Hair Today-Not Gone Tomorrow

Nothing is more devastating to men than erectile dysfunction, inability to father a child, or losing the hair on their heads. Hair loss is a natural part of the cycle of hair growth. Each hair on your head will grow for two to three years before it starts a resting phase. At that time, it begins to fall out. Typically, about 90 percent of your hair is growing at any given time and about 10 percent is resting. That makes regular hair loss minimal and even difficult to notice.
When hair loss becomes excessive, resulting in thinning hair or bald patches on the scalp, factors other than the natural cycle of hair growth and loss are responsible.

Although hair loss is often associated with men of a certain age, it can affect men and women of any age. Hair loss can range from a receding hairline to thinning hair to complete hair loss. Hair loss can also affect eyelashes and eyebrows.
The medical name for hair loss is alopecia. There are several different types of alopecia including:
Alopecia areata, thought to be an autoimmune condition
Androgenetic alopecia, or hereditary hair loss
Cicatricial alopecia, caused by scar tissue in the hair follicles, for which the exact cause is poorly understood.

Abnormal or excessive hair loss can be caused by factors such as:
Major stress or trauma—an illness or undergoing a major surgery
Fungal infections like ringworm
Diabetes
Lupus
Anemia
Emotional stress
Eating disorders or nutritional deficiencies including protein and iron
Changes in hormone levels caused by thyroid disease
Changes in hormone levels caused by pregnancy or menopause
Side effects of medications including anticoagulants, antidepressants, birth control pills, and heart medications
Excessive vitamin A intake
Trichotillomania, a condition that causes people to pull out their hair
Genes, which can account for hereditary hair loss and hair thinning
Chemotherapy and other treatments for cancer
Hair damage from harsh chemicals/dyes used for styling

Oral, injected, and topical medications can help stop hair loss and promote new hair growth. Minoxidil is an over-the-counter topical hair treatment, and finasteride is a prescription topical medication. Other treatment options may include:
Corticosteroid injections
Anthralin and sulfasalazine, two psoriasis medications
Immune system suppressors such as cyclosporine
Spironolactone
Laser treatments
Photochemotherapy
Transplanting hair
Removing hairless sections of the scalp (scalp reduction), then expanding the scalp to stretch skin with healthy hair growth
Replacing bald areas with parts of the scalp with healthy hair growth (scalp flaps)
You can also take steps to mask hair loss and balding spots. You may want to try a new hairstyle or experiment with fashion accessories such as scarves, hats, or even a wig. Some men opt to shave their entire head for a new look. Don’t forget that your exposed scalp is vulnerable to sunburn and sun damage, so protect this skin with sunscreen and a hat any time you’re outdoors.
If you’re having trouble coping with the effects of hair loss, there are support groups available for both men and women; participating either in person or online can be helpful for dealing with the emotional aspects of this situation.

Bottom Line: This is a common problem affecting many American men. You don’t have to wear a toupee, a wig, or use a comb over as a solution. See your doctor.

See more at: http://touro.staywellsolutionsonline.com/YourFamily/Men/HealthIssues/Conditions/1,4548#sthash.WTHwU48K.dpuf

Propecia May Make More Than Your Hair Fall

Propecia containing finasteride is used for controlling male pattern baldness or hair loss. New data is now appearing that suggests that the use of Propecia may result in sexual side effects such as erectile dysfunction or impotence, decreased libido or sex drive, and male infertility. Even after discontinuing the use of Propecia, the side effects can last for up to three months.

What is more frightening is that a study from Sweden showed that users of Propecia could experience permanent erectile dysfunction. In 2012, the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that almost 96 percent of men reported some Propecia sexual dysfunction for more than a year after usage, and 20 percent experienced sexual side effects for more than six years.
So what is man who is losing his hair to do? I suggest that you speak to your primary care physician or your dermatologist and discuss these side effects. If you are currently taking the medication and are experiencing sexual side effects such as decreased libido or erectile dysfunction, I suggest you consider discounting the medication.

Hair Today, Sex Gone Tomorrow-Sexual Side Effects Of Propecia

Would You Rather Be Bald Or Impotent?

For more than 15 years Propecia (finasteride) has been prescribed for men for treating male pattern baldness. Now new research documented that the drug is associated with sexual side effects including erectile dysfunction (ED), decrease in libido, and decrease in orgasms. This article will discuss the new research and what you need to know if you are taking or planning to take Propecia.

Male Pattern Baldness

Researchers from George Washington University interviewed 54 men under age 40 who reported side effects for three months or more after taking Propecia. None of the men reported having any sexual, medical or psychiatric problems before they took the drug. Some of the men took the drug for a few weeks, others took it for years, but all of them reported side effects such as erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual drive, problems with orgasms, shrinking and painful genitals, even some neurological problems, such as depression, anxiety and mental fogginess. The side effects lasted for up to a year after stopping the use of Propecia.

In normal men testosterone is converted to DHT and the DHT is responsible for male pattern hair loss. Propecia works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Initially finasteride, the active ingredient in Propecia, was originally developed in 1992 by drug giant Merck as a treatment for men with enlarged prostate glands and sold as the drug Proscar. Propecia was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1997, and at that time Merck noted that a few men reported sexual side effects during clinical trials of the drug.

In 2011, the FDA mandated a label change for Propecia and Proscar, the drug used to treat benign enlargement of the prostate gland, warning that some patients reported erectile dysfunction that lasted after patients stopped taking it; in April, the agency updated the label to include reports of libido, ejaculation and orgasm disorders.
But researchers say many physicians who prescribe finasteride are likely not aware that the side effects of the drug may haunt patients for years.

So what should a young man with early hair loss do?
First, more research will likely be needed before doctors can know for sure that the symptoms are completely attributed to the drug. At the present time doctors have no way of knowing which patients will suffer the long-term side effects. It’s possible that an unknown genetic factor drives how individual men respond to the drug.

Erectile dysfunction is more than just testosterone. There are so many things that go into the male erectile response. You have to be very careful before you attribute it to one cause, like Propecia.

Although there are doctors who would not advise men to take this drug to treat a cosmetic problem like hair loss, many physicians continue to prescribe Propecia.

Bottom Line: I think each man needs to have a discussion with his physician about the sexual side effects of Propecia before taking the medication. After all the FDA said only 36 of 945 men who took Propecia in clinical trials reported any adverse sexual side effects. The number of men who will experience these long-lasting side effects is relatively small, likely around 3 percent of all men who take the drug. Between ED and baldness-I’d rather pass on both problems!