Hair Loss Health Center

Pride or Not, Most Men Don't Think Bald Is Beautiful

continued...

Interestingly, the same process is involved in both enlargement of prostates and in the development of acne.

In addition, some women also suffer from androgenetic alopecia, but finasteride is not approved for treating them. According to Whiting, testing has determined that the drug is not effective on postmenopausal women. Trials have not been done on women of childbearing age because it's already known that using an androgen-based drug on these women could result in birth defects in male babies.

Research goes on in search of better ways to save men's -- and women's -- pride: their hair. In fact, a number of companies are investigating drugs similar to finasteride, Whiting says.

"It's a very exciting field of research," he says. It's possible, he says, that if scientists can come up with different formulas to block DHT production, they could better treat and prevent baldness along with acne and enlarged prostates. However, he cautioned that successful therapy also could cause problems if used the wrong way.

The FDA approved finasteride for enlarged prostate treatment in 1992 and for treatment of baldness in late 1997.