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.

Hair loss is a natural process. If the loss of hair exceeds its growth, it is a matter of concern. You might be suffering from baldness in case of excessive hair loss. Some people take hair loss lightly, while others are deeply affected by it. In most cases, hair loss demands more attention than it normally gets. There are various causes of hair loss such as heat, dust, pollution and hormonal imbalance to name a few. This seemingly insignificant problem gives sleepless nights to many.

Hair loss

Generally, we lose about 100 hairs everyday. The normal hair growth cycle has three phases. All phases of the cycle are equally important. If there is some problem, even in any one of the phases, it could be a reason for hair loss. Around 90% hair on an average person’s scalp is in the growing stage and the rest is resting. The resting phase lasts for around 3-4 years after which this hair is replaced by new hair.

This is how normal hair loss works.

Shedding some hair everyday is normal but beyond this it is hair loss. Fear of hair loss makes men and women take extra care of their existing hair. This increases the use of shampoos and other hair care products. These hair care products contain harmful chemicals, which work negatively on the hair follicles and make them weaker. So instead of helping their hair, they start harming it. Even if you hair follicles are healthy, use of strong and harmful chemicals weakens them and causes hair loss. If you don’t have a problem, don’t fix it.

Hereditary hair loss

Some people also suffer from hereditary baldness. You can inherit this problem from one of your family members, either paternal or maternal. While men lose most of the hair on their scalps, women generally do not go completely bald.

What you can do about it?

Excessive hair loss needs immediate medical care. It could be a symptom of some major chronic health condition. Moreover, the earlier you start treatment, the sooner recovery will be made. You should see a doctor if you know or think that you are suffering from hair loss. Various treatments and hair loss therapies are available on the market, which are immensely helpful in treating hair loss. The doctor may prescribe several medications including multivitamins, cortisone injections and supplements that increase the rate of hair growth.

Additionally, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle when dealing with hair loss and also otherwise. This will help you stay healthy and fit. Eating a balanced meal and regular exercise a facets of such a lifestyle. You can use medications such as Propecia, which have been trusted by many to treat hair loss.

Propecia

Propecia finasteride is a drug, which combats hair loss in men. It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone in to DHT. By reducing the DHT, hair loss slows down, and at times, it is even reversed. Some of the side effects of Propecia are decrease in sex drive, loss of libido, reduced sensitivity on sexual organs and decrease in volume of semen ejected. You should only take this drug as prescribed by the doctor.

There are many different hair loss treatments. These vary in their cost and degree of success. Despite the success and popularity of products such as Propecia there are a large number of people who don’t like the idea of taking pills on a regular basis to counter the causes of hair loss. To this end, there is a great interest in more natural products in the hope that they won’t harm the body. There is a long history of searching for the perfect natural hair loss remedy. The scientific evidence for their success is generally quite vague, however this doesn’t put people off trying them especially if they are easy to prepare and use.
 
The majority of natural remedies are based on herbs and essential oils. Essential oils make up the scents and tastes of a lot of plant materials. They are also extracted to be used in aroma therapy products. The herbs and essential oils may be used on their own or in the form of a mixture.

Here are some examples of natural remedies that can be tried.
 
Rosemary and sage can be used to try and stimulate the health and production of hair follicles. They should be boiled together and then the solid parts strained out to leave the liquid portion. This is then applied as a rinse over the scalp. It is best to do this after using your shampoo.
 
Red pepper can be mixed with water and then put on the bald or thinning areas. It is thought that the irritating nature of the pepper increases the blood circulation in the scalp and thereby promotes the health of the hair follicles.
 
Aloe Vera can be used in a liquid formulation and applied to the scalp. It helps to promote the healing of irritated scalp and cleans the hair follicles. In doing this, it promotes their health and can reduce hair loss. It is thought that Aloe Vera can also promote hair growth by activating important growth enzymes in the hair follicles.
 
Safflower oil can be massaged into the scalp. This is another herbal product that works by opening up the blood vessels in the scalp and therefore increasing the blood supply to the hair follicles. This produces good conditions for helping with hair regrowth.
 
Onion has been used for centuries in relation to hair loss. It can be rubbed onto the scalp before washing the hair. The herb reduces any inflammation in the scalp and promotes a good blood supply to the hair follicles
 
In terms of Aromatherapy you can try a mixture of lavender and bay essential oils in an almond oil base. This should be massaged into the scalp. The essential oils and massage help to increase the flow of blood in the scalp and therefore promote the health of hair follicles.
 
For those of you who don’t want to have the bother of preparing your own natural ingredients there are commercially available ones such as Revivogen. Its main active ingredients are natural substances which help to block the formation of DHT. In this respect it works in the same way as Propecia. However, it is not taken internally. It is only rubbed onto the scalp. In addition to DHT inhibitors there are other ingredients included which are claimed to block the receptors of mail hormones in scalp cells and also to stimulate hair growth
 
Whatever your thoughts on herbal treatments, there is one sure thing and that is that you won’t come to any harm trying them. In general they are also cheap too. If you are into natural things then it might be worth trying some out. Even if they don’t work too well in terms of regaining lost hair they certainly will help to keep the scalp in good condition which should help and maintain the remaining follicles in good health.

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.