Male pattern baldness, also called androgenetic alopecia (AGA), is a type of hair loss caused by genetics. AGA is characterized by visible loss of hair on the scalp in men, sometimes this pattern occurs in hair loss in women. The hair loss is caused by shrinking hair follicles. This causes the hair to remain in the anagen and growth phase for a shorter period of time.
In a study, 118 healthy men between the ages of 20 and 61 years old suffering from hair loss (between Norwood scale II and V) have been selected. None of the men have previously made use of any products to stimulate hair growth. Over a period of 10 years, all men were given 1mg of finasteride. The results were determined by making a macro picture prior to the use of finasteride and after 1, 2, 5 and 10 years after the use of finasteride. The photos were analyzed by the same experts, each time.
Photos before the use of finasteride (A) and after 10 years of using finasteride (B).
The main results:
- Finasteride appears to be a safe and effective treatment against hereditary hair loss in male pattern baldness
- Finasteride is also effective in men above 40 years of age
- The effect is strongest at the crown. It is less visible at the widow's peak
- Most users experience no serious side effects. The most common side effects are decreased sperm production and erectile dysfunction
- The effect of finasteride does not decrease over time, after 10 years of use, the hair is on average thicker than at the start of the treatment
- The result after one year of use can help in predicting the effectiveness of finasteride
In the published study "Finasteride, 1 mg daily administration on male androgenetic alopecia in different age groups: 10-year follow-up" (Rossi et al., 2011) you can read all of the results.
Finasteride and Propecia are drugs that are only available on prescription. It can only prescribed to men. Consult your doctor before using Finasteride/Propecia.
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Possible finasteride side effects
As indicated earlier, there is a risk of side effects when using finasteride, mentioned in the study cited.
- Rare (in 1 to 10 in 100 people) Sexual problems such as: decreased libido, erection problems, ejaculation problems.
- Very rarely (in less than 1 in 100 people) Palpitations, depressive feelings and hypersensitivity such as skin rashes.
The side effects generally stop even after treatment stops.
Influence on prostate enlargement test
Prostate enlargement is a condition where your doctor will do a test on you that shows whether a large amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is present in the prostate. Finasteride lowers the amount of this PSA by about half, so the test may be lower than the actual values without the use of finasteride. Therefore, always tell your doctor that you are using finasteride when you are having your prostate examined.
Alternatives to Finasteride
As mentioned in the text above, Finasteride can have unpleasant side effects. While it is an effective drug and the majority of users do not experience serious side effects, there are alternatives to Finasteride that have the same effect and are developed from natural ingredients. Neofollics' hair growth supporting tablets contain an effective combination of only the best natural ingredients, designed to stimulate healthy hair growth from within. Like Finasteride, Neofollics tablets contain ingredients that counteract DHT. They also contain a wide range of amino acids, minerals and vitamins that are essential for healthy hair growth.
