Of course many people choose not to use drugs to treat conditions, because they want to avoid the use of chemicals and their possible side effects. In this case, there are several treatments in existence that have been found to block the production of DHT and thus work similarly to topical monoxidil products. As mentioned earlier, Saw Palmetto has been used effectively to block DHT in the treatment of prostatic disease, and is now being explored for its effectiveness in stimulating hair growth. Traditionally it has been used by herbalists to stimulate hair growth effectively. Nettles, usually taken in the form of Nettle Root Extract has shown itself to be effective in preventing hair loss as well. More information on these was covered in the section called Natural Hair Remedies.

Prescription Drug Treatments

            While topical solutions such as Rogaine® brand monoxidil have been used to treat hair loss, Propecia® brand Finasteride by Merck & Company, Inc. is the only FDA approved pill approved for the prevention of hair loss and possible hair re-growth. Like Rogaine®, Propecia® was discovered when its generic equivalent being used for another purpose was found to have beneficial side effects. Finasteride is the generic name for the drug, which was already in existence for quite some time and had been produced under the name Proscar® by Merck & Company and used for treatment of enlarged prostates, a syndrome medically called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is caused by an overproduction of DHT, which causes the prostate to grow. Many BHP patients were also suffering with MPB, and when patients began taking Proscar®, they noticed the re-growth of hair also. This sparked new testing and the birth of Propecia® as a hair restoration drug. The approval of Propecia® by the FDA was easy to achieve, since it was merely marketing already approved Finasteride as a hair restoration drug, with a much smaller dosage than that required for BPH.

Propecia® is being prescribed by doctors to some patients as an oral treatment to internally block the production of DHT. Propecia is an androgen hormone inhibitor only approved for men, and has been clinically proven to grow hair on a significant percentage of men who suffer with Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) or more properly androgenetic alopecia. Unfortunately, the drug has not been approved for use by women at this time. This is especially true for women who are pregnant or can become pregnant, because the process of inhibiting testosterone from being converted to DHT can affect secondary sex characteristics of unborn fetuses.