Medicines that used for hair regrowth both topical and oral
Topical Medications –
Topical minoxidil stops hair from thinning and stimulates new hair growth.
Minoxidil has been used for hair loss treatment for many decades. The medication affects follicular cells by enhancing hair growth and reducing hair loss.
Minoxidil solution and foam are great to be used as helper in hair growth for the treatment of male pattern baldness. It is not used for baldness at the front of the scalp or receding hairline in men.
The foam and two percent minoxidil solution is also used to help hair growth in women with thinning hair. Should be used under the prescription of the hair specialist.
Minoxidil belongs to a class of drugs known as vasodilators.
This medication is not used for sudden hair loss or unexplained hair loss or hair loss after giving birth. Do not use this product without expert guidelines.
This medicine for treating inherited hair loss slows thinning of the hair and increases coverage of the scalp by growing new hair. It also thickens the shafts of your existing hair so that it grows in thicker.
With these medicines, hair coverage tends to improve on the top of the head but not on the forehead area. It can be used by both men and women.
Minoxidil also stimulated prostaglandin E2 production by activating prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-123 but inhibited prostacyclin production.
Topical minoxidil has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of AGA. In-fact this has been used as an off-label medication also to treat several hair disorders such as alopecia areata, scarring alopecia, and hair shaft disorders and even to improve body hair growth in other areas including the eyebrows and beard.
Side-effects of Minoxidil –
- weight gain
- swelling of the face, ankles, hands, or stomach
- breathing issues
- rapid heartbeat rate
- chest ache
- light headedness
- irritant contact dermatitis with the typical symptoms of itching and scaling.
- Side effects of minoxidil include skin irritation, dandruff, and an itchy scalp.
- In women, minoxidil may cause facial hair growth, especially on the forehead and cheeks.
A patch test should be performed to determine the causative agents.
Oral Medications–
Oral finasteride is a prescription medication for men who have male pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride slows the rate of hair loss and stimulates new hair growth by inhibiting the body’s production of a hormone that destroys hair follicles. This medication is taken once a day by mouth and is most effective when taken at the same time each day.
Finasteride. Finasteride (Propecia) is available by prescription. It’s a pill that you take once a day. It can be used by men.
Finasteride and minoxidil (for men) and minoxidil (for women) have the best level of evidence for medicines used to treat inherited hair loss. footnote1, footnote2 How well finasteride or minoxidil works depends on your age and the location of the hair loss. These medicines don’t work for everyone, and you should not expect to regrow a full head of hair.
Finasteride starts to work after about four months, but you may not notice significant hair growth for as long as a year. Your dermatologist measures this progress after six months to determine whether to continue treatment. If the medication is working, treatment may continue for as long as new hair growth is desired. Hair loss may recur if the medication is discontinued.
Finasteride oral tablet is available in brand-name and generic versions. Brand names include: Proscar and Propecia.
Finasteride only comes as a tablet you take by mouth.
Finasteride is used to treat enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and male pattern hair loss.
Finasteride works by decreasing the amount of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in your body. DHT normally causes your prostate to grow larger.
The decrease in DHT helps prevent your prostate from growing larger. It also leads to increased hair growth and decreased hair loss of the hair on your head. Hair growth on other parts of the body isn’t affected.
Side effects of Finasteride –
- decreased sex drive
- trouble getting or keeping an erection
- ejaculation disorder
- increase in breast size and tenderness
- skin rash
- An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.
- swelling of your lips, tongue, throat, or face
- depression
- lumps or pain in your breasts
- nipple discharge
- Finasteride can cause a severe allergic reaction, causing symptoms such as:
- trouble breathing
- swelling of your throat or tongue
- hives
- Finasteride should not be taken or handled by women who are or may become pregnant, because it can cause birth defects.
- Possible side effects in men include sexual problems, such as trouble getting an erection.
This drug comes with several warnings. Finasteride is used for long-term treatment. It comes with serious risks if you do not take it as prescribed.
How to take finasteride-
All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:
- your age
- the condition being treated
- how severe your condition is
- other medical conditions you have
- how you react to the first dose
Conclusion-
Always do a patch test to determine the causative agents and trouble arising agents.
Minoxidil is a common medication prescribed for treating hair loss-related problems. It provides remarkable benefits to patients with hair disorders.
Minoxidil is also used off-label for treating several hair disorders as well as increasing body hair growth. Although topical minoxidil is considered an effective and safe treatment option for various hair disorders, additional evidence-based data are needed for some applications.
Whereas, Finasteride is a prescription drug. It comes as an oral tablet.
Finasteride oral tablet is available as the brand-name drugs Proscar and Propecia. It is also available as a generic drug.
Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. However, some cases shows that they may not be available in every strength.
These medicines slow thinning of the hair and increase coverage of the scalp by growing new hair. They also thicken the shafts of your existing hair so that it grows in thicker.
If you stop using the medicine, any hair that has grown in will gradually be lost. But within 6 to 12 months after you stop using the medicine, your scalp will most likely look the same as it did before treatment.
