hair loss

Hair Loss

Alopecia is loss of hair and sometimes baldness. The commonest form is male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), which can also affect women. Both women and men can lose their hair.

Alopecia areata is another type of hair loss, involving patches of baldness that may come and go. It affects about one in 100 people - mostly teenagers and young adults, and runs in the family in one in five cases.

Alopecia areata is thought to result from a problem with the immune system. There is no proven effective treatment, but in most cases the hair grows back after about a year.
One in five people with alopecia areata may go on to develop a more severe form of hair loss – alopecia totalis (no scalp hair) or alopecia universalis (no hair on the scalp and body).

In some cases, hair loss is a side effect of having cancer treatment drugs, but in many cases the hair grows back.
Hair loss can lead to problems with confidence and self-esteem.

Propecia

PROPECIA is a once-a-day pill for the treatment of certain types of male pattern hair loss in men. PROPECIA reduces DHT, a key cause of hair loss. Clinical studies of PROPECIA demonstrated visible results. A 5-year clinical study demonstrated the effectiveness of PROPECIA.

Is PROPECIA right for you?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then PROPECIA may be the right choice for you.

For best results, take PROPECIA every day for 12 months.

You may need to take PROPECIA daily for 3 months or more before you see a benefit from taking PROPECIA. If PROPECIA has not worked for you within 12 months, further treatment is unlikely to be of benefit.

PROPECIA can only work over the long term if you continue taking it. If you stop taking PROPECIA, you will likely lose any hair you have gained within 12 months of stopping treatment.

PROPECIA was developed to treat mild to moderate male pattern hair loss on the vertex (top of head) and anterior mid-scalp area (middle front of head) in MEN ONLY. There is not sufficient evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples.

PROPECIA is for the treatment of male pattern hair loss in MEN ONLY and should NOT be used by women or children.

You can get a free consultation on hair loss treatments or talk to your doctor who knows which treatments could work and can determine what might work for you.
The sooner you begin treatment, the more hair you may have in the months and years ahead.

Important Information About PROPECIA

Women who are or may potentially be pregnant must not use PROPECIA and should not handle crushed or broken PROPECIA tablets because the active ingredient may cause abnormalities of a male baby’s sex organs. If a woman who is pregnant comes into contact with the active ingredient in PROPECIA, a doctor should be consulted. PROPECIA tablets are coated and will prevent contact with the active ingredient during normal handling, provided that the tablets are not broken or crushed.

In clinical studies for PROPECIA, a small number of men experienced certain sexual side effects, such as less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection, or a decrease in the amount of semen. Each of these side effects occurred in less than 2% of men and went away in men who stopped taking PROPECIA because of them.

Although results will vary, generally you will not be able to grow back all the hair you have lost.

Know the facts. PROPECIA is available by prescription only, so the best thing to do is have a free consultation with our online doctor..

Avodart

What is Avodart ?

Avodart is a new medicine made by GlaxoSmithKline which contains the active ingredient Dutasteride. Avodart was originally developed for treating prostate enlargement, a condition known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) in men. It has passed stage II of FDA testing for the treatment of hair loss in men, but is currently approved as a prostate treatment medication only. Avodart is for MEN ONLY!

How does Avodart (Dutasteride) work ?

Avodart inhibits a hormone known as DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is a hormone that appears to cause hair loss (also known as MPB - Male Pattern Baldness) in most men. DHT is also the main cause of prostate enlargement in many men (also known as BPH - Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia). Avodart works by inhibiting the activities of two types of 5-alpha-reductase enzymes. These enzymes are responsible in the body for converting Testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone(DHT). Avodart lowers DHT levels substantially.

What is the difference between Avodart (Dutasteride) from Propecia (Finasteride) ?

Both medications work in a similar way, lowering DHT levels. However, Avodart inhibits the action of two types of 5-alpha-reductase enzymes (type I and type II). Propecia (Finasteride) only inhibits one type of the enzyme (type II). Avodart is more potent. Avodart has been shown to decrease levels of DHT by about 30% more than Proepcia (Finasteride).

Is there any study on the effectiveness of Avodart (Dutasteride) for the treatment of enlarged prostate ?

A study was made on 2951 men suffering from BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia - An enlarged prostate condition) with moderate to severe symptoms. They were treated with 0.5mg of Dutasteride (Avodart) daily. The results showed a reduction of acute urinary retention by 57% and the risk reduction of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) related surgical intervention was down 48%. The drug was found to be well tolerated. It was concluded that Dutasteride is a potent inhibitor of dihydrotestosterone and is effective in shrinking the prostate and reducing symptoms.

Is there any study on the effectiveness of Avodart (Dutasteride) for the treatment of Hair Loss in men ?

GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Dutasteride, has completed Phase II trials for the FDA approval of Dutasteride as a treatment for hair loss. After six months of treatment, hair counts measured in a 1 inch diameter increased by about 96 hairs with 0.5mg of Dutasteride. This is compared with an increase of only 72 hairs with the administration of 5mg Finasteride (Propecia). Results so far are very promising, however the FDA has yet to approve the medication for the treatment of hair loss.

Is Dutastride effective for all men for treating hair loss?

Dutasteride may increase the number of hair on the scalp, however just like Propecia, it may not work for everyone. It can grow hair for some men, reduce hair loss in others, or have no effect at all for some individuals.

What are the side effects of Avodart (Dutasteride) ?

Avodart was proved to be generally well tolerated by most. In trials, most side effects experienced were mild and generally went away while on treatment. Side effects experienced for the first six months were Impotence, decreased libido, breast tenderness and enlargement, lower volume of ejaculations. Interestingly these side effects (at a lower rate) were also experienced to a degree in the placebo group.

Is Dutasteride Avodart safe for everyone?

You should never take any medication without your doctor's approval. Take a free consultation with our online doctor to see if Avodart (Dutasteride) is right for you. Please note that Avodart is for MEN ONLY. Women and children should avoid getting in contact with the capsules.