Hair Loss Consultation & Treatment At Pharmacy2U
Pharmacy2U Affiliate Newsletter
Hair Loss Consultation & Treatment At Pharmacy2U
Male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is the most common form of hair loss in men. For some men, it can start in their 20s and occurs in 30% of men by the age of 30, and 50% of men by the age of 50. Over 6.5 million men are losing their hair. Pharmacy2U offer online consultations to help with this condition. If you are suffering from hair loss, act now and start your convenient and confidential, online hair loss consultation with a UK registered GP.
Our UK-based, GMC-registered GPs will review your online consultation details and if appropriate can provide a prescription for all treatments of hair loss and male pattern baldness including Propecia and generic finasteride (Aindeem).
Male Pattern Baldness
Male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia is hereditary and occurs when the genes and hormones in your body have a shrinking effect on your hair follicles, making them ineffective at growing new hairs. The affected hairs become thinner and lighter in colour and in time some hair follicles will stop producing new hairs. If left untreated, male pattern baldness will tend to get worse with time. Other types of hair loss (not male pattern baldness) have different causes. Alopecia areata (patches of baldness that come and go) is an autoimmune disease whereby the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles and damages them.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy used in cancer treatment can also cause hair loss from all parts of the body. Hair loss can also be caused by hormonal changes (such as the menopause in women), emotional or physical stress, illness such as a bad infection, your diet and crash dieting (a lack of iron in your diet can cause hair loss) and finally some medicines can cause hair loss. Despite being a common condition hair loss can seriously affect the confidence, and if this is the case for you then it matters.
Hair Loss Treatments
The most common licensed prescription treatment for male pattern baldness in the UK is Propecia (finasteride), which is classed as a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor. Available in just one strength - 1mg - it decreases the hormone levels in the scalp which bring about a shorter hair growth phase. Tackling the hormonal cause of this type of hair loss means that there’s every chance of further hair loss being prevented and new hair growth encouraged. The active ingredient of Propecia is now also available as a generic medicine called finasteride.
Finasteride and Aindeem contain the same active ingredient as Propecia and are used in the same way as Propecia. The Pharmacy2u Online Doctor can prescribe Aindeem (finasteride) at a much lower cost than branded Propecia.
There is also another UK licensed medicine that works in the same way as Propecia but which is not licensed for use in the treatment of male pattern baldness. For legal reasons we are unable to name this medicine, but these capsules are available through Pharmacy2U for the treatment of male pattern baldness should our doctor decide they are appropriate for you. A clinical study of over 400 men showed that this treatment can be more effective than the active ingredient of Propecia, and it can be used safely when prescribed carefully. Click here for further details.
Regaine (minoxidil) is a "Pharmacy Only" medicine licensed to treat androgenetic alopecia in both men and women. While the response on an individual to Regaine is hard to predict the effect has been assessed in a 48-week clinical trial. 60% of the men experienced increased scalp coverage after 48 weeks treatment with Regaine for Men Extra Strength and of these, around 35% experienced dense or moderate regrowth. A further 30% of men experienced no further hair loss, so a stabilisation effect was seen.
Hair transplant surgery, wigs, tattooing and the use of microfibres to give the appearance of thicker hair are all non-medical solutions. Click here to see a full range of treatments offered by Pharmacy2U.
Steroid creams and injections are used to treat alopecia areata. However, the condition is not suitable to be treated by the Pharmacy2U Online Doctor service - talk to your own GP if you think you may have this condition. Click here to find out more.