{"id":13572,"date":"2016-10-07T07:05:49","date_gmt":"2013-10-07T14:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=13572"},"modified":"2013-10-07T07:05:49","modified_gmt":"2013-10-07T14:05:49","slug":"does-propecia-work-for-female-pattern-hair-loss-m0929","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/hair-growth\/propecia\/does-propecia-work-for-female-pattern-hair-loss-m0929\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Propecia Work for Female Pattern Hair Loss?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hair
Hair loss can affect women of any age, though it is more common after menopause.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Hair loss is a common problem, affecting up to 70% of men and 40% of women<\/a> at some point in life.<\/p>\n

But hair loss is different in men and women. Most men lose hair at the hairline and temples, while women typically lose hair diffusely over the top of the scalp. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, more than 30 million women in the US<\/a> are affected by female pattern hair loss, or FPHL. While FPHL can occur as early as puberty, it is more common later in life, particularly after menopause, when an estimated 38% of women over age 70 experience hair loss. Women who experience hair loss from any cause generally find the situation stressful, and it can lead to social isolation due to self-consciousness.<\/p>\n

What Is Today\u2019s Go-to Treatment for Female Pattern Hair Loss?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Currently, the \u201cfirst-line\u201d treatment for FPHL<\/a> is 2% minoxidil applied to the scalp daily. While this treatment is convenient, since minoxidil is sold over the counter, it isn\u2019t ideal. In some women, the 2% solution isn\u2019t effective enough, and they can try the 5% minoxidil solution to see if that helps. Also, it takes several months of regular use to make a sound judgment on the effectiveness of minoxidil.<\/p>\n

Some doctors prescribe anti-androgen drugs to women whose hair loss appears to be due to higher-than-normal levels of androgen. Now, however, more medical professionals are looking at finasteride, the active ingredient in male pattern baldness drug Propecia, as a treatment for women.<\/p>\n

Studies on Finasteride Given at 1 mg per Day<\/strong><\/p>\n

When women were given finasteride at a dose of 1 mg per day (the same dosage in Propecia), results weren\u2019t very good<\/a>. A study at the University of California at San Francisco found that after a year of therapy with 1 mg per day of finasteride, hair loss continued as before, though the drug was well-tolerated with few reported side effects. Though these results were discouraging, researchers in Europe decided to test the effects of higher doses of finasteride on women with FPHL.<\/p>\n

Studies on Finasteride Given at 5 mg per Day<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Finasteride
Finasteride at 5 mg per day showed promising results in premenopausal women with hair loss.<\/figcaption><\/figure>At a meeting of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Dr. Rui Oliveira-Soares presented research on the effects of 5 mg per day of finasteride on 43 premenopausal women over a period of 18 months. These women had normal serum androgen levels and had no clinical signs of hyperandrogenism (excess male hormones), and they had to be certain they would not want to become pregnant again. Finasteride is linked with serious birth defects, and study participants had to be certain they didn\u2019t want to have more children (they had to take an oral contraceptive as well). After six months of treatment, 58% of the study participants reported a \u201chuge\u201d improvement, and 33% reported \u201cmoderate\u201d improvement.<\/p>\n

Investigators did blinded assessments of patient photos, and though their conclusions were less enthusiastic, they were still encouraging. Investigators characterized 44% of patients as \u201cvery improved,\u201d 17% as \u201csomewhat improved,\u201d and 7% as \u201cunimproved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just under 19% of participants reported decreased sex drive during the trial, while 9% reported transient headaches and nausea, with 9% also reporting transient abnormal menstrual periods. One of the patients had abnormal liver function test results and dropped out of the trial.<\/p>\n

Precautions When Taking Finasteride<\/strong><\/p>\n

As mentioned earlier, finasteride is associated with birth defects<\/a>, and package labeling clearly states that women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not handle finasteride, let alone consume it. Additionally, finasteride is extensively metabolized in the liver, and people who have liver abnormalities should be monitored closely if they take finasteride.<\/p>\n

Finasteride, the active ingredient in Propecia, has shown promising effects in treating FPHL, but it appears that women must take 5 mg per day to experience improvement. Double-blind, placebo-controlled experiments are needed in order to lock down the level of improvement women can expect. While a finasteride formula for women has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, physicians can prescribe the drug \u201coff-label\u201d if they so choose.<\/p>\n

Finasteride must be prescribed with great caution among premenopausal women because of the risk of birth defects that goes along with finasteride use. Women should be certain they\u2019re through having children, and should take an oral contraceptive while taking finasteride to minimize the risk of unplanned pregnancy.<\/p>\n

eDrugstore.com<\/a> dispenses prescription medications, including Propecia and generic finasteride, through US-licensed pharmacists. eDrugstore.com<\/a> is committed to the strongest online security and superior customer service, often shipping products the day they are ordered, using trusted couriers like FedEx.<\/p>\n

Photo Credits: marin \/ freedigitalphotos.net<\/a>, stockimages \/ freedigitalphotos.net<\/a> <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hair loss is a common problem, affecting up to 70% of men and 40% of women at some point in life. But hair loss is different in men and women. Most men lose hair at the hairline and temples, while women typically lose hair diffusely over the top of the scalp. According to the American […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13573,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[397],"tags":[985,557,515,74],"class_list":["post-13572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-propecia","tag-female-hair-loss","tag-female-pattern-hair-loss","tag-finasteride-2","tag-propecia"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t