No, not that kind of research.

It has always been said that Propecia, a drug used to treat male pattern baldness, has a negative affect on men’s sex drive, including causing erectile disfunction and reduction in semen production. However, it is now claimed that is could actually do the opposite with an increase on your libido; body mass, energy and performance.

Strudwick said; “Ten years ago, when I first started losing my hair, I took Propecia and my libido increased.”

So what is the truth?

A study earlier this year originally published online in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that 92 percent of study participants reported developing erectile dysfunction, however this was a relatively small study and it could be argued that the anti-propecia websites could be having a psychological affect on the participants

Another study by Sweden’s Medical Products Agency suggested that Propecia could be a long-term sexual inhibitor.

Trawling through the forums online it is clear that men across the world are convinced that the drug has made a significant negative difference to their sex drive.

One forum member said: “I did have no sex drive and some side effects while taking the drug but my body came back to normal within a week or two of stopping the drug.”

Another said: “When you see the countless blogs and videos about Propecia side effects you have to believe there is more to this issue and it would deserve more research…certainly more than asking some fellow Physicians what they have heard.”

According to most physician experts in the field, there is zero clinical evidence that the use of Propecia can in any way cause permanent sexual dysfunction.

In October’s edition of Men’s Journal, they looked at the possible side effects finding female doctors who happily prescribed the drug for their husbands, as well as a guy who learned he was suffering from low testosterone, and the likely cause shocked him. “I’ll be on hormone therapy for the rest of my life,” he says, “because of Propecia.”

A study would need to look at thousands of Propecia and placebo users over a long-period of time, which would be extremely costly, however if the Propecia firms selling the drug are confident about the effects, perhaps it is time to put the debate to the test?

The problem is that not one drug in the world has exactly the same affect on every person; as no-one is the same. Most men have to weight up the pro’s and con’s to decide what is more important to them and whether they can deal with the side-effects, positive or negative if they occur.

Make sure you do your research to make an informed decision on how to deal with your hair loss issues. Talk to someone you know who may have been through a transplant or MHT^® so you can feel happy about your decision.

Find the full articles:

Patrick Strudwick http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2060809/Wayne-Rooney-hair-transplant-Hair-loss-cure-help-boost-performance.html

Men’s Journal http://www.mensjournal.com/the-not-so-hard-truth-about-hair-loss-drugs

Several studies have been conducted to look at whether Propecia works for hair loss in men. One study looked at using it in men for male pattern baldness with hair loss at the very top of the head. At the beginning, the men who took Propecia grew new hair, while the men who took the placebo continued to lose hair. After about a year, the increase in new hair growth stopped for the men on Propecia, and these men started to slowly lose their hair again. However, the hair loss was much slower for the men taking Propecia than for the men who were taking the placebo.

After taking Propecia for five years, 48 percent of men had increased hair growth, 42 percent had no change (the hair loss had stopped), and 10 percent had lost hair. For the men who were taking the placebo, 75 percent had lost hair after five years. Also, once men stopped taking Propecia, the beneficial effects for hair loss wore off over one year.

Propecia has also been shown to be effective in treating male pattern baldness with hair loss on the front and center of the head. However, the drug has never been shown to work for hair loss near the temples.

So whats the problem with Propecia?

With overwhelming evidence to confirm the effectiveness of Propecia (Finasteride), one might ask why every man isn’t popping the pill. Unfortunately, there are drawbacks. You see, whether we like it or not, losing ones hair (in most cases) is a perfectly natural consequence of the ageing process, depending of course on the genes we inherited. To intervene in such a process is, as with all medications, forcing the body to behave in a way that it against its will. Often we can get away with such intervention, however many men experience side effects as a result of taking Propecia.

According to ScienceDaily.com, the side effects can be severe. As they put it:

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine, in collaboration with colleagues at Lahey Clinic and from Denmark and Germany, have found that 5a-reductase inhibitors (5a-RIs), while improving urinary symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and possible hair loss prevention, produces significant adverse effects in some individuals including loss of libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), ejaculatory dysfunction and potential depression. These findings, which currently appear on-line in Journal of Sexual Medicine, suggest that extreme caution should be exercised prior to prescribing 5a-RIs therapy to patients for hair growth or for BPH symptoms.

