Propecia®
What is PROPECIA?
PROPECIA is for men only. It is the first and only FDA approved drug with proven results in treatment of male pattern hair loss on the top (vertex) and anterior mid-scalp in men. The active ingredient in PROPECIA is Finasteride; which is a proven safe and effective treatment for male pattern hair loss. PROPECIA is a pill taken once a day, and is available by prescription only. In the longest reported clinical study among men with certain types of male pattern hair loss, 2 out of 3 men who took PROPECIA regrew hair. Hair regrowth was evaluated by actual counts throughout the study. Conversely, all men in the clinical study who took a placebo (instead of PROPECIA) lost hair. PROPECIA however, does not work for all men.
How does it work?
Increased levels of the male hormone, DHT have been discovered within the scalp areas of men exhibiting male pattern hair loss. In the normal aging process, DHT appears to shrink the hair follicles themselves over time, until the follicles no longer produce visible hair. PROPECIA interrupts this known key component to inherited male pattern hair loss by blocking the formation of DHT.
When can you expect to see results?
Though results vary among men using PROPECIA, some men begin to notice a difference in 3 months, however most men don’t see visible results for at least six months. If PROPECIA is working for you, by 9 months you should be maintaining the hair you have. You may even begin to regrow some of the hair you have lost. After 1 year, you will know if PROPECIA is working for you. If you stop using PROPECIA, gradual loss of the hair you gained will occur within 12 months of discontinuing the treatment. For men who wish to maintain the hair they already have, it is beneficial to start treatment with PROPECIA sooner than later.
5-year clinical study results:
-
9 out of 10 men showed visible results: 48% of these experienced hair regrowth [134 of 279]. 42% had no further hair loss [117 of 279]. Of men taking placebo (sugar pill), 25% experienced no further hair loss [4 of 16 men].
-
Rated by an independent panel of dermatologists, 77% of the men using PROPECIA were rated as improved, vs 15% of the men on placebo.
-
The majority of men using PROPECIA reported their bald spot diminishing in size, hair loss slowing and improved appearance of their hair.