Propecia for Hair Loss Treatment

For men who are experiencing hair loss, one of the more popular treatments worth considering is called Finasteride. This anti-androgen is marketed as Proscar, Propecia, Fincar, Finpecia, Finax, Finast, Finara 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 re0growth 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. As long as the tablets are not swallowed, they should not be harmful to pregnant women and their unborn babies, but women should avoid the pills whenever possible, especially when crushed or broken. Many professional sports have had to ban Finasteride as it can be used to mask the abuse of steroids.

Propecia shows a 29 to 68 percent success rate, but the treatment is only effective for as long as the treatment is continued. As soon as therapy is ceased, the hair that is gained or maintained will be lost within a period of six to twelve months. Though Propecia has appeared to work more successfully in the crown area, it also works well along the hairline.