According to the researchers, the adverse side effects of 5a-RIs on sexual function, gynecomastia and the impact on the overall health have received minimal attention. However, in some patients, these side effects are persistent with regard to sexual function and with an emotional toll including decreased quality of life.

“The potential widespread use of 5a-RIs for treatment of BPH, prostate cancer and male pattern hair loss may produce undesirable adverse side effects on overall health and in particular, vascular health and sexual function in a subgroup of susceptible patients, ” said lead author Abdulmaged M. Traish, MBA, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and professor of Urology at BUSM. “Furthermore, treatment of hair loss, a benign condition with 5a-RIs may produce persistent side effects in a number of young patients,” he added

What is the likelihood of experiencing side effects from Propecia?

This, of course, is the million dollar question. It is common knowledge that Propecia can cause several unpleasant side effects, most notably erectile dysfunction, but what proportion of men actually have this problem, and how many get away with no side effects at all?

As with all drugs, some people will experience side effects and some will not. Our own experience through discussions with our clients, would indicate at least a third of people taking Propecia experienced undesirable side effects to some degree, however basing our assumptions on just our own clients is unlikely to provide an accurate picture, as we only meet those people who remain dissatisfied with other solutions. The real figure is likely to be less than a third of men taking the drug.

A viable, independent clinical trial has never been conducted to assess the proportion of men who experience side effects, only trials to analyse the side effects themselves have taken place. The manufacturer (Merck) has no real incentive to conduct such a trial, and unless an independent body does so, such a trial is unlikely to take place.

Should you still take Propecia?

HIS will stop short of recommending a drug that we do not yet fully understand. What is clear, however, is that Propecia is used successfully by many thousands of men around the world to slow or prevent hair loss. Only you can assess for yourself whether or not the potential side effects of Propecia are too significant.

This is a difficult decision, given that many men do not experience any side effects at all. On the plus side, most people agree that any side effects are not permanent, and will cease shortly after the course of treatment is halted.

We believe that the majority of people considering treatments such as a hair transplant, MHT or hair systems have tried Propecia at some point. Perhaps if any side effects are only temporary, it may be worth trying Propecia for a few months (we’d suggest at least six) to see how it performs. If side effects are experienced, we’d certainly recommend you stop taking Propecia right away.

A final note. Although Propecia can be bought online with a digital prescription, we still recommend consulting a suitably qualified medical practitioner prior to taking Propecia, Proscar or any other drug containing Finasteride.

Topical Spironolactone is an alternative to topical solutions such as Rogaine, Provillus or other Minoxidil-containing products. Spironolactone works as a potent “androgen blocker”. Whereas Propecia inhibits the creation of DHT, Topical Spironolactone also blocks DHT from binding to receptors and damaging your follicles.

Many consider the use of  both Propecia and Topical Spironolactone together as a highly effective way to protect your hair from further loss.

Spironolactone is marketed under a variety of brand names, including Aldactone, Novo-Spiroton, Aldactazide, Spiractin, Spirotone, Verospiron and Berlactone. Spironolactone is also a diuretic, and is therefore made available in forms other than a topical cream, and is not always intended solely as a solution for hair loss.

How does Topical Spironolactone work?

Hairs in certain parts of your scalp have been genetically programmed to respond to DHT. Whilst Propecia blocks DHT from forming in the first place, Spironolactone blocks the remaining DHT from attaching to your follicles.

To explain, hair follicles develop receptor sites. DHT binds to those receptors and tells your body to begin rejecting the follicles. The reason for this isn’t totally understood, but the solution is simple. Propecia stops DHT from forming, and Topical Spironolactone stops DHT from attacking.

What results can I expect from Topical Spironolcatione?

