Propecia is a commonly prescribed drug for combating male pattern baldness; under the name of Proscar and in a different dosage, it treats prostate enlargement. Traditional male pattern baldness occurs when testosterone is converted to DHT, which is then responsible for shrinking and eventually destroying the follicles under the skin that promote hair growth. Oddly enough, the same men who experience hair loss on their head often report new grow in other places such as the chest and underarms. This is because DHT is responsible for minimizing hair follicles on the head while increasing their number and size elsewhere.
It happens to the best of men, they look in the mirror one day and realize that either their eyebrows have come closer to their eyes or their hairline is moving away, but Propecia can help. DHT is created when an androgen called type 2 5-alpha reductase begins to cannibalize testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT then goes to work on the follicles under the scalp, shrinking them until they are no longer capable of enabling hair growth, resulting in hair thinning and hair loss.
Why an androgen would create two different effects depending on body location is mysterious, but Propecia can counteract these effects. Propecia simply inhibits the effects of type 2 5-alpha reductase, eliminating the conversion of testosterone to DHT and thus halting its effects on hair follicles. While other hair loss products are messy and less effective, Propecia is most effective at halting the hair loss that can harm men’s self-image.
Women may experience hair thinning and loss as well, however the hormones and chemicals that create hair loss in women are far more complex; for this reason, women should not take Propecia. In fact, studies have revealed that women should not ingest or handle Propecia, especially powdered, broken fragments of it, because it is known to cause birth defects in women who are pregnant. Propecia is an androgen, and thus may be absorbed through the skin, so anyone handling it who is not taking it should be careful around it.
Additionally, not all hair loss is necessarily related to testosterone; in many cases, it is a result of stress or severe sickness, so hair loss products may not be helpful. With the creation of Propecia, male pattern hair loss can be halted, and in some cases even reversed; it does, however, require a prescription. For this reason, any man combating the harmful effects that male pattern baldness should talk to a doctor and see if Propecia is right for them, given the benefit of an enhanced self-image.