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This insightful hair loss information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Jerry Cooley of Charlotte, NC who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

Propecia is approved by the US FDA for once a day use for hair loss. This does not mean it is the best dosage, only the one that was studied and approved. The average serum “half-life” of finasteride 1mg is about 5 hours in young men and 8 hours in older men. This does not mean that half of the medicine is out of your body in that time period though. The finasteride molecule is distributed throughout the body where it binds to the type II 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, thereby inhibiting conversion of testosterone to dihydrotesterone (DHT). Serum DHT is reduced about 65%, and less DHT means less balding. But several studies show that a single dose of finasteride suppresses serum DHT for 7 days or more (Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 1991 Jan-Mar;16(1):15-21, J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990 Apr;70(4):1136-41, Prostate. 1989;14(1):45-53). So the finasteride is leaving the bloodstream, entering the tissue throughout the body, and binding to the type II 5AR (5-alpha-reductase) enzyme, resulting in long lasting DHT suppression.

Technorati Tags: hair loss, Propecia, finasteride, dihydrotesterone, DHT, balding

There is nothing like the promise of a hair loss cure that can tap into the emotional insecurities of balding men and women who would do pretty much anything to recover their long lustrous locks. Fancy marketing tactics found on television, the radio, and the internet loudly proclaim “guaranteed results or your money back”. No wonder hair loss sufferers are forking over their hard earned money to try the latest and greatest baldness cure wonder drug. These companies may make good on their promises at refunding your money if a product doesn’t work, but is it worth the price of nonrefundable hair?

Below we uncover the secrets of fancy marketing hype that will allow you to evaluate the validity behind many hair loss treatment solutions.

This Product is FDA Approved: Finasteride (found in Propecia and Proscar) and minoxidil (found in Rogaine) are the only 2 hair loss products that have been FDA “approved” to treat baldness. Any other hair loss treatment claiming FDA approval contains one of these two ingredients, most popular of which is minoxidil. In most cases, it is significantly less expensive and more effective to invest in the FDA approved ingredient than a product that includes it.

Money Back Guarantee: Most questionable treatments come with a money back guarantee. Though this might entice your wallet, using an ineffective product will cost your nonrefundable hair. Therefore, we encourage you to research all hair loss products you are considering.

Technorati Tags: hair loss cure, balding, hair loss, baldness cure, hair loss treatment, Finasteride, Proscar, minoxidil, hair loss products, treat baldness

Hair Loss in the peak of our social lives at young ages can be emotionally devastating.  But for those balding men and women who catch it early, nonsurgical hair loss treatment solutions may be worth considering.  But which one is the best?  Do late night infomercials that promise full hair restoration with miracle cure products truly deliver?  Which products really work to help treat baldness and stimulate hair regrowth?

This hair loss forum member is in a tricky situation and wants your input.  View this hair loss forum thread as forum members discuss treatments that have worked for them.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Hair Loss, balding, hair loss treatment, hair restoration, help treat baldness, hair regrowth

Hi, I am a 29 year old male and I lost most of my hair on top within 2 years.  I feel that I am way too young to be experiencing this much hair loss.  I took many medicines and hair loss treatments but none of them really worked.  What is the best way to regrow hair naturally?

Losing hair can be emotionally difficult, especially when it seems that hair is rapidly shedding and disappearing leaving us with a bald head.

Though “all-natural” hair loss products are appealing, the majority of the ingredients in them at best contain anecdotal evidence of any efficacy for treating baldness.  Common ingredients in these herbal hair loss treatments include saw palmetto, nettle root, Vitamin E, tea tree oil, azelaic acid, and PABA.  Though many of these claim to inhibit DHT (the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness), most have not been clinically tested, and those that have, only on a smaller scale. 

In my opinion, Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil), though they are not considered natural products, are superior and give balding men the greatest opportunity to stop hair loss and possibly stimulate hair regrowth. 

None of them however, are miracle cures and those with severe thinning hair or the completely bald will most likely not experience much new hair growth.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair loss treatments, regrow hair, Losing hair, bald, hair loss products, baldness, herbal hair loss treatments, saw palmetto, nettle root, Vitamin E, tea tree oil, azelaic acid, PABA, DHT, male pattern baldness, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, balding, stop hair loss, hair regrowth, thinning hair, hair growth

I am a 24 year old man and my scalp hair is miniaturizing in the middle.  I fear that I am going bald. How can I stop it?  What is the reason? How can I make my hair grow?  Please advise me?

