Does Finasteride Really Work?
A Look at One of the Most Common Hair Loss Drugs
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Complete hair loss from male-pattern baldness is not inevitable. True, this type of hair loss — also known as androgenetic alopecia — is very common among Canadian men. The Canadian Dermatology Association says that up to 50 percent of all men can expect to experience some hair loss via male-pattern baldness. By the time men reach the age of 70, that number jumps to 80 percent.
But men need not feel helpless in the battle against hair loss. For more than two decades, the once-daily tablet finasteride has been used to treat androgenetic alopecia in men in Canada, the United States and around the world.
But how effective is it? And how does it work?
How Does Finasteride Work?
While factors like genetics and stress can play a role in the extent to which men experience hair loss, hormones, specifically dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is a big reason why men lose their hair. As we age, naturally occurring testosterone gradually and progressively gets converted into DHT by our bodies. Interestingly, it’s not necessarily the amount of DHT you have in your system that determines the prevalence of hair loss, it’s how sensitive your body is to it.
This conversion of testosterone to DHT is where finasteride comes in. It works to prevent the conversion from taking place, thereby decreasing the overall amounts of DHT located on the scalp. One study found that DHT levels decreased by more than 70 percent when participants took a 1mg dose of finasteride every day. Even doses as low as 0.2 showed some benefits in decreasing DHT.
How Effective is it?
Regrowing all of the hair lost in the male-pattern baldness process is unlikely, but finasteride has shown some promising results in clinical trials and research. Based on a study of nearly 1800 men who took a 1mg caplet of finasteride per day over two years, 83 percent showed no further hair loss at the beginning and end of the two year periods. Before-and-after photographs also showed that almost half (48 percent) of participants showed improvement in hair growth after the first year, and two-thirds after the second year. The study, which reviewed phase III clinical trials, concluded that finasteride promotes hair growth on the scalp and can prevent more severe hair loss in a significant proportion of men.
Another study of 450 men in China examined the benefits of finasteride alone and in combination with another popular hair loss treatment, minoxidil (better known under the brand name Rogaine). It determined that, among participants, finasteride was superior to minoxidil in slowing hair loss and promoting hair regrowth. The study also found that the two used in combination worked best. A 2004 study published in the Journal of Dermatology showed similar results.
What Are the Risks?
Fourteen years after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale of finasteride for hair loss, it updated its guidance to physicians regarding some of the drug’s potential side effects. The update reflected findings that a small percentage of men who took finasteride experienced side effects of a sexual nature, like decreased libido, ejaculation disorders (decrease in semen), orgasm disorders and erectile dysfunction. Though the FDA acknowledged that clear causal links between finasteride and these sexual side effects has not been established, the information was sufficient enough to be brought to the attention of doctors who thought to prescribe finasteride in the treatment of hair loss. Here in Canada, British Columbia’s health authority also warns of the potential for sexual adverse side effects.
Just how prevalent are these side effects? Based on a review of phase III clinical trial studies, 3.8 percent of 945 men experienced side effects of a sexual nature, compared to 2.1 percent of 934 men who received a placebo. For the most part, these effects subsided after men stopped taking finasteride, though for a small percentage, they persisted.
Talk to A Doctor To Learn More
It’s important to educate yourself about the potential effectiveness of finasteride, and any of the other treatment options available to address hair loss caused by male-pattern baldness — It’s even more important to be aware of the potential side effects, rare as they may be.
But no online resource can take the place of a licensed physician. She or he will always be your best point of contact to help you understand why you’re experiencing hair loss and the potential costs and benefits for treating it.
Click here to schedule a free doctor’s appointment through UPGUYS.
