Propecia(finasteride) is a synthetic 4-azasteroid compound and a specific inhibitor of steroid Type II 5a-reductase which is an intracellular enzyme that converts androgen testosterone into 5a-dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
About Propecia
Propecia is used for the treatment of male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in men with established efficacy in ages between 18 to 41 years. But, hair re-growth is possible only in men with mild to moderate hair loss of the vertex and anterior mid-scalp area. However, the efficacy of Propecia has not been established in men with bitemporal recession.
Finasteride, the main ingredient in Propecia, blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT, thereby stopping hair loss and aiding in hair re-growth. Finasteride comes in tablet form and is available in strength of 1mg only for hair loss treatment. In addition, numerous side effects have been reported with this drug, including impotence, decreased libido, and breast enlargement.
Brand-name finasteride (Proscar or Propecia) is manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.
About Male Pattern Baldness
Male pattern baldness is a universal condition found in men who experience thinning of the hair on the scalp which starts with a gradual decline in men in their 20s. Oftentimes, this thinning of hair results in a receding hairline and/or balding on the top of the head.
It is generally believed by the doctors that male pattern baldness is by and large due to heredity and in addition, depends on hormonal effects also. This type of hair loss is generally referred to as androgenetic alopecia.
Hair is made up of hair follicles which are tiny pouch like bags found just under the surface of the skin. A single hair will stay in the follicle for about 3 years which is then shed and a new hair grows from the same follicle. This cycle of growth, shedding and new growth goes on throughout one’s life. The following pattern thought to occur in men as they gradually become bald which includes:
- Affected hair follicles on the scalp gradually become smaller than normal
- As the follicle shrinks, each new hair is thinner than the previous one
- Before falling out, each new hair grows for much less time than the normal 3 years or so
- Eventually, all that remains is a much smaller hair follicle and a thin stump of hair that does not grow out to the skin surface
Male hormones are responsible for these changes. Hair follicles convert testosterone, the male hormone, into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone. For reasons not yet unveiled, affected hair follicles become more sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, which causes the hair follicles to shrink. However, it is known that different hair follicles are affected at different times which make the balding process gradual.
Moreover, it is also not clear why only scalp hair is affected, and not the hair in the other areas like the beard or the armpits in men. But, male pattern baldness occurs gradually over time. Similarly, Propecia also has a gradual effect on hair re-growth.
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