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Prescription Drug
Treatments
While
topical solutions such as Rogaine® brand
monoxidil have been used to treat hair loss, Propecia® brand
Finasteride by Merck & Company, Inc. is the only FDA approved pill
approved for the prevention of hair loss and possible hair re-growth.
Like Rogaine®, Propecia® was discovered when its generic
equivalent being used for another purpose was found to have beneficial
side effects. Finasteride is the generic name for the drug, which was
already in existence for quite some time and had been produced under
the name Proscar® by Merck & Company and used for treatment of
enlarged prostates, a syndrome medically called benign prostatic
hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is caused by an overproduction of DHT, which
causes the prostate to grow. Many BHP patients were also suffering with
MPB, and when patients began taking Proscar®, they noticed the
re-growth of hair also. This sparked new testing and the birth of
Propecia® as a hair restoration drug. The approval of Propecia®
by the FDA was easy to achieve, since it was merely marketing already
approved Finasteride as a hair restoration drug, with a much smaller
dosage than that required for BPH.
Propecia® is being prescribed by doctors to some patients as an
oral treatment to internally block the production of DHT. Propecia is
an androgen hormone inhibitor only approved for men, and has been
clinically proven to grow hair on a significant percentage of men who
suffer with Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) or more properly androgenetic
alopecia. Unfortunately, the drug has not been approved for use by
women at this time. This is especially true for women who are pregnant
or can become pregnant, because the process of inhibiting testosterone
from being converted to DHT can affect secondary sex characteristics of
unborn fetuses.
Propecia® works by reversing the shrinkage of hair follicles that
are in the telogen phase, or last phase of the normal hair cycle.
Propecia® works best in combination with topical treatments of
Monoxidil such as Rogaine®. Participants in studies have seen hair
grow in as little as six months, whereas those who have seen no results
in a year’s time are reported not likely to see any results from the
drug. One round of testing of over 2,000 men with androgenetic alopecia
over a four-year period showed half with reported new hair growth.
Side effects of Propecia® in a few persons studied include
diminished sex drive, difficulty in achieving an erection, and a
decreased sperm production. Side effects were found in less than three
percent of participants in clinical studies. Fortunately when the
drug’s use was discontinued, the side effects went away and normal
functions resumed. Of course there are some who say that the
growth of new hair is worth the cost of a drop in libido. Only you can
decide whether this side effect is worth the personal cost to you.
Finasteride is metabolized primarily by the liver, and therefore anyone
suffering with liver disease may not be able to take the drug, and
should consult a physician. Additionally, as with Monoxidil, it can
mask PSA levels, thus caution should be used if used by patients with
elevated PSA levels, as it may be difficult to read levels properly
when diagnosing potential prostate cancer. Of course proper
consultation with your physician will help determine if taking
Finasteride treatments such as Propecia® is right for you.
An interesting phenomena concerning Propecia® is the dramatic rise
in price it caused for Finasteride when it entered the market as a hair
restoration drug. Propecia® is simply a 1mg version of Finasteride,
a drug that was already being marketed as Proscar® for BPH by the
same company that markets Propecia®, Merck & Company, Inc.
Therefore there should not be an increase of any kind in the cost of
production of Finasteride, since it was simply being marketed under a
new name at a much smaller dosage. Merck & Company therefore was
prepared to introduce Propecia at the price of $1.25 per pill or $37.50
for a 30-day supply in 1998. However, after reconsiderations it was
decided that Propecia would be introduced at $50 for a one-month
supply. This is compared to a 30-day supply of Proscar® which is
5mg Finasteride being marketed at $55-60.00 for a 30-day supply. The
price was adjusted to be in the range of Rogaine® Extra Strength.
The price of Propecia® today in 2004 is in the range of $130 for a
30-day supply, while Proscar® prices have risen at a much slower
pace, and is now less expensive than the same Finasteride drug that is
1/5th the dosage. Doctors of course are discouraged by pharmaceutical
companies to prescribe Proscar for cosmetic treatment of androgenetic
alopecia. Of course there are always going to be those who find ways to
circumvent this. Therefore, many have been driven to find ways to
purchase Proscar® and divide the pill into fourths or fifths
instead of paying the exorbitant prices for the very same Finasteride.
Click
here for the next Chapter.
This information is
not presented
by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational
purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the
advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any
questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard
professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something
you have read. |
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