Propecia Reviews

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Propecia is a supplemental hair regrowth pill designed to be taken orally. It targets hair loss in men only and should not be taken by women.

Propecia is the only oral treatment that has received FDA approval for use in treating baldness. Therefore, Propecia can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription. According to Merck, the manufacturers of this drug, it is also the only hair regrowth treatment that effectively grows hair on the vertex (top of head) and the anterior mid-scalp area (middle front of head).

How Propecia Works

Like many other oral treatments for hair loss, Propecia works by targeting the production of DHT in the male body. DHT, or Dihydrotestosterone, is an androgen that is formed when 5-alpha reductase reacts with testosterone. This androgen can then go on to cause hair loss by bonding to androgen receptors in hair follicles. DHT causes the hair follicles to shrink. Eventually, the follicle may cease to produce new hair cells as a result. This is referred to as a state of “dormancy.”

Propecia inhibits the formation of DHT in the body. When there is less DHT present, fewer androgen receptors in the follicles are susceptible to drawing DHT in and thus less prone to reverting to prolonged dormancy.

Simply blocking DHT from being produced would theoretically only stop the continued loss of hair. However, other ingredients in Propecia work to “wake up” those follicles that have already shrunk and become dormant. These ingredients cause them to start producing new hair cells so that new growth occurs in places that were formerly bald.

Does Propecia Really Work?

Since Propecia is FDA-approved, it’s probably a safe assumption that this product really does work, at least for some men. It has, in fact, been shown to be successful at stopping hair loss and regrowing hair in spots where competitor’s products appear to be ineffective or only mildly effective.

Anecdotal testimony from users seems to indicate that Propecia is one of the better treatments for hair loss on the market. A significant number of users noticed both less hair loss and new growth. Additionally, this drug doesn’t seem to exacerbate blood pressure and other health conditions as some competing products do.

Our Conclusion

Despite many positives, potential users must consider that this product has some very serious risks associated with its use and handling. While it contains some herbal components, Propecia is by and large a pharmaceutical drug (which is why it requires a prescription). Women should not take this product at all. In fact, pregnant women should not even handle the tablets. The drugs that it contains can cause serious birth defects in babies, particularly in the sex organs of male fetuses. Men who are considering taking this drug are advised to talk with their female partners first.

Men who do opt to try Propecia must handle and store the tablets carefully. It probably goes without saying that they must be kept out of reach of children and teenagers.

This drug is known to have some negative sexual side effects in some users. According to Merck, this number is less than 2 percent of users, and these side effects disappeared once the user stopped taking the product.

Despite what might be read or heard to the contrary, most users had to take the product for 6-12 months before achieving significant results. Therefore, potential users should be prepared to stick it out for awhile.

On the plus side, Propecia is considerably less onerous than some competing treatments that have two or three steps to them. Other hair regrowth systems have topical elements as well as an oral element. Applying topical solutions takes time and is often messy and inconvenient. Taking a simply pill once per day is certainly not quite as invasive or life-altering.

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