Finasteride, Propecia, Proscar
androgenetic Alopecia treatment
How does this drug work ? What are its effects ?
The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved Finasteride 1-mg/day (Propecia®) for treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men. After a two year period, 83% of men taking Finasteride noticed either stability or hair regrowth. The other 17% continued shedding hair despite taking the medicine.
Finasteride is part of a group of medicines referred to as 5-alpha reductase type II inhibitors. It prevents the 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme of converting testosterone into its active form within the organism, dihydrotestosterone or DHT. DHT plays an important role in hereditary baldness in men (androgenetic alopecia). The 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme is found in higher concentration at the hair follicles of men suffering from androgenetic alopecia.
By inhibiting DHT production, Finasteride can stimulate hair growth for a great number of men facing mild or moderate hereditary baldness. The drug’s effects generally manifest themselves after three months of treatment. The drug’s effectiveness can vary : in most cases hair loss ceases and regrowth can be observed, none the less never to its full extend. Moreover, these new hairs will shed within the year following discontinuation of the treatment.
The drug causes a significant decrease in DHT levels in the scalp as well as in the blood. Its effectiveness correlates with these two effects. For patients using Finasteride there is a decrease in DHT levels of 70%. At the same time, testosterone levels slightly increase by 10% without exceeding normal limits.
Finasteride was originally developed in 5-mg/day doses by the pharmaceutical company "Merck Sharp and Dohme" for treatment of prostatic hyperplasia, under the brand name of Proscar®.