The most effective medicine for hair loss.👳👳👳

Men who think too much and sleep too little can cause hair loss and the most common cause is androgenetic alopecia. Nowadays, the society pays much attention to appearance. It may be due to factors such as diet and stress, there are more and more people who lose hair. It is regardless of whether they are male or female. Therefore, hair loss is also a concern of many people. Hair loss not only affects the appearance, but may even affect the psychology and cause mental illness.

1. What is androgenetic alopecia?

Androgenetic alopecia used to be called seborrheic alopecia which is mainly manifested by the loss of hair on the top of the head and the receding hairline. Although there are many drugs that are clinically used to treat androgenic alopecia, currently there are two types of drugs that are generally recognized as effective: the oral drug and the topical drug.

2. Finasteride: For men only

The growth and development of the prostate depends on the level of dihydrotestosterone. Finasteride is a 5α-reductase inhibitor. It can inhibit the conversion of testosterone into more active dihydrotestosterone. It has an antiandrogenic effect, so it is also used to treat existing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The activity of 5α-reductase in hair follicles in male hair loss areas is significantly higher than that in non-hair loss areas. High levels of dihydrotestosterone can shrink hair follicles which will gradually lead to long-term hair shortening, thinning and shedding. Since finasteride can reduce the level of dihydrotestosterone, it is also used in the treatment of androgen alopecia.

Oral finasteride generally takes more than three months to observe increased hair growth or prevent continued hair loss. Symptoms can recur within 12 months after stopping the drug.

Dosage: Oral finasteride is available in 5 mg and 1 mg specifications.

• 5mg each time, once a day. It is used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
• 1mg each time, once a day. It is used for the treatment of male hair loss.
• Finasteride can reduce sexual function. Use during pregnancy can feminize the male fetus (hypospadias). Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not even touch the fragments of finasteride. Not only that, finasteride is not effective in treating female hair loss. Therefore, finasteride is not recommended for female hair loss.

3. Spironolactone: For female's androgenetic alopecia

Spironolactone is an anti-androgen. It can reduce the secretion of androgens. It can play a role in multiple links in the occurrence of hair loss. It significantly reduces the binding of DHT to the androgen receptor in the follicle. It has a certain therapeutic effect on androgenetic alopecia. It can also increase the concentration of estrogen relatively and play a role in promoting hair growth. The best way to use it is combining with minoxidil. There are researches pointed out that the use of spironolactone combined with minoxidil can increase the effect by more than 40% compared with minoxidil alone.

Dosage: 

• The recommended dosage of spironolactone for the treatment of hair loss is 100-200mg, twice a day and take the medicine on time every day. Only when the therapeutic dosage is achieved, the best effect can be reached. This drug should be consulted by a doctor for using.

4. Minoxidil: Men and women available

Minoxidil is a K⁺ channel opener. It can relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure. It is mainly used for the treatment of refractory severe hypertension. It is not suitable for using alone. it needs to be used in combination with diuretics and β-receptor blockers to avoid water and sodium retention and sympathetic reflex excitement. 

The curative effect of topical minoxidil in the treatment of male and female hair loss has been confirmed by clinical research. It may be related to the fact that minoxidil stimulates dermal papilla cells to express vascular endothelial growth factor, expands scalp blood vessels, and improves microcirculation. The average onset time for topical application is 12 weeks and the recommended course of medication is 0.5 to 1 year.

Dosage: There are two kinds of minoxidil topical preparations: 5% and 2%.

• Regardless of men and women, 5% minoxidil is more effective than 2% minoxidil. But it is still recommended: 5% minoxidil for male patients and 2% minoxidil for female patients. It is because 5% minoxidil can increase local or generalized hirsutism in women.
• The usage and dosage of minoxidil topical preparations are as follows: apply to the affected area of the head 1ml each time, twice a day. Researches have proved that for topical application about 0.3-4.5% of minoxidil which can be absorbed through the skin. So the daily dosage should not exceed 2ml, otherwise it may cause systemic adverse reactions.

👉The above drugs are all prescription drugs. Before using them, you should consult the doctor for more details.

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