Regaine vs Minoxidil vs Propecia vs Finasteride

Hair loss is a common problem among both males and females, but it mostly prevails in men and is mostly a result of androgenic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness. It affects nearly 70% of men. Male pattern baldness produces a receding hairline at temporal areas and causes thinning of hair on top of the head. There are numerous factors that are responsible for hair loss including inheritance, malnutrition and environmental pollution. Several diseases like thyroid disorder also contribute to hair loss.

Male pattern baldness is a result of a hormonal change. There is a slow procedure that occurs in which the hairs are first converted into thin hairs and ultimately resulting in no hairs. The male hormone testosterone is converted into dihydrotestosterone, which affects the hair follicles disturbing the growth of hairs.

 

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Types of hair loss:

There are many types of hair loss. Some of the common types are

  • Alopecia Areata
  • Involution Alopecia
  • Hypotrichosis
  • Scalp Folliculitis
  • Anagen Effluvium
  • Trichotillomania
  • Telogen Effluvium

The hair loss can start at different ages due to different reasons. Various hair loss treatments are available in the market these days. Some of them are sold under brand names while others are a generic version of the same drug. Generic drugs are copies of drugs that are sold under a specific brand name of a company (containing same active ingredient). Both must pass the same standards in term of quality, safety, dosage, administrative form and effectiveness. The only difference can be of inactive ingredients but packaging, storage, testing methods all are having the same criteria for approval to be sold in the market.
A few of them in comparison to each other is discussed below in the article.

Regaine:

Regaine is widely used medicine to help men regrow hair on their scalp. Although, the exact mechanism of action of Regaine is not known but possibly dilates the blood vessels in the scalp area. This dilation helps in improving the growth of hairs by stimulating the follicles. Regaine is not a permanent hair regrowth solution. For effective results, you must use the product on a continuous basis.

The usual dose of Regaine:

In solution form, apply 1 ml of liquid on the scalp on affected areas twice a day. In foam form, a capful should be applied at the affected areas twice a day.
If you miss the dose, try to apply it as soon as possible but do not overdose the medicine to make up the missed dose as it may be harmful.
Try to avoid eyes, face and nasal contact with the medicine, as well as avoid using other skin products on the affected areas while using Rogaine.

Limitations of Regaine:

There are a few limitations regarding the benefits of Regaine. A few of them are discussed below.
Rogaine works only if it is applied on a continuous routine basis. Sometimes it becomes difficult for the people to keep up the routine on daily basis. Furthermore, the results are not obvious for as long as three months and once you discontinue the use of the product, the hair loss becomes worse than it was before. The effects of the drug dissipate very quickly after discontinuation. The newly formed hairs may fall out very rapidly.
Rogaine is a bit complicated regarding its use. Various precautionary measures must be taken by the user to get the required effects. There is a list of dos’ and do not to make Rogaine best suitable for you. A lot of care is needed like time management while using dying, perming and other hair treatments after use of Rogaine. If proper care is not adopted, then the results may get affected.
Rogaine is not effective for everyone and every kind of hair loss. Its selective effects on the selective type of hair loss in men and women make it a less good choice.

Side Effects of Regaine:

Regaine has various side effects. Immediately seek for medical help if you experience any of these side effects for a longer duration. The side effects can be a bit problematic if the medicine enters the bloodstream. Few common side effects of Regaine are

  • Allergy-like symptoms (shortness of breath, swelling on lips, face etc)
  • Scalp irritation
  • Excessive facial hairs growth
  • Irregular heartbeats
  • Rapid weight gain
  • A headache
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Flushing
  • Change in colour and texture of hairs

Usually, Regaine does not show any kind of interaction with other medicines due to its topical application. Even then it is necessary to consult your doctor about all other medicines you take like multivitamins, heart medicines or any other.

 

Minoxidil:

Minoxidil belongs to the antihypertensive vasodilator medicines. It is mostly used as a hair loss treatment despite its various other medical uses. It is available over the counter as a generic medicine and is used in the treatment of androgenic alopecia.
Minoxidil is helpful in promoting hair growth in men as well as women. About 40% of men feel satisfied and started growing lost hairs just in a mere time of 3-6 months. The drug should be used on a continual basis to have maximum effects and good hair regrowth.
Minoxidil is the generic version of Rogaine. As the active ingredient is the same in both the drugs, therefore, the question arises that what is the difference in both? Basically, both the drugs are different regarding the active ingredients and the method of application or use of the product. Another point is that the generic version is usually a bit cheaper. A person can choose any product in consultation with his doctor to find the best suitable option for him.
The minoxidil basically acts as a potassium channel opener leading to hyperpolarization of cell membranes. It allows the transport of oxygen, various other nutrients and blood into the hair follicles due to a widening of blood vessels and an opening of potassium channels. This results in the conversion of the telogen phase into a new anagen phase i.e. the growth phase.
Minoxidil is not effective for persons having a large-scale hair loss. Its effectiveness is mostly observed in younger men having hair loss less than for 5 years. In addition, Minoxidil is only indicated for use only in case of vertex hair loss.

