By the age of 50, around 85% of men will experience some form of hair loss. The most common form of hair loss in men is a hereditary condition called male androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). It leads to the shrinkage of the hair follicles in your scalp which results in thinning of your hair leading to the characteristic M-shaped hairline.
Propecia is a hair loss medication, taken as an oral tablet that treats male pattern baldness. It contains an active ingredient called finasteride that helps prevent hair loss and promotes hair regrowth.
This article will help you decide whether Propecia is an effective treatment option for treating male pattern baldness, and when you will start to notice its effects.
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Does Propecia Actually Work?
Propecia works to prevent hair loss from male pattern baldness. It does this by blocking the conversion of the hormone, testosterone into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). By decreasing DHT levels, the blood flow to the hair follicles increases. This leads to increased delivery of nutrients to the follicles, allowing new healthy hair to grow.
A study looked into the use of finasteride, the active ingredient of Propecia, and its effect on the hair loss caused by male pattern baldness. After taking finasteride for 5 years, there was no further noticeable hair loss from the scalp for 90% of men. Whilst, 75% of those who had the placebo, which was a water-based pill with no drug, experienced reduction in hair coverage.
There is also evidence that shows that finasteride can also lead to increased hair regrowth. Over the same 5 year period, 65% of men who were taking finasteride, had an increase in hair count. This compared to no hair regrowth in the placebo-group.
This is due to the way hair loss works; the follicles which were in senescence are brought back, though those which have died off cannot be revived. This can give the appearance of an increase in hair growth. It is clear that Propecia has a positive effect in slowing down hair loss and promoting an increase in hair regrowth which both will help reduce the effects of male pattern baldness.
When you first start using Propecia, you may notice an increase in hair shedding over the first few weeks – this is perfectly normal. As your follicles are gaining more nutrients, they are able to move into the growth phase again, shedding previous hair growth to make new, thicker hair.
As it is more likely to prevent further hair loss than to grow it back, it is best to start Propecia early into hair loss; when you first notice a receding hairline or thinness in the hair across the top of your head.
Despite its obvious effectiveness in helping treat hair loss in males, Propecia is very rarely recommended for use in women. Women have lower levels of testosterone and since Propecia works on the hormone itself, its action will be limited. Propecia is also contraindicated in pregnant or women of child bearing age. This is because Propecia can affect the development of the child due to its reduction of DHT levels.
Products such as Regaine for Women may be more useful for women experiencing hair loss – the active ingredient, minoxidil, enhances blood flow in the area it is applied. By adding it to hair follicles, it can help push them back into producing hair.
How Long Do You Have to Take Propecia?
When you start taking Propecia, you may notice a slight initial improvement in your hair. However, once you are regularly using Propecia, you should notice significant changes in your hair after 3 to 6 months. It is important to remember that hair growth is a slow process, and so the action of Propecia will take some time to come into effect.
It is recommended to try and stick with taking Propecia for at least one year to maximise your chances for it to help with your male pattern baldness. As with anything, everybody is unique, and so the action of Propecia and how long it takes to be effective will vary from person to person.
To help treat male pattern baldness in the long run, it is crucial that you maintain taking Propecia regularly long term. If you stop taking it, you will experience similar hair loss once again within 6 to 12 months. So, you will need to take Propecia indefinitely to continue to see it stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth.
Taking any medication can lead to side effects, and Propecia is no different. Due to the way it affects testosterone, the most common side effects are erectile dysfunction, low testosterone levels and depression. If you are taking Propecia long term, it is advised to look deeper into these side effects, and speak to your doctor about potential treatments should they come up.
Of course, if Propecia is not working for you, there are other hair loss treatment options for hair loss due male pattern baldness. You should get into contact with a healthcare professional to discuss further options.
