Debunking Myths: Vitamins Aren't Behind Hair Loss
9 November 2024 / 8 minutes read /
Every day we receive an abundance of emails of men who are worried about losing their hair. One of them is Mike, a 24 year old male, who slowly started to notice changes in the way his hair was behaving. He describes waking up in the morning and noticing an worrying amount of hair strands on his pillow.
Like most men, he didn’t think much of it at first. Thinking that it was only temporary. It was only after two years that he came to the realisation that his hair loss was in fact progressing and that it wouldn’t stop on it’s own.
Now that he’s on finasteride for 6 months he describes that his hair loss has stopped completely. Still, he regrets having waited so long before taking the plunge. Like Mike, there are countless of other men who struggle with hair loss, silently, hoping that their hair loss will magically stop on its own. The harsh reality however is that it will not. In order to stop hair loss, you need something like finasteride. And you'd better start early.
Let’s start with explaining how hair loss occurs. Hair loss is caused by an androgen (sex hormone) called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a by-product of testosterone. The conversion process of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone is controlled by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. The excess amount of DHT in the blood can negatively impact the hair follicles, make them weak and cause them to shrink. As this process continues, the hair follicles ultimately lose the ability to produce new hair.
Finasteride works by actively decreasing dihydrotestosterone production by directly inhibiting the 5-alpha reductase from converting the testosterone. With the lower amount of DHT, the hair follicles are saved from its harmful effects, gain their health, and start producing hair again.
Finasteride is an MHRA-approved drug, available in the form of oral pills. It has shown some remarkable results when used in conjunction with Minoxidil (topical hair spray or foam). Finasteride is known to be one of the most effective tools to fight against hair loss. Over 80% of men have seen noticeable improvements in their hair growth after using Finasteride.
For most men, hair loss can be a difficult thing to deal with. Most men don’t talk about their problems, so it can quickly feel like you’re the only on out their who’s finding hair loss a bit of a struggle. What doesn’t help is that most GP’s see hair loss in males as something that’s ‘just a part of being a male’. We disagree.
Finasteride stops hair loss in more then 80% of males, while causing side effects in about 2% of males. So, a solution to hair loss exists.
Here are a few things that you should keep in mind before starting Finasteride treatment:
Once finasteride is taken, it reduces DHT levels by more than 60% within 24 hours. Lowering the DHT levels is the first step in stopping further hair loss, but what happens in the following months?
Between month one and three, men experience a phenomenon called "shedding". A process whereby Finasteride causes your old hair to fall out and be replaced by new hair that is both thicker and stronger.
Between the third and sixth month, finasteride will have completely stopped hair loss in the majority of men. In addition, finasteride also has an effect on hair texture, resulting in thicker and stronger hair.
Between the sixth and twelfth month, you can expect further improvements. Some men who did not react to finasteride during the first few months now do so. In addition, the risk of side effects also decreases.
As mentioned above, currently, there is no cure for baldness and hair loss. It is essential to take your Finasteride pills on time and regularly. Unfortunately, once you stop taking this medication, your will start to lose hair again. Therefore, it is imperative to stay on this treatment to avoid losing your progress in the hair regrowth journey.
Finasteride is a great medication with high success rates. Although the results are remarkable, the progress of this medication is slow. Nevertheless, Finasteride is your best bet to regain the quantity and quality of your hair. If you're interested, take a look at our unique hair treatment plans and confidently tackle your hair loss problem.