Propecia – Male Pattern Baldness Treatment Drug
Written by Male Pattern Baldness Writer on February 13th, 2010Propecia finasteride is a prescription treatment for androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness is responsible for 95% of hair loss in men. If you are witnessing abnormal hair loss (chunks of hair falling off), consult a doctor and find out if Propecia finasteride is right for you.
About Propecia
Propecia is manufactured by Merck pharmaceuticals. Propecia can help improve the texture and thickness of existing hair and prevent further hair loss or reverse it.
Propecia for baldness treatment
Propecia works as a baldness treatment by decreasing the levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in men and blocking an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase. This results in the normalization of hair growth cycle and reversal of the hair loss process.
Ingredients and strength of Propecia
The active ingredient in Propecia is finasteride. The dosage of finasteride for male pattern hair loss is 1mg tablet as prescribed or once a day.
It takes at least three months before you notice any decrease in hair loss and increase in hair growth. For best results, it is advisable to continue the hair loss treatment for at least 12 months. If you stop Propecia treatment before this time, you might lose all the hair you gained in the treatment period.
Side effects of Propecia
Like all other prescription medications and some over-the-counter drugs, you might experience some side effects when you take Propecia finasteride. However, it is not compulsory that everyone who takes Propecia experiences side effects. You may or may not get following side effects when you take this hair loss treatment: sexual side effects including less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection, and a decrease in semen amount.
Moreover, these side effects go away if treatment with finasteride is stopped. If you experience any side effects of Propecia, talk to your doctor immediately. Your doctor will determine if you should continue finasteride or not.
Precautions for Propecia finasteride
Propecia finasteride is for the treatment of male pattern hair loss in men only and women or children should not take it. In fact, pregnant women should not even handle crushed or broken Propecia tablets. Do not take Propecia if you are allergic to finasteride or any of the ingredients of Propecia.
How Propecia is a safe baldness treatment drug?
Propecia finasteride has been studied in over 1800 men in various clinical tests. These tests were done over one year periods in men with different amounts of hair loss on all parts of their heads. It was confirmed that Propecia finasteride causes very few side effects. In fact, it was seen that only 2% of the men in the trials experienced side effects of finasteride. Moreover, the side effects were mild, transient, and reversible in nature and hence the men continued hair loss treatment with Propecia without any hindrance.
Propecia finasteride can be taken by almost all men as it is safe for almost everyone. However, men who want a child or are planning to have one should avoid finasteride. It is always better to consult a doctor and find out if Propecia is a safe hair loss drug for you or not.
Propecia shows results in three months in most men; however, this varies from person to person. Propecia finasteride can not only improve the condition and thickness of existing hair but also help in hair re-growth in some men.

