PeterSeemann

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Language Taught/Studied: Other
Grade/Level: 9-12
Number of Students: 1-10

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Name

Peter

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Reseller

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Incidental Observations Enabled Developing the Best Hair Loss Treatments We Know Today

Despite the fact that hereditary form of hair loss affects about one third of men and almost a quarter of women, until relatively recently there was no medically proven treatment for this condition. It was only in the 1990s that two incidental discoveries led to approving the first two treatments for genetic form of hair loss – minoxidil and finasteride. These two treatments remain to this day to be the only two FDA approved medications for treating hair loss. They belong to two completely different categories of drugs and their working mechanism is completely different.

Minoxidil is a vasodilation drug that was originally used in oral form to treat elevated blood pressure. It was observed incidentally that patients who took this drug started growing thicker and healthier hair in the thinning areas of their scalp, especially in the crown area. After series of clinical trials minoxidil received an FDA approval for treating hair loss in men and later also in women. Minoxidil for hair loss is used in topical form in concentrations of 5% for men and 2% for women. The hair loss product which actually secured this approval was Rogaine and it is now also available as Rogaine foam, the most effective of all minoxidil-based treatments. Minoxidil is off-patent today so you can find an array of generic hair loss products that use it and thus it can be obtained at a fairly low price. Some generic formulations use high concentrations of minoxidil of up to 20% but such treatments are only suitable to male hair loss patients as they could induce undesired growth of facial hair in women.

The second accidental discovery in this area which led to developing an FDA approved hair loss medication is finasteride 1mg. Finasteride is an anti-androgen drug that was originally developed for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. It was observed that balding patients who took 5mg of finasteride daily to fight prostate enlargement started growing thicker and healthier looking hair in the crown area of their scalp. This did not remain unnoticed and after thorough clinical testing a new hair loss drug by the name of Propecia got approved by the FDA for threating male pattern baldness. It emerged that hair loss and prostatic enlargement have the same cause which is a natural substance produced by our body called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This metabolite of the male hormone testosterone causes shrinking of susceptible hair follicles which results in gradual hair miniaturization and decay. Female bodies also produce DHT and it also happens to be the main cause of female pattern baldness but due to potential risks it could cause to male fetus in female bodies finasteride or Propecia cannot be used by female hair loss patients.

The only difference between Proscar, which is the original medication containing finasteride used to treat prostates and Propecia, a new formulation for treating male pattern baldness is in the dosage. Proscar contains 5mg of finasteride and Propecia only 1mg. Their delivery mechanism and all other auxiliary substances are identical. Therefore, many hair loss patients buy Proscar 5mg of finasteride pills and cut them precisely in five equal pieces in order to make their own inexpensive home-made Propecia hair loss pill. It may sound ridiculous but Proscar does not usually cost more than Propecia despite the fact that its tabs are five times larger. This is because treating hair loss is a much more profitable business than treating prostatic enlargement. It should be also noted that cutting pills does not affect their absorption either. Patients just need to make sure that women, especially pregnant women, do not come in contact with the dust from the crushed pills for the health risk it could cause in their bodies. Ironically these two incidental discoveries remain to this day the only two hair loss medications approved by the FDA for treating this condition.

History

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Member for: 14 years 21 weeks