How Does Propecia Work?
Propecia is an effective solution to male hair loss, and many successful clinical trials all over the world have shown it to be an effective treatment. With total success rates (where the subject maintained their hairline and experienced new hair growth) of over 60%, there is no other product on the market today that is as capable or as successful.
Propecia is actually a variation of a product called Proscar, which was approved over 20 years ago for the effective treatment and prevention of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH). The active ingredient in Proscar is Finasteride, and thus it is also the active ingredient in Propecia as well. The major difference is the dosage: where Proscar was taken in 5mg tablets one daily, Propecia is taken in 1mg tablets once daily.
Finasteride: What it Does for You
Propecia works on a very fundamental level, as Finasteride operates on the hormonal plane. A hormone called Dihydrtestosterone (DHT) has been proven to be the fundamental cause of male hair loss. This is not surprising, as years of studies with testosterone, of which DHT is a variant, has shown mixed results in all subjects that have been tested.
Finasteride works by inhibiting the development, creation, and secretion of DHT. DHT is also associated with the formation of prostate cancer, though the dosage of Finasteride in Propecia is so low that it cannot be marketed as a prostate cancer preventative treatment as well. However, in regards to hair loss Propecia has shown to be very useful and quite effective.
Finasteride is essentially little more than a chemical inhibitor of the hormones that are related to hair loss. The concept itself is simple, but the execution is surprisingly complicated. Studies have shown that the effects of Propecia are cumulative, and that it takes prolonged periods of treatment in order to see any noteworthy results. Most physicians recommend that you take Propecia for at least three months before you reevaluate your hair-loss strategy.
One significant advantage that Propecia offers is the fact that it stimulates real hair growth, not “peach fuzz”. 63% of males taking Propecia during its largest clinical trial were verified to have new hair growth by independent dermatologists.
Using Propecia
Previous drugs have included Finasteride in larger amounts than what Propecia contains. Propecia has lower instances of negative side effects and results due to the lower amount of active ingredients in Propecia, and because of this Propecia has become widely regarded as one of the premier hair loss treatments available today.
Users of Propecia are to take Propecia once daily. It is important that you do not exceed your dose nor try to make up for lost doses by taking multiple tablets at once. Because of the chemical properties of Propecia and the fact that it is an active inhibitor taking multiple doses may have adverse side effects.