Long and dense hair not only adds personality to your beauty but also reflects your overall physical health. Sadly, the problem of hair loss has become a major complication among youth nowadays.
According to open-source statistics on the internet, 40% of women have visible hair loss by the time they are 40 years old. Whereas, 42% of men between 18 and 49 have moderate to extensive hair loss.
If you are also a victim of this problem, do not panic. You can still save your hair if you take proper care of your scalp. One solution that can effectively help in your journey is using Finasteride for hair loss.
If you had a smile reading this, you must read further.
What is Finasteride? How Does it Help?
Finasteride, also known as Proscar and Propecia is a renowned and trending solution that is now widely used among the population to recover from hair loss.
According to Wikipedia, “It is used to treat pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men and can also be used to treat excessive hair growth in women”.
The supplements of finasteride can be taken orally or topically. Oral consumption means you have to swallow pills and medications, whereas topical solutions are to be applied directly to the areas where you need them to work. Both supplements are effective and used wisely, still, there are multiple opinions of its users.
Dr. Furqan Raja says, “Traditionally, Finasteride was taken in oral form, but now it is also used topically in liquid form and applied directly to the scalp”.
Speaking of market trends, topical finasteride grabs more attention than oral ones, since they are not to be consumed through the mouth. Secondly, it keeps the user away from potential side effects.
In males, DHT is held responsible for their hair loss. But, “what is DHT” you may ask. When testosterone breaks down into smaller parts, it turns into DHT. Too much concentration of DHT causes hair loss in men. To fight with it, finasteride is considered as the first choice.
How to Use Finasteride?
You must use finasteride with a proper plan and should not exploit it for quick results. To squeeze out its maximum advantage, use a well-thought plan:
- Start by washing your hands properly.
- Clean and dry your scalp area.
- Shake the spray bottle before applying that.
- Spray 1–2 times on your scalp where you feel the hair loss.
- Massage your scalp to evenly spread out the spray.
- Dry it for a few minutes and then style your hair.
Please note that from this point in time, you cannot wet your hair for at least 4 hours. Moreover, it is recommended to consult a professional or doctor for its use, rather than start using it on your own.
What are the Benefits of Using Finasteride?
One major benefit of using Finasteride is obviously the prevention of hair loss. There are some more advantages that this treatment comes with:
- Non-Surgical Treatment: If your doctor consults you to use finasteride to cope with your loss, smile. This means that your issue can be solved without any treatment. If you are not a fan of operations, shake hands with your trichologist.
- Slower the Hair Loss Process: There might be some cases when even trichologists raise their hands. If you are in such a situation where the condition is severe, finasteride can give you hope by slowing down the process.
- Can Avoid Chances of Surgical Treatment if Started Early: Yes, you read it right. If you identified your patchy hairline or light hair follicles in the early stages, a proper dosage of finasteride can help you cure the issue without even needing to have a surgical treatment.
Along with these 3 broad advantages, there are some additional benefits that you can enjoy with this supplement.
Raja further adds, “The topical solution is a relatively novel application, and hence we do not have data as strong as the kind we have for the tablet, which has been available for decades”.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Like any other medication, there must be some side effects that finasteride comes with. Let us take a look at them:
- Itchiness and irritation: It is warned by professionals that using this product might lead to an itchy scalp or irritate your skin.
- Increased dandruff: If you are already tired of the dandruff, using topical finasteride can be a hell for you. It can dry out your scalp and cause major issues, if not used properly.
- Headache and dizziness: You might feel dizzy throughout the day or suffer from headaches if you use topical finasteride.
- Sexual Dysfunction: Using this product can result in decreased libido and can ultimately impact your sex life. Major concerns like erectile dysfunction and reduced sperm count may also haunt you.
- Breast enlargement: You might also end up having saggy breasts (as a man) if you keep on using topical finasteride for a longer period. This condition is also famous as gynecomastia in men.
These are some side effects that will chase you for your lifetime if you exploit this product. Therefore, it is highly advised to consult a professional prior to start utilizing.
Warning by Zoë Passam to every man, “Males with a female partner who is pregnant or may become pregnant should not use topical Finasteride, as if a pregnant woman comes into contact with this, it can cause abnormal genital development in a male fetus”.
Takeaway: What to Expect or What Not?
Finasteride is a medication that can be used by both men and women to rejuvenate their scalp health. It can be a great alternative to avoid hair transplant or any chance of surgery. However, it comes with its own disadvantages and side effects. Therefore, it is always advised to follow this path only when your doctor tells you to.
