Finasteride

Finasteride is a prescribed drug. This drug is an approved form of medication mainly for males. The drug helps in the treatment of BEP or benign enlargement of the prostate and in male pattern baldness. For those who take the drug for the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia, results will usually show in the first few weeks. For most males, however, the results of Finasteride will show after about six months. Research on Finasteride for the treatment of male pattern baldness has been proven effective since a large percent of males and females had seen results of hair growth after a few months.

There are other uses for Finasteride. Even though the drug is approved by the food and drug association, it is approved on for specific treatments. Off the label use of the drug is not advised nor is it prescribed. For one, pregnant women should not come in contact with the drug. The drug is off limits to women who are nursing and those who intend to have children due to the effects that it may cause in the development of the male organs of a fetus. The drug is also not prescribed for those who are undergoing a sex change. Transsexuals are now using Finasteride as a form of hormone blockers. Since the drug stops the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone or androgen. Androgen is a female hormone and this would cause problems in a male’s system.

Finasteride is a hormone stopper; it is considered an androgen antagonist because it stops the conversion of the male hormone from changing into a dihydrotestosterone. Side effects are highly susceptible to those who try using the drug off its label. Some of the side effects are arousal problems and emotional problems. Males who use the product have been shown to have erectile dysfunction. Though there is a small percentage of people that actually have experienced sexual arousal problems these side effects are still considered probable effects to those who take the drug.

Finasteride may also cause emotional problems in those who take the drug because it will mess with the hormones levels in the body. Finasteride is an effective drug; however, it does have side effects that may or may not show in all users of the drug. This is the reason why the drug has to be taken under prescription. Doctors will know the amount needed for treatment, when used off label a user will not be able to take the right dosage needed because they are not aware of what the drug may do. Some other effects that may result in taking the drug is gynecomastia or the enlargement of the breasts in males. This is rather a rare side effect though some males have come across such a side effect when taking the drug. Off label intake of Finasteride is highly unadvisable as it is a strong drug. The drug can cause side effects that cannot be prevented when taken in the wrong dosages. Always consult with a doctor first.

Male pattern baldness is hereditary. If you see your father balding at a certain age then you know that it is just a matter of time until you start going bald. The scientific term for male pattern baldness is Androgenic alopecia. Men are mostly susceptible to this hereditary disease though forty percent of women may also have this problem. Male pattern baldness or Androgenic alopecia is hair loss. Hair loss happens when the hair follicles become dormant.

Finasteride is one of the treatments for male pattern baldness. Baldness can be prevented by stopping the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. The Finasteride drug converts the male hormone into dihydrotestosterone. Studies have been made to show the affectivity of the product on men that were going bald. The studies showed that those who tried the product grew hair, while those who did not went bald. This is why Finasteride is a Food and Drug Association approved treatment.

The drug is safe and approved by researchers and tagged as an effective product however there are side effects that have been recorded by males who have tried the drug. Some of the side effects were:

•Sexual side effects
•Emotional problems

Sexual side effects usually take effect on that of males who apply this for another use. In this case, the side effects are not common for those who use Finasteride for male pattern baldness. Researchers have gathered information that a low percentage of males who tried that product have had side effects. 5.9 percent of males had emotional problems such as:
•Depression
•Anxiety

Other than these symptoms they have also experienced gynecomastia or the enlargement of the breasts in males. Some researchers have come by patients that had severe side effects to the drug that have caused them to have suicidal tendencies due to emotional instability. Since Finasteride is a drug that converts testosterone to a dihydrotestosterone enzyme, hormonal imbalance takes place in the body. Hormonal imbalance causes a person to have increased or heightened emotional tendencies. This can be related to transsexuals that undergo hormone enhancers.

Finasteride is a converter drug and because of this it is sometimes used for hormone replacement treatments. These treatments are better known as those done for transsexuals that undergo hormone blockers so that they do develop male body structure frame, voice and body hair that males do have. Hence, due to the conversion qualities that the drug Finasteride has, many transsexuals take the drug as a hormone blocker. However since side effects have occurred to those who use this as a hormone blocker, this drug is not considered as a drug to be used for sexual change purposes. The effects are usually emotional since it tackles the normal secretion of glands, which in turn creates extreme emotions. These emotions are even more intense in transsexuals who are within their puberty age since this is the time where drastic hormonal changes and body developments take place. Finasteride for transsexual use is an off label product since it is not advised to be used in that way.