Oral finasteride, a type II 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, is one of the most effective treatments available for androgenic alopecia (AGA). However, concerns over the drug’s potential side effects prevent many men from ever considering the medication. In the last several years, nearly a dozen studies have shown that certain formulation topical finasteride may confer the … Read more…
Topical finasteride is an effective treatment for androgenic alopecia – particularly for those interested in better localizing the drug’s effects to the scalp. Unfortunately, prescriptions for topical finasteride can cost as much as $50-$100 per month. This prices out a lot of people who would’ve otherwise committed to the topical had it not been for … Read more…
In the medical literature, it’s well established that women should withdraw from finasteride prior to conceiving, or abstain from finasteride throughout pregnancy and/or while breastfeeding. But what about men? Can they continue using finasteride during conception? What about during their partners’ pregnancy — when indirect finasteride exposure (via semen) might expose the female and fetus … Read more…
What’s the Prevalence Of Sexual Side Effects From Finasteride? Does finasteride lower libido? The true incidence of the sexual side effects of finasteride remains up for debate. Finasteride is the world’s best-studied hair loss drug. Over the past 30 years, it has been clinically tested in over 30,000 men – with dozens of randomized, double-blinded, … Read more…
Finasteride and dutasteride are drugs that lower the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a hormone that is causally linked to both benign prostatic hyperplasia and male pattern hair loss. While both drugs tend to be effective hair loss treatments for men, they do come with a risk of side effects –most commonly sexual side effects … Read more…
Microneedling for Hair Loss In the last decade, microneedling has garnered attention in the anti-aging world for its ability to remodel collagen and reduce the appearance of scars. More recently, researchers have started testing microneedling as a treatment for hair loss disorders – including androgenic alopecia. The process of microneedling creates potentially hundreds of micro … Read more…
Stimulating Hair Growth with Polydioxanone Monofilament Threading Polydioxanone (PDO) monofilament threading is an experimental drug-free therapy for hair loss. PDO hair treatment involves the use of a dissolvable suture, which is placed into the balding region of the scalp. Over a series of months, these sutures dissolve while simultaneously evoking growth factors that may stimulate … Read more…
What is Microneedling? Microneedling – also known as percutaneous wound induction – is the act of deliberately wounding skin tissues for therapeutic benefit. This is generally done with hundreds of tiny, medical-grade needles ranging in lengths from 0.1mm to 5.0mm. There are a variety of microneedling devices – from hand-held rollers to automated pens to stamps. … Read more…
Histamine and Hair Loss Our hair follicles are part of a niche of cells intimately involved in proper immune function. For example, right next to the dermal papilla, the type of cell that grows our hairs, there are a number of immune cells including: Macrophage, which helps remodel our extracellular matrix and clean up waste. … Read more…
Peppermint oil has been used for centuries to treat a variety of health conditions including hair loss, and a 2014 clinical study suggests that peppermint essential oil facilitates hair growth. How reliable is that 2014 study? And should we consider using peppermint oil to treat hair loss? In this article, we’ll explain what peppermint oil … Read more…