Side effects of Minoxidil:

Minoxidil is usually well tolerated in most of the person s using the drug. Even then it has few side effects that are quite common among men using the drug.

  • The unwanted growth of hairs on the body
  • Burning and itching sensation in eyes and treated areas respectively
  • Alopecia or hair loss exacerbation
  • Severe allergic reactions (including rashes, difficulty breathing, tightness of chest, swelling of tongue, mouth, face, lips etc
  • Tachycardia
  • Sudden weight gain
  • A headache
  • Dryness of scalp

There are few other side effects also but those are quite rare and are not common. If you experience any of these side effects, consult your doctor for proper advice.

Propecia:

Propecia is used for the treatment of hair thinning on the scalp area of men. It is mostly used for the treatment of pattern hair loss on vertex and interior scalp area. It is a quite common problem among men leading to hair loss or balding on top of the head.
Propecia belongs to the class of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor. It converts the testosterone into dihydrotestosterone in males. It should never be used by women and children. It has a danger of being absorbed by the skin and can be dangerous.

Side Effects of Propecia:

Like other drugs, Propecia also has a few side effects.

  • Loss of interest in sex or Impotence
  • Failure in having an orgasm
  • Premature Ejaculation
  • Swelling in hands or feet
  • Weakness
  • A headache
  • Irritation or skin rashes
  • Tenderness of breast

The side effects of Propecia are timely and reduced with time. Sometimes the sexual effects of a drug may persist even after discontinuation of medicine. In that case, it is must for the person taking Propecia to consult his doctor.

Propecia & Finasteride

From: £17.99

 

Finasteride:

Finasteride is the generic version of the drug sold under the names of Propecia or Proscar. it is available in the dose of 1mg or 5mg. Finasteride 1mg is indicated for the treatment of hair loss in males. It is known to stabilize the androgenic alopecia in males of all ages. It is not recommended for use in children and women. Finasteride can cause a damage to a foetus if taken by pregnant mothers. Continuous use of Finasteride can increase the benefits.
A dose of 1mg daily is recommended in oral form. It can be taken with or without water. Increased dose has not proved to increase the effects of the drug.

What is the difference between Finasteride and Propecia:

The basic formulation of Finasteride or Propecia is same i.e. both contain Finasteride as the active ingredient in a quantity of 1mg. Then what is the difference? As mentioned above both the drugs are different in terms of their inactive ingredients or excipients in other words. These excipients are required for tablet binding and other formulation needs. They have nothing to do with the therapeutic efficacy of the drug.
On a theoretical basis, these two drugs are same but generally in many cases men find one formulation better than other and choose their preferences accordingly. It solely depends on their body chemistry. Another factor that can affect the suggestion of the drug is the cost of the medicine. Usually, the generic versions of the drug are a bit cheaper as compared to the patent drug. Although there is not a very big difference in price of Finasteride as compared to Propecia, even a small difference can add up a large sum when paid on a regular basis. Therefore, many men switch the drug from patent version to Finasteride over a period of time. Most of them do not find any complication or side effects and find Finasteride the same effectiveness.
Most of the pharmacy’s sale both the versions of the drug. it’s an independent decision to choose what suits you are taken by you or your health practitioner according to circumstances.
Assured Pharmacy is concerned about your health as well as financial matters, therefore it sells the high-quality Finasteride 1mg drug to give you the best therapeutic results. You can completely rely on our experts for quality dispensed medicine.

 

Which gives the Better Results?

Propecia, as well as generic Finasteride both, give results only if taken on a regular basis. It is also recommended to take the drug at a specific time every day. These drugs show better results in men who start using drugs at an earlier stage of baldness instead of after extreme hair loss.
Few men find better results when using medicine in a combination with other hair loss treatments like Rogaine or Minoxidil. Other hair products like anti-dandruff shampoos containing ketoconazole also see effective in improving the results.
Conclusively, all hair loss treatments have various pros and cons. Sometimes one hair loss treatments are effective for a person, but it does not give any satisfactory results in other men. So which hair loss treatment is better for you depends on your hair loss type, the reason behind it and other physical factors like the environment in which you work or spend most of the time and your age. Therefore, to find a suitable hair loss treatment the only method that can be used by you in consultation with your pharmacist or doctor is basically a hit and trial method.

 

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References:

  1. https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB01216
  2. https://reference.medscape.com/drug/propecia-proscar-Finasteride-342824
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3481923/
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finasteride
  5. www.chm.bris.ac.uk/…/Finasteride/Finasteride%20(Propecia)%20-%20Feature%20Mol…

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