Hair loss is a common issue that affects both men and women. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, hormones, and certain medical conditions. Fortunately, there are treatments available that can help slow down or even reverse hair loss. In this article, we'll discuss the medications that are available to treat hair loss and how they work.
Oral finasteride is a medication prescribed for men who have male pattern hair loss or androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride works by inhibiting the body's production of a hormone that destroys hair follicles, reducing the rate of hair loss and stimulating new hair growth. In some cases, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may grow back without treatment over the course of a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery. If hair loss is caused by an underlying condition, that condition will need to be treated.
If a certain medication is causing hair loss, your doctor may recommend that you stop using it for a few months. Over-the-counter (OTC) minoxidil comes as a liquid, foam, and shampoo. To be more effective, apply the product to the skin of the scalp once a day for women and twice a day for men. Many people prefer the foam that is applied when the hair is wet. There are two medications that aren't approved to treat hair loss in women, but doctors sometimes use them on women with hair loss. Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) is an oral medication approved for hair loss in men, but not for women.
That's because it affects the hormone testosterone. The most effective medication that has been proven to treat genetic pattern hair loss is Propecia. It is prescribed for men with a genetic predisposition to hair loss (male pattern baldness). Propecia is the brand name for the drug finasteride. Finasteride was first approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat enlarged prostate glands. To the delight of some patients taking finasteride for prostate gland enlargement, a side effect of this medication was the reduction of hair loss and, often, the growth of recently lost hair. If you or someone you know is dealing with hair loss and you're curious if minoxidil might be an option, here's what you need to know.
A study concluded that zinc pyrithione kills bacteria and yeast in the sebaceous glands and hair follicles, leading to healthier hair. When used as a treatment for hair loss, spironolactone is taken in pill form or made into a lotion that is applied directly to the scalp, usually along with minoxidil. These four medications were originally approved by the FDA to treat medical conditions other than hair loss. Nowadays, some dermatologists are prescribing oral minoxidil to treat hair loss. However, more research is needed in general, especially on the long-term effects of using treatments for hair loss. Scientists developed a topical version of minoxidil in 1987 specifically for androgenic alopecia in men and later for female pattern hair loss (FPHL). Minoxidil lotion seems to work only on active hair follicles that are still capable of producing some hair, even if the hair produced is just “peach fluff”.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) states that people should use minoxidil once or twice a day, but warns that hair loss will return if they stop using it. Although treatment for androgenetic alopecia isn't necessary, some people may want to reduce their hair loss by using medications. The scientists discovered that if they could create a drug to regulate the activity of 5-alpha-reductase, they could achieve some of the positive effects of this genetic trait such as normalizing the prostate and subsequently preventing hair loss. Learn about the causes and risk factors for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease, and whether or not it can be prevented.
In addition, topical minoxidil doesn't work for all types of hair loss; for example, it's unlikely to help patients with pattern baldness who have lived with the condition for a while before starting treatment. According to the AAD, several other medications for hair loss including finasteride are not approved by the FDA for female pattern hair loss but can be used for this purpose as long as patients are not pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Medications for hair loss can stimulate new growth and make your existing hairs feel and look thicker; however, in many cases your hair will return if you stop treatment.