You are most likely experiencing androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), the most common reason men and women lose their hair.  Treatment options such as Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are the best options for this type of hair loss and when used together, give you the best to treat baldness and more rarely stimulating hair regrowth.  They are not miracle cures so reasonable expectations need to be developed and maintained.

Consult with a physician about the benefits, limitations, and possible side effects with these medications.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: bald, hair grow, androgenic alopecia, male pattern baldness, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, hair loss, treat baldness, hair regrowth

If you are on Propecia (finasteride) to fight against hair loss, you may want to consider switching to Proscar. 

Though Proscar contains a higher dosage (5mg), both of these hair loss treatment options contain active ingredient finasteride.  Given that balding men should only take 1mg per day, how can one successfully use Proscar to treat baldness?  How do you split a Proscar pill to take 1mg per day?  Is there any benefit to switching to the 5 mg tablet when you are conveniently taking 1 mg a day?

Visit our hair restoration forum to interact with members who have made the switch from Propecia to Proscar, how to take it successfully, and how it has helped them save money.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair loss, Proscar, hair loss treatment, balding, treat baldness

You may have heard some controversy over the benefit of Propecia (finasteride) for the long term.  How effective is it after 1 year?  How about after 5 years?  Is Propecia only postponing the inevitable or does it have a long term benefit?  

Forum members and medical hair loss doctor and expert Dr. Beehner, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network share their opinions on this highly important topic.  Click here to read other and offer your own thoughts on this hot topic of discussion on our hair restoration forum.

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair loss, hair restoration

Many balding men want to find that “one” hair loss treatment option that will best treat baldness.  But in a world where no cure exists, perhaps a combination of proven treatment options can be of greater benefit.  Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil both work differently and have proven to fight against alopecia.  Which one works better?  Is there a benefit to using one over the other?  Will a combination treatment increase my chances of stimulating hair regrowth?

Click here to read how others have successfully used both medications and why a combination treatment may be superior to one over the other.  You are encouraged to contribute your thoughts and experiences on our hair restoration forum.

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: balding, hair loss treatment, treat baldness, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, alopecia, hair regrowth, hair restoration

They say finasteride is for men between 18 to 41, so after 41 we should stop using it?

It would be a good idea to seek a physician’s advice on this however, many men well past 41 years of age use Propecia with great success to both stop hair loss and more rarely, regrow hair.  Balding men who start this treatment soon after they start losing hair have the best chance at success with this medication.

In addition, combining this treatment option with Rogaine (minoxidil) will give you the greatest chance to treat baldness and stimulate hair regrowth.

Don’t expect miracles as non-surgical hair loss treatment options rarely cause significant hair regrowth.  Surgical hair restoration is really the only proven treatment that will regrow hair in completel bald areas.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: finasteride, Propecia, hair loss, regrow hair, Balding, losing hair, Rogaine, minoxidil, treat baldness, hair regrowth, hair loss treatment, hair regrowth, hair restoration, bald

This insightful information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Paul Shapiro of Bloomington, MN who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

The studies on Propecia, (finasteride 1mg pill) for hair loss treatment were done at the 1mg dose so we do not have any good medical studies to suggest the .5mg will or will not work. I always suggest that anyone taking finasteride for the first time do it as suggested: at the 1mg dose and keep constant for 1 year. Then after you and your physician have a good idea of how effective Propecia has been you can start to adjust the dose if need be.

If you start on the .5mg dose and do not have a good response how will you be able to tell if the poor response was due to the low dose or you are just one of the few (10%) of men it does not work for?

As for the side effects: They are so rare at the 1mg dose I don’t think there would be a statistically significant difference between the 1mg and the .5mg dose.

Prior to doing hair transplants I worked as a Family Doctor until 2000. In my practice we used Proscar, (finasteride 5mg) and it was rare to see side effects even at the higher 5 mg dose.

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair loss treatment, hair transplants, Proscar