Finasteride for Hair loss

- Finasteride (Propecia) is a prescription medication to treat male-pattern baldness is taken daily in pill form. Many men taking finasteride experience a dramatic slowing or halt of hair loss, and some may show some new hair growth. Positive results may take several months. Finasteride works by stopping the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shrinks hair follicles and is an important factor in male hair loss. Rare side effects of finasteride include diminished sex drive and sexual function. As with minoxidil, the benefits of finasteride stop if you stop using it.

       Source:The Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008.

- Finasteride, a synthetic 4-azasteroid compound, is a specific inhibitor of steroid Type II 5α-reductase, an intracellular enzyme that converts the androgen testosterone into 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT).