasteride does not cure hair loss; it, however, does slow down hair loss and encourages hair to grow. Hair growth and stopping of hair loss will last only as long as the medication is used.
The new hair that’s been restored will be lost in a year after you’ve stopped the medicine. Finasteride calls for a long-term, and perhaps a lifelong, commitment.
Potential Side Effects and Risks Associated with Finasteride:
Common Side Effects of Finasteride:
- Reduced libido
- Occasional erectile dysfunction
- Reduced ejaculatory volume
- Discomfort in the testes
- Mood swings
Serious Side Effects of Finasteride: When to Seek Medical Attention
- Breast tenderness
- Nipple discharge
- Erectile dysfunction and no sex drive at all.
- Prostate cancer.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Finasteride:
Pros
- Very effective for male pattern hair loss and balding
- Touted as the miracle remedy and there’s a lot of research done to corroborate its effectiveness
Cons
- Reduced sexual drive and erectile dysfunction
- Not recommended for those who have a heart condition
Making the Personal Decision to Try Finasteride:
It is imperative to meet with a trichologist and discuss with him to understand which approach is the best fit for you. Once you’ve identified and established the cause of your hair loss, confer with your trichologist regarding the medications and the hair care regimen that will show quick results. Weigh out the pros and cons of Finasteride and see if it is well suited to your requirements.
FAQs:
Finasteride is not available over-the-counter; it requires a doctor’s prescription.
Finasteride calls for a long-term regimen; you need to take it for years. Never break the routine or stop taking the medication without talking to your trichologist first. When you discontinue Finasteride, hair loss comes back.
Clinical studies have found that finasteride stops hair loss in 90% of men, and 65% of men benefit from increased hair growth and thickening of existing hairs.
Women and children can not use Finasteride. In fact, women who are pregnant or are likely to get pregnant must not touch broken tablets. If, by chance, you do come in contact with a broken tablet, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. Finasteride gets absorbed via your skin and causes birth defects in male fetuses.
No, Finasteride calls for a lifelong undertaking; if not, at least a long-term commitment. Once you quit Finasteride, the progress will start to fade. Miniaturisation of the hair follicles and hair loss will start all over again.
There is no foolproof cure for a receding hairline and male pattern hair loss. Finasteride helps slow down and even halt the rate of hair loss and consequently decelerates the pace at which the hairline recedes.
Finasteride is occasionally prescribed for female pattern hair loss – however, it is an off-label use. The FDA does not provide standard dosage recommendations for Finasteride to treat female pattern balding. Studies and clinical trials demonstrate that Finasteride at 1.25 mg may help women with hair loss. Discuss your options with your trichologist.
Women taking Finasteride may experience headaches, acne, and irregular menses. Seldom, some women complain of difficulty in breathing and hives. Pregnant women should never take Finasteride; it causes birth defects in male fetuses. In fact, they should not touch broken tablets; if they do come in contact, thoroughly washing their hands is mandatory.
- Men who are below 40 years old see a remarkable growth of hair all over the scalp – the crown, just in front of the crown, and the hairline.
- Men over 40 years, see fewer results, chiefly in the crown area and mid-frontal scalp.
- People with allergies of any kind.
- Those who’ve had a reaction to Finasteride previously.
- People who are 18 years and below.
- Pregnant women
Gynaecomastia or breast swelling has been sometimes linked to Finasteride treatment. Finasteride is known to trigger gynecomastia in some males as well as aggravate pre-existing gynecomastia. Confer with your health care provider and you could either stop the treatment as soon as possible – that will resolve the problem or you could continue with the dosage and get the condition corrected surgically. It is essential that you speak with your trichologist as well as a breast specialist to deal with the problem satisfactorily.
Some trichologists advocate Taking Finasteride and Minoxidil together, given that they have a synergistic effect and complement each other well. You could combine Finasteride along with Minoxidil in a topical solution for outstanding results.
In case you miss a dose, do not panic. As much as possible try to be consistent with the dosage schedule. On the other hand, if you happen to miss a dose, wait for the next dosage time and have the medicine; do not double the dose.
Characteristically, Finasteride treatment needs a very strong dedication and commitment. It is essential that you stick to the schedule and follow the dosage because if you discontinue, you will lose all benefits of the treatment within a period of 1 year. When you resume treatment, you will have to begin all the way from scratch. Finasteride works only as long as you take it, and stopping and restarting won’t yield good results.