Medicine Treatment

Most of the patients that are not candidate for surgery are usually less than 25 years old and are suffering from hair loss. The patients that their hair loss is in scattered form and have no special pattern of men or women hair loss, the women that are susceptible to intensive hair loss after surgery and the young women that due to hormone or thyroid disorder have faced to intensive hair loss and are treated by endocrinologists can be a candidate for medicine treatment for preventing the hair loss.

At present there are two medicines in the world that has been confirmed by FDA Organization of the U.S.A. and the doctors have been permitted to use them. These medicines are the followings:

1- Minoxidil or Rogaine

In reality Minoxidil is a medicine for decreasing blood pressure and up to this date the researches have not found the reason of influence of this medicine on hair loss. The medicine is in the form of 2% and 5% solutions that can be found in the pharmacies. Usually for men Minoxidil 5% and for women Minoxidil 2% is prescribed. The method of its usage is daily once or twice and each time 20 drops is rubbed on the skin of the head before sleeping. Three to four months after using the medicine, at first the hair loss increases and then after 6 months, the hair loss decreases and after 9 months the patient can observe the treatment effects of this medicine. There are many patients that after using the medicine for 2 to 3 months discontinue its usage and the reason for not using it any more is mentioned the lack of effect of the medicine for preventing from hair loss and they say that by using this medicine their hair loss has been increased. This matter is correct but as the patient does not know the trend of effect of the medicine in long-term and probably the doctor that has prescribed the medicine for him has not mentioned the needed information about the effects of the medicine, the patient discontinues its usage.

We should know that after using Minoxidil 5% after one year:

2/2% of the patients observe considerable growth and discontinuation of hair loss. In 37/4% medium growth of hair and discontinuation of hair loss is observed. In 22/3% cases, discontinuation of hair loss and a little increase of hair growth is observed and in 31/7% cases no changes are observed. In 5% cases even the increase of hair loss is observed.

Also by the usage of Minoxidil 2% after one year:

In 2/8% of the patients considerable increase in hair growth and the discontinuation of hair loss is observed. In 19/7% cases medium growth of hair and discontinuation of hair loss is observed, in 21/1% cases, discontinuation of hair loss and a little increase in hair growth is observed and in 50% of cases no changes are observed. In 2/8% cases even we observe intense increase of hair loss.

Among the common effects of using Minoxidil is the sudden decrease of blood pressure, irritation, inflammation and provocation of the skin of head, the creation of shiny and leather skin, heart beating and the creation of unwanted hair.

This important matter that should not be neglected is that the patients who discontinue the usage of Minoxidil before 9 months, confront the intensive hair loss and the result is contrary and this matter is terrible for them. For discontinuing the medicine, the patients should consult the doctor.

2- Propecia or Finasteride

The usage of this medicine is orally and the dosage of its usage is one tablet of one milligram every night before sleeping. This medicine exists in the market that is made in Iran, India and the U.S.A.

Propecia prevents the conversion of Testesterone to Di Hydro Testesterone that is the main reason of hair loss. The result is observed in long-term usage of Propecia. This matter that most of the patients think that after two to three months usage, their hair loss will be controlled is wrong.

The usage of this medicine due to being orally is more comfortable for patients than Monoxidil but in 1/8% cases it means about 2 persons from 100 users of this medicine may confront sexual disorder after several weeks of using this medicine that 48 hours after its discontinuation this effect will be this appeared.

It should be known that after using Propecia for one year:
In 51% cases the hair loss is discontinued but never results the growth of hair. In 30% cases in addition to the discontinuation of hair loss, a little increase in hair growth is observed. In 16% cases medium increase of hair growth is observed and only in 2% cases in addition to the discontinuation of hair loss considerable increase of hair growth is observed.