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. 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. Propecia® works by reversing the shrinkage of hair follicles that are in the telogen phase, or last phase of the normal hair cycle. Propecia® works best in combination with topical treatments of Monoxidil such as Rogaine®. Participants in studies have seen hair grow in as little as six months, whereas those who have seen no results in a year’s time are reported not likely to see any results from the drug. Back to: Hair Care  Celebrity Hair - How to Get It 7 Great Hair Care Tips  Hair Facts and Hair Loss Basics