Propecia: The Prescription Alternative To Hair Loss

The active ingrediant in Propecia is Finasteride. The generic is simply called Finasteride. Finasteride has a good track record for stopping hair loss and re-growing hair, but you could possibly run into some side effects, so you need to weight your alternatives to propecia.

Finasteride, a DHT inhibiter, is a good choice for stopping hair loss and re-growing hair, based on FDA-reviewed clinical trials and the available data from these trials. I feel that the results show conclusively that for the male, Finasteride offers a substantial re-growth hair count per square inch.

Clinical test show that after 5 years of treatment with Finasteride, an average of 277 more hairs grew in a 1 inch diameter circle area of the scalp than those who were on a placebo.

So how did Propecia perform year to year? After the 1st year of treatment those that did re-grow hair did so with an average of over 90 hairs in the specified area. By the second year hair re-growth came in at an average of 80 hairs for the 1 inch area. By the 3rd year re-growth was at 60 hairs for the same area and by the 4th year it had drop to 40 hairs for the specific area.

For long term maintenance of hair, Propecia also has a good track record. One important area where Finasteride really shines is in maintenance. 83% of men studied were able to maintain their original hair count, and 64% experienced re-growth after 2 years. It does this by inhibiting the creation of DHT in your system.

Consider using both systems for maximum results. For maximum results, you should consider a combination regimen of Finasteride and Minoxidil. This combination of both DHT inhibitor and hair growth stimulator has the best chance of re-growing large amounts of hair.

Propecia Side Effects: It is my opinion that too many men get hung up on the possible side effects of Propecia. Clinical studies show that side effects do not affect most men. In fact side effects were only found in less than 2% of men and dropped to 0.3% of men by the fifth year of treatment. For those who do experience side effects, the symptoms completely go away after they discontinued using Propecia.

I personally did not like the side effects but that is just me. I feel that for most men it is still a good choice, however with the powerful natural compounds available today it is not your only choice.

In clinical studies a small number of men had sexual side effects, which included less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection, and a decrease in the amount of semen, allergic reactions including rash, itching, hives, and swelling of the lips and face, problems with ejaculation, testicular pain, and breast tenderness and enlargement. You should report any side effects including changes in your breast such as lumps, pain or nipple discharge to your doctor.

Propecia can effect a blood test called PSA (prostate-specific antigen) for the screening of prostate cancer. If you have a PSA test done, tell your doctor that you are taking Propecia.