Alternatives to Propecia for Hair Loss

Non-surgical treatments

There are two mainstream non-surgical prescription treatments for hair loss. Propecia is one, the other, is topical Minoxidil. Minoxidil is available in the UK under the brand name Regaine. Regaine comes as a solution or a gel.

Regaine can be bought from pharmacies without a prescription, although it may be cheaper to buy it on prescription through an online clinic website.

Regaine comes in a standard strength of 2% and as extra strength 5% which is suitable only for men. Regaine is applied directly to the scalp and works by stimulation the circulation around the hair follicles.

Regaine can be used in men in combination with Propecia.

Surgical hair loss treatments

There are various surgical procedures involving transferring multiple small plugs of hair from areas where hair growth is plentiful to areas where it is sparse. These procedures are usually expensive (often costing thousands), time consuming and sometimes painful. They are however widely promoted and said by some to be effective.

Treatments of dubious efficacy

Injections into the scalp are unlikely to restore lost hair. Various lotions and potions applied to the scalp that are said to stimulate the scalp are not of proven efficacy.

Vitamin tablets and supplement type medications that might claim to be good for the hair are not of proven value in preventing hair loss or restoring hair.

If there were safe drugs that had a proven affect of preventing hair loss or re-growing lost hair this would be of enormous commercial value. Any such drug would be licensed for supply on prescription. The fact that Propecia and Regaine are the only such drugs is telling. The claims made for the efficacy of other substances are presumably bogus.

Hair loss and scalp disease

Most hair loss takes place in perfectly healthy people, often young men, whose scalps are not diseased.

Dandruff is not associated with hair loss unless it is extremely severe and associated with redness, inflammation and itching of the scalp. Where dandruff is a problem a medicated shampoo, either of the older type containing tar derivatives or of the newer anti-fungal type, will often reduce the dandruff. However, the reduction in dandruff is very unlikely to have an affect on hair growth.

Homeopathic and alternative treatments

These are unlikely to work and are unlikely to be harmful; except to the wallet.

Propecia is a patented drug developed and manufactured by the Merck pharmaceutical company. It is not available as a cheaper generic drug.

Complete a medical consultation for Propecia tablets online with Dr Fox. Propecia tablets supplied from RPSGB registered NHS pharmacy in the UK.