Male pattern baldness.

Botanical name: 
Serenoa repens
Problems: 
Hair

To: herb.franklin.oit.unc.edu
Subject: Re: hair loss
From: Elfreem.aol.com
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 13:55:24 EST

> What is the best herbal preparations that can be applied to the scalp to aid against hair loss for women. Is there an oral supplement that can be taken for this same purpose? Thanks.

Linda, you may recall that finasteride was used for BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) but has since been approved for hair loss. The mechanism of action is inhibition of 5-alpha reductase .. the enzyme that converts testoserone to dihydrotestosterone. Recall also that saw palmetto works in the same fashion and has been shown to be as effective as finasteride for BPH symptoms. Suggestions have been made for its use in hair loss. As far as I know, there are no studies that have shown it to be effective for hair loss, but you might want to give it a try. I wouldn't be surprised if it was as effective as finasteride.

Regards,

Elliot Freeman RPh, Managing Editor
Midwest Shared Newsletter

From: Karen S Vaughan <creationsgarden.juno.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 19:25:02 -0500

>As far as I know, there are no studies that have shown it to be effective for hair loss, but you might want to give it a try. I wouldn't be surprised if it was as effective as finasteride.

Since finasteride is not useful for hair loss in women, it might make more sense to say that saw palmetto might be effective for *male* pattern baldness.

Karen Vaughan
CreationsGarden.juno.com
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Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.