This web page was produced as an assignment for Gen677 at UW-Madison Spring 2009.
Treatments Available
To date there have been three chemical compounds showing promise in the prevention of hair loss. Any balding individual must understand that these compounds to not lead to hair regeneration, they do however help prevent continuing hair loss. Ironically each of the three drugs was originally designed for other treatments, but ended up showing positive effects on hair loss.
Minoxidil
Ask any common person what minoxidil is and they might tell you its a new flavor of pickle. Ask them what Rogaine is and they will be quick to tell you all about the hair loss treatment. Minoxidil was originally released as the drug Loniten by the UpJohn company as a treatment for high blood pressure. It quickly became the first ever FDA approved treatment for hair-loss(1). An interesting note is that minoxidil is highly toxic to cats(2). So all you balding feline fanatics be careful!!
Finasteride
Originally used as a treatment for enlarged prostrate glands, this SRD5A2 inhibitor showed a unique "side effect". It actually seemed to prevent hair loss. After many clinical trials, the FDA approved it for baldness treatment. Merck currently has a patent on this application (until 2013) and markets it as Propecia. A stern warning on the website however to pregnant mothers. Since SRD5A2 is so involved in the androgenic developmental pathway, exposure to the drug will cause male sexual organ development abnormalities.
Dutasteride
This final drug is designed for treatment of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) and is not officially FDA approved for treatment of Hair loss. The drug is approved for treating BPH and is marketed under the name Avodart. it acts by inhibiting both forms of 5AR. GlaxoSmithKline is the company currently producing this chemical and even claims on their website that it shows "better DHT suppression" than its Merck counterparts. Even though they have no FDA approval for hair loss treatment, they also indicate that it may be "used for purposes other than those listed in the medication guide", ie for hair loss.
Genetic Testing
If you knew you were going to be bald in ten years, would you alter your life know? Well maybe you haven't thought about it, but it is now a reality to know if you harbor the genetics of male pattern baldness. HairDX will test a sample of your DNA for a variants of the androgen receptor gene and determined if you are likely to become bald.
The company also offers a test for female pattern baldness. A female DNA sample is a analyzed and a CAG repeat score is computed. A lower CAG score is indicative of higher risk for balding. The website claims that only 2.3% of women with a CAG score of 15 or lower do NOT show signs of hair loss.
References
1. www.minoxidil.com
2. www.showcatsonline.com/x/minoxidil.shtml
3. Merck & Co.: Propecia
4. GlaxoSmithKline: Dutasteride
5. HairDX
