FDA Approved Treatments

Hair loss or balding is a believed to be a man's problem for eons, although, it is a known fact that women experience hair loss as much as men only that it is delayed by 10 years or so. The hair loss problem has been in existence since the dawn of man, but astonishingly, there are only a couple of FDA approved treatments for the said disorder. The main reason is that 98% of hair loss is genetically driven – it is inherited.

Given this premise, you'd wish there was a means to alter the genetic structure to skip this command but there's none. Men who are predisposed to acquire the disorder seem to be more prone to experiencing hair loss. The only thing science can do is find a treatment that would somehow "retards" or prevents hair loss using medications but these do not guarantee an end to hair loss.

The FDA approved medicinal treatments for hair loss have been found to effectively prevent and treat hair loss, particularly in its early stages that begin at the age of 20. To date, the FDA approved hair loss treatments include finasteride and minoxidil.

Propecia (Finasteride) is a once-a-day pill that has been a great help for men having problems with their prostate since 1992, but additional research found it to be likewise effective for the treatment of hair loss in 1997. Finasteride acts by inhibiting the conversion of the more active male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from testosterone by the 5-alpha reductase enzyme.

DHT is present in the cells of the scalp and is responsible for shrinking the hair follicles, which is an important factor in male-pattern hair loss. Finasteride is available only by prescription and is not yet approved for use by women. As a matter of fact, finasteride is a potent drug that poses great danger to childbearing women. Extra precaution is given to pregnant women, who are warned against handling broken tablets of finasteride.

Finasteride is seen to effectively promote hair regrowth in 50% of men for the first year of use, 66% after two years of use. With prolonged use, it was observed that 85% of men no longer experienced hair shedding. Being a medication, finasteride doesn't come without side effects the most common of which is diminished sexual desire and function.

Rogaine (minoxidil) is also an FDA-approved medical treatment for hair loss, which is safe as an over-the-counter medication, which aims to treat androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. Minoxidil comes as a liquid that is rubbed on the bald areas twice a day to promote hair regrowth and stop further hair loss.

Minoxidil was first available as an oral drug that lowers blood pressure but it accompanied serious side effects on the circulatory system. The medical industry also observed hair growing in the body of patients taking the drug, and hence, it was decided that minoxidil be used as a topical treatment for hair loss. Minoxidil, though, showed only modest hair regrowth compared with the other drug but there can be sufficient regrowth of new hair enough to conceal the bald spots. Side effects of minoxidil can include scalp irritation.

Other FDA approved treatments come in the form of injections and creams. Cortiscosteroids contain cortisone injected directly on the scalp to treat alopecia areata (a hair disorder wherein the body invades hair follicles). This FDA-approved medical treatment is repeated monthly, and doctors may simultaneously prescribe cortiscosteroid pills in severe cases of alopeica areata. Cortiscosteroid is available in ointment or cream form, although they may not be as effective as injections.

So if you’re experiencing hair loss or thinning hair, you might as well stick to the FDA approved treatments, otherwise, you may just be wasting time and money.