We often get questions about whether or not the hair loss product that we prescribe actually works. It is really extraordinary because nobody ever questions the other treatments. Maybe it is because treatments for erectile dysfunction have had so much positive publicity and the ability to lose weight is something that we know is perfectly possible? With hair loss, most men, whilst being distressed about the process, are resigned to the fact as they believe that there is nothing that can be done. It is bizarre that the market leading treatment, Propecia, has not had more editorial publicity in the UK (it is not allowed to be advertised here as it is prescription only and the marketing of these types of drugs is heavily regulated in the UK.)
I first heard about Propecia on a trip to the United States when I saw a television advert for the product. This was a prescription medication which the manufacturer claimed could reverse hair loss.
Propecia, like a lot of other drugs, was discovered by accident. Finasteride, the active ingredient contained in Propecia, was originally developed to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate.) Patients being treated with Finasteride began to notice that they we re-growing hair that was lost years before. Further trials confirmed the original anecdotal evidence.
Male pattern baldness is caused by a naturally occurring hormone called dihydratestosterone (DHT) which attacks the hair follicles in the scalp, causing hair production to slow down and in some cases, cease altogether. Bizarrely, DHT can actually encourage hair growth on other parts of the body such as the chest, back and nostrils. Propecia inhibits the production of DHT and can lead to the re-growth of scalp hair.
So, in summary, yes, the hair loss product works and it works well. I have personally been taking it ever since I saw it advertised on that trip to the US!