Provided the user has realistic expectations, it is likely that many people will have a positive experience using a Topical Spironolactone product. The science certainly stacks up.

Bear in mind however, that using the cream on totally bald areas of scalp will not yield results, as the follicles will be beyond repair. As with Rogaine, this product only benefits areas that still have active hair follicles remaining.

During clinical trials, Merck noticed an interesting side effect to Finasteride – many men taking part in the trial experienced a reduction in their hereditary hair loss, in fact many subjects actually regrew hair that had been previously lost.

Further experimentation revealed that only a 1mg dose of Finasteride was needed to produce this result, therefore Proscar was repackaged and rebranded as a 1mg dose called Propecia.

Proscar is still widely available, and depending on your country of origin, often without prescription. Although Proscar is only available as a 5mg dose, the majority of hair loss sufferers using Proscar cut the tablet into four separate doses, saving a considerable amount of money per year versus the cost of buying the more expensive Propecia tablets.

Does Proscar work more effectively than Propecia?

No. Proscar performs no better or no worse than Propecia as they both rely on the same active ingredient, Finasteride. Proscar is simply not marketed as a hair loss product, hence why there can be a significant price differential.

Proscar alternatives

Aside from Propecia, other pills for hair loss include Procerin, Dutasteride, Nourkrin, Advecia or Saw Palmetto tablets.

The Provillus food supplement contains vitamins, minerals and various nutrients. Although the Provillus supplement is in many cases marketed as a product for prevention of hair loss and hair regrowth, like all other hair loss supplements there is no firm clinical evidence to suggest it will be effective to this purpose. The Provillus supplement is not licensed by the MHRA (UK) or approved by the FDA (US) and therefore is not a medically proven treatment for hair loss. There are also no widely known clinical trials having been carried out for these products.

Following research, many UK suppliers of Provillus seem only to offer the supplement, yet advertise the product as ‘containing an FDA Approved ingredient’. The FDA approved ingredient (Minoxidil) is not in fact contained in the supplement, only the liquid. If you are looking to purchase Provillus be sure to check that the liquid is included in your supply, as a significant level of hair loss prevention is unlikely from the supplement alone.

According to the Provillus website, they manufacture a 5% minoxidil liquid for men and 2% concentration for women. Provillus liquid is, in essence, a similar product to Rogaine. Minoxidil, the principle active ingredient in Rogaine, is one of only two products medically licensed in the UK and FDA approved in the USA, the other being Propecia.

How does Finasteride work?

It is medically known that the gradual thinning of successive hair, and the eventual loss of hair on the scalp in men, can be caused by the action of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Finasteride works by inhibiting Type II 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. In doing so it reduces the level of DHT in the scalp which can shorten the hair growth cycle, and allows hairs to revert back to a normal growth cycle.

Clinical Trials conducted on thousands of men all draw pretty much the same conclusion – Finasteride can work very well for hair loss sufferers, however it does depend on the individual. Those using Finasteride in the hope of regrowing lost hair will be disappointed. If however your hair is still thinning, Finasteride may help to restore density and thickness. Finasteride does not work for everyone, however a trial period of at least 6 months is required to assess its effectiveness.

How often do I take it?

Propecia tablets are to be taken once daily. Please note that Finasteride tablets are supplied for hair loss in a 1mg dosage. Pills of up to 5mg are available for treating an enlarged prostate, however there is no evidence to suggest that a higher dosage makes any difference for hair loss sufferers.

Are there any side effects?

Finasteride is very well tolerated in men, however a small proportion of patients do suffer some side effects. These can include headaches, allergic reaction, impotency and decrease in libido. These are however, often temporary and resolve when medication is stopped. Official figures show that only 2% of men experience any side effects.

Is it worth trying Finasteride?

If you still have a significant amount of remaining hair, then probably yes. Finasteride, or Propecia as it is more commonly known, is the worlds most widely used hair loss treatment. Many hair loss sufferers swear by it, however for others the drug produces no benefits whatsoever. Only through personal usage will you be able to assess the solution for yourself, however the relatively low risk makes it an attractive proposition for many people.

