There are two prescription
medications which are used only by women who suffer with pattern
hair loss. These deserve special mention in relation to this type
of hair loss as their purpose, being anti-androgens, is to suppress
the actions of testosterone. These medications are spironolactone
and cyproterone acetate. They are used only to treat hair
loss in women as they can cause men to suffer with decreased sex
drive and other unacceptable side effects.
Spironolactone - this is an oral diuretic (water
pill) which is approved to treat congestive heart failure and high
blood pressure. In several studies the drug has also been shown
to help reduce unwanted hair in females and has also been the topic
of study in women with pattern hair loss. However this has had some
mixed results. It may help to reduce the effects of thinning hair
in women who suffer with very limited pattern hair loss. Spironolactone
has been associated with an increased risk of bleeding from the
gastrointestinal tract. However, a definitive link has not been
established. It is not used in men as it has been found to cause
testicular atrophy and breast enlargement as well as the decreased
sexual function and drive.
Cyproterone acetate - this is another drug which,
because it is an anti-androgen that blocks the effects of male
hormones in women, is not used on men. Several studies have been
shown and also published documenting mild effectiveness of cyproterone
acetate in the treatment of both hirsutism (excessive hairiness)
and female pattern hair loss. This drug is available in a combination
with estrogen for use as an oral contraceptive in Europe, but is
not FDA approved, and therefore not available in the USA. One of
the most serious side effects of cyproterone acetate is liver toxicity,
and it has also been linked to increased rate of blood clots.
Another type of drug which has been used to treat hair loss in
women is finasteride, or Propecia as it is more
commonly known. There is a debate as to whether or not finasteride
is effective in women. One piece of research into the efficacy of
finasteride in post-menopausal women was terminated after only one
year with no significant hair growth recorded. Another study researched
the effectiveness of the combination of a higher dose of oral finasteride
- 2.5mg - with an oral contraceptive pill. The study only considered
those women who were perimenopausal with pattern hair loss. After
a period of one year, 62 pr cent of the women included in the study
demonstrated some decrease of hair loss. It is difficult to determine
whether the success was due to the dosage used in this latter study,
or the combination of use with an oral contraceptive which
contained drospirenone, which has also an effect on hair loss. Or
it could have been because this study looked at perimenopausal instead
of postmenopausal women.
It should be noted that finasteride has not been approved for use
by women who suffer with hair loss. Anyone handling this drug should
take great care, especially women who are pregnant. If they touch
a broken or crushed tablet then they could risk the unborn child
as any absorption through the skin can cause harm to the fetus if
it is male. There does not, however, appear to be any risk to the
fetus if a man taking finasteride impregnates a woman.
Further studies will need to be carried out before finasteride
could be used by women in the treatment of pattern hair loss. A
better understanding into which type of women may respond to treatment
before its use can be advocated will need to be found, together
with some safety issues, including a possibility of increased risk
of breast cancer, also need further investigation.
New Hair Loss Treatmanet - eBook |
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Hair Loss
Conquered
"Finally, you can find out the real way to
end going bald for good. Stop wasting your money
on expensive medications and over-the-counter products
- this step-by-step program reveals how to stop
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you had lost forever, in just a few minutes a day!"
From the Desk of Chris T. Oxford
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