What is Finasteride, and Which Finasteride is Best? Finasteride is a drug approved by the FDA to treat benign prostate hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia. It is prescribed as a 1 mg daily tablet for men with androgenic alopecia. It is also prescribed in higher dosages for women suffering from female pattern hair loss. This ranges … Read more…
Finasteride Side Effects Finasteride is the most powerful, well-studied, FDA-approved drug for androgenic alopecia (AGA). It stops AGA progression in 80-90% of men and, on average, leads to a 10% increase in hair count over two years. For men wanting a hands-off approach to hair maintenance, finasteride is often an excellent option. That said, finasteride … Read more…
I Am Experiencing Side Effects From Minoxidil. What Should I Do? If experiencing side effects from minoxidil, it’s best to speak with the prescribing physician as soon as possible to discuss next steps. Discontinuing use, however, is not the only option. There are strategies to reduce minoxidil’s side effects (while still benefiting from the drug) … Read more…
Topical Finasteride Finasteride is a hair loss drug for treatment of androgenic alopecia. It inhibits the 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. Topical finasteride formulations (think: solution, spray, or gel) are growing in popularity because of their localized approach. Oral finasteride reduces DHT everywhere in the body. Topical finasteride … 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…
Finasteride is among the most effective drugs for androgenic alopecia. And while side effects are often overstated, it can lead to reduced libido or lowered sperm counts in some men. For this reason, many choose topical versus oral finasteride, hoping to limit the drug’s DHT-reducing effects to the scalp. But at certain doses, even topical … Read more…
Studies show that within 3-6 months of stopping minoxidil, any hair growth resulting from the drug is lost. After quitting minoxidil, hair counts can even temporarily fall below where they would’ve been had we never sought treatment at all, before eventually rebounding back to baseline. Why does this happen? Is there a way to lessen … Read more…
Minoxidil is just one of two FDA-approved hair loss drugs. But FDA-approval doesn’t necessarily equate to guaranteed results with Minoxidil. In fact, many hair loss sufferers use minoxidil (i.e., Rogaine®) for six months and still don’t see significant benefits. Why is that? In other words, why do 50% of people seem to respond favorably to … Read more…
Apple cider vinegar for hair growth? My failed experiment Ten years ago, I decided to start rubbing apple cider vinegar (ACV) into my bald spot every night. Why? I’d read on a hair loss forum that ACV was a powerful health tonic – and that its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties might help regrow hair. My experiment … Read more…
A deep dive into the evidence: reishi mushroom for hair loss Reishi mushroom – a kidney-shaped fungi – is known in health circles for its immune-enhancing properties. More recently, researchers have found that reishi mushroom can help lower levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – the hormone implicated in pattern hair loss. This has led people to … Read more…