If on the other hand, you’d prefer a natural hair loss treatment, there are still options. Whilst technology has advanced significantly over the last few years, there are still many people who would prefer a natural hair loss remedy, and thankfully, products are available to meet this demand.

Herbal hair loss remedies

If taking pills such as Procerin or Propecia does not appeal to you, you may want to consider Advecia.

Advecia is a nutritional supplement, marketed for the prevention of hair loss. Whilst there are countless pills, both herbal and non-herbal, that claim to prevent hair loss, Advecia was of particular interest to HIS Hair Clinics due to the inclusion of the saw palmetto hair loss ingredient, a berry that offers well documented benefits for hair loss sufferers.

Both diet and nutritional supplementation can provide a positive influence on hair growth and hair health, whilst deficiencies of specific nutrients can actually promote a loss of hair.

There is no doubt that an adequate intake of nutrients, whether or not this is supported by a supplement program, is advantageous for hair health. However, Advecia’s synergistic blend takes nutritional application one step further, by including specific vitamins for hair loss that are not easily obtained from dietary sources alone.

Hair Loss Shampoos

Revivogen is a branded shampoo and conditioner made from natural ingredients marketed for the prevention of hair loss. Like all of the other natural products for hair loss, Revivogen is not FDA approved.

There are no strict regulations for natural products so it is difficult to know for sure how effective a natural product is, however Revivogen is a well known, established brand name and many people claim to have experienced benefits through its use.

Temporary Concealers

Temporary concealers such as DermMatch and Toppik are not natural hair loss treatments, in the strictest sense. They are however, non-invasive, and do not require pills or potions, or any form of medical intervention.

DermMatch for example, is an instant hair loss concealer. The product looks very similar to make-up and even uses the same applicators.

DermMatch powder clings to existing hair, making it look fuller and thicker, and is therefore only suitable for those who still have a certain amount of hair on their heads. DermMatch also colours the scalp to match your hair colour.

For advice about any hair loss product, please feel free to contact us.

The effects of baldness

Even if an underlying medical condition exists that is causing hair loss, baldness itself does not cause any physical damage or discomfort. The emotional and psychological effects of hair loss can however, have a significant impact on a persons self-esteem, and therefore, their quality of life.

At HIS Hair Clinics, we are often asked to provide hair loss advice, for those suffering from genetic hair loss, as well as various forms of alopecia and other conditions. What is apparent, is that losing ones hair creates a variety of feelings and insecurities including lack of self-worth, poor self-image, even to the point of believing oneself to be unattractive, and a general sense of feeling old and passed their prime.

Perhaps most significant, is the effect these feelings can have, on the day to day lifestyle of the individual. We have met clients who stopped socialising, deliberately avoiding going out with friends, family and colleagues. Several clients who had previously been happily married, have reported marital problems, often due to a lack of sex drive, a manifestation of their poor self-image. Many single guys struggle to meet eligible partners, due to a general avoidance of social situations, and a lack of confidence.

Baldness is not a life sentence

For those suffering from thinning hair, it is important to remember that baldness does not have to rule your life. Believe it or not, a lack of hair does not carry the same social stigma that it used to. Many women actually find bald men more attractive! Just look at celebrities like Vin Diesel, Jason Statham and Bruce Willis. Even under the critical spotlight of the world’s media, these men are not perceived to be any less attractive as a result of their baldness.

Solutions ARE available

In years gone by, the only viable solutions for hair loss were a hair transplant, hair systems or the constant wearing of a hat. Nowadays, the range of solutions is endless.

Short term solutions such as temporary concealers are now available, alongside a range of ongoing hair treatment options such as the HairMax Lasercomb, topical lotions including Rogaine and Nanogen Nanogaine, pills such as Propecia and Procerin, as well as a range of vitamins for hair loss such as Advecia.

Of course, permanent solutions are also an option. These include hair transplant surgery and our very own MHT^® technique.