Health Beauty & FitnessHealth, Beauty, Fitness Tips

Most men with premature hair loss are genetically predisposed to androgenetic alopecia – a condition that is commonly known as male pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness occurs because of the effects of testosterone-the primary male sex hormone- on your hair follicles. This hormone is present in high amounts in your body after puberty, and is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) because of the action of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. DHT works on he hormone receptors present in your hair follicles and slows the production of scalp hair. This results into hair which is shorter and weaker than normal, and sometimes your hair will stop growing completely. This gradual process will eventually results into total or partial baldness.

Stages of male patten hair loss

The onset of androgenetic alopecia usually begins at the end of puberty and is usually determined by your genetic inheritance.

Most men start experiencing hair loss during their late 20s or early 30s. Hair loss initially occurs as a receding hairline and gradually progresses to thinning hair at the top of the head. Finally both areas will converge to form a U shape around the sides and back of the head. The remaining hair, if any, becomes finer in texture and the growth rate slows down. Moderate hair loss that occurs due to hormonal causes affects most men by age 50. This hormonal condition can be hereditary in nature.

What is Propecia?

Propecia (active ingredient finasteride) is a popular prescription pill used in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. This clinically tested medication has been proven to prevent further hair loss and to promote hair growth in about 80% cases. Propecia is quite suitable for long term treatment in most cases of androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride, the active ingredient present in Propecia, helps in the reduction of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the scalps of genetically predisposed men.

How does Propecia work?

As testosterone is converted to DHT because of the action of 5-alpha reductase, finasteride blocks the action of this enzyme and lowers DHT levels in the scalp. This reduces the negative effect of DHT on the hair follicles and prevents or even reverses hair loss. Finasteride has been reported to reduce DHT levels by about 60%. Treatment with Propecia must be continued for about 3-6 months for optimum benefits.

Possible side effects of Propecia

Like other drugs, Propecia too can produce side effects your body, which might include sexual problems such as temporary impotence and low libido. But most of these side effects are temporary in nature and usually disappear without treatment. Pregnant women, in particular, need to avoid any kind of contact with finasteride, as it is known to cause birth defects in an the male foetus. It is advisable to follow your doctor’s instructions while taking this hair loss medication. Propecia has been specifically formulated to treat the symptoms of pattern baldness in men. It cannot be taken by women with female pattern baldness, nor can it be prescribed for men who experience hair loss because of cancer or chemotherapy.

Generic Propecia or Generic Finasteride is a prescription drug that is widely and most commonly prescribed by doctors to men who suffer from male pattern baldness or hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). Androgenetic Alopecia is a genetic disorder caused by excessive conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the scalp skin in genetically susceptible men and women. Androgenetic Alopecia is largely a genetic condition and one of the prime and major causes of male pattern baldness or hair loss.
The beginning of Androgenic Alopecia in both males as well as females is early on in life and more than often may occur in teens. The miniaturized hair of various lengths and diameters are the trademark of this condition. The dihydrotestosterone causes shrinking of the local terminal hair follicles to miniaturized hair follicles. An increasing DHT level has a key role in hair loss. If left untreated, hair loss aggravates over time and at times it may result in complete baldness. Post diagnosis, your doctor is very likely to prescribe Propecia as an effective treatment for your hair loss. Generic Propecia (Generic Finasteride) may also be used for various other purposes other than hair loss.

Generic Propecia disrupts the conversion process of testosterone to its metabolite; dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is the prime factor behind Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and male pattern baldness. In male pattern hair loss, there is an excess of DHT in the part of the scalp where hair loss occurs. Generic Propecia or Generic Finasteride is a type 2 class of 5-alpha reductase inhibitor and it suppresses both, the serum and the tissue levels of dihydrotestosterone. Thus, by reducing the amounts of DHT in the scalp, Generic Propecia effectively works towards preventing further hair loss and encourages new hair growth. A decreasing DHT level also means the contraction of the enlarged prostate gland. To decrease the high levels of DHT in the scalp, Generic Propecia (Finasteride) inhibits the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that carries out the conversion process. The way in which Generic Propecia works in your body makes it a safe option for prolonged use. Generic Propecia has been studied on men for up to two years, and these men had no trouble taking it for this period.

Generic Propecia or Generic Finasteride is a tan coloured octagonal tablet. The recommended Propecia dosage is a 1mg pill which is required to be taken on a daily basis for the treatment of hair loss and 5 mg once a day for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH. It is recommended that Propecia be taken at the same time every day. Generic Propecia can be consumed with a full glass of water. It can be taken with or without food. An extra or double dose will not bring immediate or better results. Hence, it is advisable to diligently follow your doctors advice or the instructions mentioned on the label of this medicine with regards to the dosage of Generic Propecia. A double dose should not be taken to incase you miss a dose. Instead, you may take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If you are shortly scheduled to take your next dose, then it is advisable to wait for some time and take the medicine and skip the missed dose. In the event of an overdose of Propecia, seek immediate medical attention. An overdose of Propecia is not expected to produce any life-threatening symptoms. Women who are or may become pregnant should not take Generic Propecia or Propecia Finasteride or should not be exposed to broken or crushed tablets, because it can cause changes in the genitals sex organs of male fetus.

