Is Propecia Actually Effective?
The Food and Drug Administration approved Merck & Co. to market Propecia in 1998. Many years of tests and a significant time investment from the pharmaceutical companies involved are required before any drug is approved by the FDA.
More than 1,500 men participated in a two-year study involving Propecia. More than 80% of the men experienced an improvement in the density and growth of their hair. Therefore, Propecia appears to be effective in most cases.
Some men will experience superior results than others. You need to take the drug every day for a minimum of 2 to 3 months before deciding whether to continue treatment.
If you start taking Propecia, you must continue to do so for the rest of your life. If you stop taking the drug after experiencing hair growth, you may lose the hair you have gained.
How Propecia Works
Propecia works by blocking the process in which dihydrotestosterone or DHT is formed. DHT is partly created by male testosterone, and it can cause hair follicles to shut down or malfunction.
Every tablet of Propecia contains 1mg of Finasteride, a drug that was originally prescribed in 5 mg doses to treat prostate cancer in males older than 50. Many men who took the drug also experienced an increase in hair growth. Propecia is the brand name of the version of Finasteride used to treat male hair loss in the mid-scalp or crown of the head.
Propecia & Women
Propecia does not work for women. Even though the tablets are coated, they should not be taken by women who are pregnant or may be pregnant. Broken or crushed tablets can cause deformities of the male sex organs in children.
Propecia & Different Types of Hair Loss
Propecia is not effective for all types of hair loss – only hair loss that occurs on the mid-scalp or the crown of the head. It has not been proven to help with hair loss on the sides of the head or with a receding hair line.
Propecia appears to be working according to online user forums dealing with hair loss. However, you must consider the following factors:
• It is a lifelong commitment and can be very expensive. It is also impossible to determine the long-term effects of taking the drug for decades.
• Approximately 3% of men who started taking Propecia experienced a form of sexual dysfunction that included impotence. The effects stopped as soon as the men discontinued the medication. Approximately 2% of the men in the clinical trials who took a sugar tablet placebo also suffered from certain forms of sexual dysfunction. Although the percentage of men affected is relatively small, you must still be aware of the possible side effects of taking the drug.
Unfortunately, no perfect solution for treating hair loss currently exists. However, many choices are available. Propecia and natural herbal remedies that don’t produce any side effects are just some of the options.
Well, the answer to the question whether Propecia actually works is yes – at least for the majority of cases based on user feedback and clinical evidence. However, you need to consider the possible risks associated with long-term use.