Health tips for better life

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.

Men, just like women, are concerned about their physical appearance in public, and make efforts to improve their appearance as well. Hair loss or male pattern baldness, which can be experienced by men of all ages, can become a reason for feeling embarrassed about your appearance. Men, with losing hair, start avoiding social encounters with their friends and family, or any sort of social gathering, in order to avoid such embarrassment. It can cause a man to feel low on his self confidence and self esteem as well. Male pattern baldness refers to a condition, in which you experience thinning of your hair, that first loosen on your scalp and eventually fall out on a permanent basis. It has been given the name ‘male pattern baldness’, because it follows a certain pattern in hair loss.

It starts with the thinning of hair at the crown, followed by thinning of hair at the temples, until they meet in the middle of your scalp, forming a horseshoe shape.

Usually, men who have reached their 40′s or 50′s are known to experience male pattern baldness. But today, it has been observed that men even in their teens, 20′s or 30′s have been experiencing the problem of hair loss. The true reasons responsible for causing male pattern baldness are not yet known. But it is believed that male pattern baldness is more of a hereditary problem. It is observed that your hair follicles can be genetically more sensitive to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is actually responsible for causing hair loss.

DHT shrinks your hair follicles, to an extent that regrowth of new hair from those hair follicles becomes nearly impossible. These shrunken follicles are still alive, but they are no more susceptible to perform the task of hair growth.

Some other factors that are believed to be responsible for causing male pattern baldness include ageing, hormonal imbalance, illness, infectious diseases, nervous disorders, toxic substances, injury and impairment. You can treat hair loss with the help of prescription medications such as Propecia, which is the only prescription medication available for hair loss treatment. Other than this, you also have an option of treating hair loss with the help of over the counter pills that are available. You can also treat hair loss with the help of different natural supplements and creams that are available or through surgical operations.

Propecia, however, has proven to be very effective in treating hair loss. This pill contains finasteride as its active ingredient, which inhibits the activity of dihydrotestosterone, that primarily cause hair loss in men. Propecia has been proven to be almost 99% effective in preventing further hair loss, while in some cases, it has even encouraged significant regrowth of new hair. It is available in the dosage strength of 1 mg, which is required to be taken on a daily basis, either with or without food. You can safely take this pill if your 18 years old or above. But you should avoid taking Propecia, if you have liver disease, prostate cancer, bladder muscle disorder, stricture of urethra and are unable to urinate because of infection.

Baldness is a very common problem affecting both men and women in the world , at a truly alarming rate. Male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in men. It usually follows a typical pattern of receding hairline and hair thinning on the crown, and is caused by hormones and genetic predisposition. Baldness effects the emotional as well as the physical wellbeing witch affects a persons self-confidence and also can cause depression with the sufferer.

Causes Of Male Pattern Hair Loss

Male pattern hair loss is an inherited condition, caused by a genetically determined sensitivity to the effects of dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. DHT has an adverse affect on the hair follicles. Acting on a hormone receptor on the hair follicle it slows down hair production and produces weak, shorter hair, sometimes it stops hair growth from the follicle completely. This process gradually depletes your stock of hair and is normal hair loss.

Generic Medication for Male Pattern Hair Loss

Propecia is the first and only FDA-approved pill proven to treat male pattern hair loss in men. Propecia (active ingredient finasteride) is a popular prescription pill used in the male pattern treatment. It has been clinically proven that Propecia successfully puts an end to hair loss and significantly increased the density of hair in the affected areas. Finasteride, the active ingredient present in Propecia, helps in the reduction of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the scalps of genetically predisposed men. Propecia blocks the formation of DHT and, in this way, appears to interrupt the development of male pattern hair loss. It helps reduce further hair loss and regrow visible hair. Propecia is for the treatment of male pattern hair loss in MEN ONLY and should NOT be used by women or children.

Side Effects of Propecia

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. 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.

Hair loss can be a depressing part of male and female aging which can affect people of any age. Male pattern hair loss is not a disease but a medical condition in which there is the obvious loss of hair. It is thought that male pattern hair loss caused from the sex hormone Dihydrotestosterone. This hormone is produced by the breakdown of testosterone (when you become older) by an enzyme in your body. This hormone is also found on the scalp and gets into the hair follicles and shrinks them prevent visible hair from growing. This also hardens the scalp which in turn reducing blood flow which makes it difficult to grow hair.

There is currently one medical treatment you can use for this problem which is generic Propecia.

What is Generic Propecia (finasteride)?

Generic Propecia is an oral treatment used to stop or reduce the effects of male pattern hair loss on the vertex and the anterior mid-scalp area. Generic Propecia prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. Propecia is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co and contains the key ingredient Finasteride. It is effective in 99% of men at preventing any further hair loss.

How Generic Propecia (finasteride) works?

Generic Propecia (finasteride) contains the active ingredient Finasteride, a type II 5-a reductase drug which inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. DHT is a hormone that forms on the scalp when testosterone and enzyme type II 5-a reductase react with each other. The produced sex hormone (DHT) is a key cause in hair loss, constricting the visible hair follicles and reducing the visibility of them.After buying Propecia (finasteride) and starting the treatment, the overall DHT levels stabilize and remain low enough such that the adverse effects of DHT on the follicles stop. This results in the reversal of the hair loss process.

Propecia Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you notice any breast lumps, pain, nipple discharge, or other breast changes.This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.

Hair loss is a common problem men are facing. It is caused by hormonal changes in the body and it usually appears at a more mature age. When fighting this problem, men tend to try out all kind of treatment methods. Unfortunately not all of them are safe, and they can cause more serious medical conditions than hair loss.

The science behind baldness

Hair loss is a visible sign of changes that occur in the human body. The hormone androgen plays an important role in this process. It is metabolized by an enzyme which if combined with testosterone produces DHT which causes the hair loss.

If DHT is present it can prevent nutrients from reaching the hair follicles. If that happens they reproduce slower and the growing phase of the hair is also shortened.

The hair becomes smaller and finer.

Hair loss treatments are made to block the formation of DHT and help follicles to stay healthy. The Food and Drug Administration approved a medicine, called Propecia which is proven to help hair grow and reduce hair loss. Other treatments for baldness include hair implant or laser treatment, but Propecia is one of the most effective methods available. However the drug has also some serious side effects, which affect patient’s sexual life.  

Legal solutions

The long term side effects, which patients were not expecting, made some of them to consult even a psychologist in order to find a solution for their problems. But the difficulties they were facing were physical ones, caused by the hormonal treatment.

The drug’s manufacturing company should have warned patients about the possible side effects before beginning a treatment. If they failed to do so they can be held responsible for the consequences. If a patient is dealing with long term negative effects even after finishing the treatment he might be eligible for legal compensation. But in order to obtain that he should speak first of all with a personal injury lawyer.