Propecia is generally known to be a recommended and very safe medicine for the treatment of male pattern hair loss and very few people have reported its side effects. Even those people who do notice any side effects assert them to be mild. Some of the lesser reported Propecia side effects reported are a dizziness, weakness, headache, skin rash, runny nose, decreased libido or sex drive, erectile dysfunction and decrease in the ejaculate amount or semen. These were not permanent changes, and when those affected discontinued the use of Propecia, their symptoms disappeared. Notify your doctor in case you notice any lesser reported but serious symptoms like testicular pain, breast tenderness or enlargement. It is also advisable that you inform your doctor about any prescription or non-prescription medications, over-the-counter pills or any other medicines you may have been consuming prior to considering Propecia for your hair loss problem.

Favorable results may take a period of at least three months to get noticed if used continuously. You may have to take Propecia for three to six months for more better and visible results. Do not stop this medicine without first consulting your doctor. One can benefit using Propecia for only as long as you continue the treatment. Once you stop taking Propecia, the DHT levels will rise again in the scalp, and hair loss will return to pre-Propecia levels. This medicine also assists in reducing urinary problems in men with BPH.

Pattern Hair Loss In Women

Androgenetic alopecia, AGA, also known as common pattern hair loss affects approximately 20 million American women. AGA in women is triggered by similar processes to those causing pattern hair loss in men. In both genders, the onset of AGA may occur in early adulthood, though females tend to present signs and symptoms somewhat later than males.

Recent studies suggest that women with some markers of insulin resistance are at significantly increased risk of female AGA. Moreover, a paternal history of hair loss may be a strong predictor of female AGA.

Female pattern hair loss has also been linked with both hyperandrogenism and hirsutism. Most recently, female pattern hairloss has also been linked with polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS, though epidemiological documentation of this association is, as yet, not statistically compelling. Nevertheless, the association between PCOS and insulin resistance is well documented.

What actually triggers pattern hair loss in women?

From a susceptibility standpoint, the inheritance pattern in female pattern hairloss is polygenic, and the onset and incidence of the disorder closely parallels that observed in males. The disorder begins in susceptible hair follicles, where dihydrotestosterone, DHT, binds androgen receptor forming a molecular trigger that sets the process of hair loss in motion.

The 5 alpha dihydrotestosterone hormone-receptor complex translocates to the cell nucleus of susceptible hair follicles, initiating a gene activation program that starts the gradual transformation of large terminal follicles to miniaturized follicles. This process occurs within a genetically pre-determined anatomical region, or pattern of the scalp. The hair outside of this pattern remains unaffected. This is why the disorder is called pattern hair loss.

Strikingly, both females and males diagnosed with pattern hair loss have higher levels of 5-Alpha-Reductase, 5AR, in frontal hair follicles compared to occipital, back of the scalp behind the ears,. Other predisposing factors such as differential cytochrome P450 levels in susceptible versus non-susceptible hair follicles are less well clearly worked out, but may have contributory relevance as well.

The diagnosis of AGA in women is supported by a pattern of increased thinning over the frontal/parietal scalp with greater density over the occipital scalp, a retention of the juvenile hairline, and the presence of miniaturized hairs in the effected zone of loss. Most women with AGA have normal menses and pregnancies. Extensive hormonal testing is usually not indicated unless signs & symptoms of androgen excess are present such as hirsutism, severe unresponsive cystic acne, virilization, or galactorrhea.

In most cases, the differential diagnosis of AGA is made based on the patient’s history and clinical presentation. Typical differentials include alopecia areata, trichotillomania, and less commonly hair loss associated with disorders such as lupus erythematosis, scabies and other skin manifesting disease processes. Scalp biopsy and lab assay may be useful in elucidating a non-pattern hair loss etiology but, in such cases, should generally only follow an initial clinical evaluation by a qualified treating physician.

Treatment Options

From a treatment perspective, the mono-therapeutic interventions against female pattern hair loss include topical minoxidil, oral spironalactone, oral flutamide and other drugs. Surgical hair restoration can sometimes be an option, however care must be excercised as, in certain persons, the pattern of loss may sometimes extend across much of the entire scalp, rendering hair transplantation less than clinically effective. Recently, botanically derived substances, such as HairGenesis, have also come under investigation as agents potentially useful against the disorder.