MORRIS COUNTY — Hair loss is a common enough issue. However, it’s challenging to battle, especially at older ages, despite many types of hair care products claiming to cure it. For men, almost all hair loss results from male pattern baldness – also known as androgenetic alopecia – a genetic trait. It affects an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States. The good news is that it is a curable disease, for which most doctors prescribe Finasteride.
What Is Finasteride?
Finasteride is an oral medication used to treat male pattern hair loss. It also treats enlarged prostate glands. The drug is primarily used when the scalp keeps losing hair constantly. Note that the drug is not proven to affect temple hair loss. It’s not given to females or kids as it can affect their hormonal balance.
Finasteride is among 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, primarily known to treat hair loss or an enlarged prostate. Essentially, this medicine functions by restricting the body from producing a hormone that stops the scalp’s hair growth.
How to Use Finasteride?
It is important to remember that the exact usage of finasteride varies from case to case, so you’ll have to stick to the directions of the medical officer and the information on the prescription label. A doctor will prescribe you to take it once a day for a specified time period, always at the same time and with or without food. If you accidentally miss a dose, skip it instead of doubling your dosage for the following day. Remember that varying the dosage all by yourself may affect your prostate gland, so stick closely to the doctor’s prescription.
Treating hair loss is a lengthy procedure, as both hair loss and hair growth are time-consuming processes. You will be able to see the effects of finasteride from three months, with significant changes occurring around 12 months. If there has been no improvement, it’s better to discontinue using it as the chances for it to work in the future are not likely.
Finasteride only slows down your hair loss when you use it, making it necessary to keep regular appointments with your doctor and consult them before any change, whether you want to discontinue it or vary the dosage. If you stop using it too early, you will probably lose any hair you grew during the treatment.
Precautions
All medicines come with potential side effects. In case of any rashes, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, issues in vision, or a painful erection immediately reach out to a healthcare professional. Finasteride warning and precautions include strictly keeping the pills in the container they came in and storing them at room temperature away from excessive heat or moisture. Keep the medicine away from the reach of children and pets. In the case of consumption by a child, there can be severe consequences such as poisoning or extreme hormonal disbalances.
Endnote
While common, hair loss is still a complex change. Medicine has evolved, creating many treatments and cures for hair loss, with Finasteride being among the most dominant options for men. If you’re worried about the excessive amount of hair loss, make an appointment with your go-to doctor to discuss the medical implications and treatment procedure for your issue.