Archive for February 26, 2010

How do hair loss drugs work?

There are two main brand name prescription hair loss medications. These are Propecia and Avodart. These types of drugs work by changing the hormonal balance in the body in order to reduce levels of the hormones that cause hair loss.health2

DHT: The primary cause of hair loss

‘DHT’, or ‘Dihydrotestosterone’, in simple terms is a by-product of testosterone, which has an effect on hair growth in the scalp. The effect DHT has on the scalp is dependent on the individuals genetically inherited sensitivity to DHT.

Although the science behind hair loss is still not completely understood, it is known that in most cases hair loss medications like Propecia do have a positive effect on hair loss.

The downside to hair loss medications

Despite hair loss drugs seeming to be reasonably effective at slowing hair loss down they do have the obvious problems. By using a drug to alter hormonal balance in the body (in this case the male sexual hormones), it’s quite possible that an individual might experience a reduced libido and potentially worse symptoms. Can a pill stop hair loss?

Independent studies show that hair loss medicines can help slow hair loss down and in some cases stop it completely. There are even cases where hair has regrown. However the risk of side-effects may be too much for many people. If you’re considering getting a prescription for hair loss medication, make sure you research the possible side-effects first.