New 5-Year Study Shows Big Hair Count Difference Between Men Taking Propecia and Those Who Did Not.
(The National Hair Journal 2002)
The men were randomized to receive either Propecia longest controlled clinical trial of a hair loss treatment ever reported showed that men who took PropeciaŠ (finasteride 1 mg) compared to men who took a placebo had a considerable difference in their hair or a placebo. The initial 12-month studies counts after five years, according to data presented at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. The new study showed a difference of 277 hairs in a one-inch diameter circle of scalp in favor of men treated with Propecia for five years (n'9) vs. those who received a placebo (n). Baseline hair counts of all men at the start of the study averaged 876 hairs in the one-inch diameter circle. "This study provides new, long-term scientific data that Propecia helped the majority of have," said Keith Kaufman, M.D., senior director, Clinical Research, Merck Research Laboratories. "The study also was the first controlled clinical trial to evaluate the course of untreated hair loss over a five-year period and to show the progressive nature of male pattern hair loss." Made by Merck & Co., Inc., Propecia is were extended on an annual basis, with only a small number of men remaining on placebo in subsequent years, as specified in the study design. Men who completed each one-year extension were given the opportunity to enroll in the next one-year extension, for up to five years. The five year data presented focused on the results of men who continued on the same therapy-either Propecia or placebo-for the entire five years. The studies assessed the efficacy of Propecia by four separate endpoints: Hair counts in a one-inch diameter circle of the scalp; assessments of "before" & "after" photographs by a panel of dermatologists; men with predominantly vertex male pat-patient questionnaires and investigator tern hair loss keep the amount of hair they assessments of changes in scalp hair growth. The effectiveness of Propecia vs., placebo was demonstrated as follows: indicated for the treatment of certain types of hair loss in men. Propecia is a once-a day treatment and is the only pill for male pattern hair loss approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The five-year data are from investigational extension studies of double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials that first demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Propecia in 1,553 men age 18 to) of men treated with Propecia (n'9) and men on placebo (n ) at the end of the five-year study rated 90 percent of men treated with Propecia as having had no further visible hair loss compared to baseline vs. 25 percent of men on placebo.
Patient questionnaires:
Questionnaires completed at five years by men on Propecia (n'4) and by men on placebo (n) showed that men treated with Propecia indicated a higher level of satisfaction with the appearance of their hair overall (63 percent vs. 20 percent), the hair on top of their heads (59 percent vs. 13 percent) and their frontal hairline (48 percent vs. 7 percent). Men treated with Propecia were more likely to say that: their bald spot was getting smaller (61 percent vs. 20 percent); the appearance of their hair had improved (77 percent vs. 40 percent); they had experienced increased hair growth (75 percent vs. 40 percent) and their hair loss had slowed (90 percent vs. 67 percent).
Investigator assessments:
Physician investigators who evaluated the men treated with Propecia (n'9) and men on placebo (n ) at the end of five years determined that 77 percent of the men treated with Propecia had increases in scalp hair, compared with 15 percent of men on placebo.
Hair count:
At the start of the studies, baseline hair counts averaged 876 hairs in a one-inch diameter area of scalp. By the end of the first year, men taking Propecia had an average of 126 more hairs than men taking placebo. This difference continued to grow, and, by the end of the fifth year, the net difference between the groups increased to 277 hairs in favor of the men taking Propecia. At the end of the fifth year, 65 percent of men taking Propecia (n'9) maintained or improved their hair count compared to their hair count at the start of the studies, while all of the men on placebo (n)
Conclusions from the 5 year study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Meeting in Washington, DC showed overall good results with Propecia. However some medical sources felt that if you don't get some results with Propecia but you do get great results, other products should be added to your hair loss arsenal. In addition, you should consider talking with your doctor about using a higher dose of finasteride.