Hi, for those who are experiencing hairloss, below are some useful information for you. I have been suffering from male pattern hairloss for the past 9years. But I seek medication early and so far my hair condition is being controlled.
For those who are encountering hairloss, my suggestion is to consult a doctor rather than speculating, clear your doubts once and for all. Just explain your concerns to the doctor and check if you are suffering from Male-Patten-Hairloss, malnutrition or injured hair scale. It is always better to diagnose the cause of your problem before doing any self medication. You will save a lot of money and effort in the long run.
Beijing 101 and those hair centre do not cure male pattern hairloss. These are mainly for people with scale problem and oily hair and they are expensive. Chances are they will persuade you to sign up their package which can cost a few thousands.
Male-Pattern-Hairloss starts off with receding hairline (M-Shape) or thinning of hair at the top of the head. It is caused by elevated levels of the hormone DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), which is produced by the interaction of the hormone testosterone and the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, in the blood. The DHT weaken the hair growth cycle and shrinks the hair follicle, producing shorter and finer strands of hair. Eventually, the growth cycle for each hair ends and no new hair grows in its place.
The only 2 FDA approved medication are Minoxidl (hair lotion) and Propecia (oral medicine). What Minoxidl does is to prolong the growth stage of your hair, and thicken it. In other words, it sort of like prevent your hair from thinning or dropping. However it does not prevent the root cause of hairloss which is the Dihydrotestosterone.
For example, if u spray Minoxidil on your balding scalp area, it may slower down the hair thinning and falling rate, and grow new hair if you're lucky. But since Minoxidil does not cure the cause, scalp areas where you did not use Minoxdil will eventually starts to thin and fall.
The only medicine that prevents the Dihydrotestosterone is Propecia. It reduces the Dihydrotestosterone in your body and thus prevent any hair loss. But the side effects such as impotence, erectile dysfunction, decreased ejaculatory volume are another major concern for us guys.
For both Minxodil and Propecia, they are meant to be taken on long term basis. Once you stopped the medication, hair gained will start to fall and your hair loss will return. Generic Propecia and Minoxidil cost around $23.24 and $40+ from National Skin Centre (NSC). To really find out more, you should consult a doctor.
The most cost saving method is to go polyclinic get a referral letter to NSC. Without referral letter, NSC consultation fees are quite expensive. NSC do sell Minxodil and Propecia cheaper than most places and they do provide prescription.