If you are starting to lose your hair due to male pattern baldness then you need to understand about these two drugs which have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. These are the only two currently accepted by the FDA as hair restorer treatments although others are under investigation. They fight the problem from different directions but they both are focused on the root cause which is attack of the hair follicles by DHT.
The first drug, Finasteride, is considered a DHT blocker because it actually works to limit the amount of this hormonal substance in the blood stream. DHT attacks bonds to receptors on the hair follicles, hair roots, and inhibits the flow of nutrients and oxygen. This slowly causes a decrease in the production of keratin. Keratin is the material that hair shafts are actually constructed of so this slow down causes the hair shaft to get thinner and thinner. Eventually the shaft is so thin that it breaks off and at this point the follicle can not produce more hair.
Although effective for men, Finasteride is not approved for use by females to treat pattern baldness because of the possibility that it may produce birth defects in male fetuses.
The second drug, Minoxidil, is approved for both men and women. This drug is applied to the scalp twice a day and actually protects the follicles from attack by DHT. It does this by bonding with the receptor sites on the hair roots so the hormonal substance cannot attach itself and cause the follicle to stop production.
If you are looking for a hair restoration treatment which is actually effective then talk to your doctor about these options. As stated above, if you are a female then Minoxidil for women will be the choice. Currently the strength of the solution for women is 2% active ingredients while the male strength is 5%. Many women have actually used the 5% solution with good results and with no side effects but until further studies are conducted the government is recommending the women use the lesser concentrated product.