Aldactone for Hair Loss
Healthy hair not only enhance one's beauty, but they are also indicators of good health. Many a time, hair problems such as premature graying of hair, thinning hair and hair loss are caused due to the poor lifestyle choices we make. If one doesn't follow a healthy diet, one may experience hair problems due to nutritional deficiencies. Stress or hormonal imbalance are common contributory factors for hair loss. Treating the underlying cause may help in preventing hair loss. The use of prescription drugs, nutritional supplements or medicated hair care products may be suggested. Spironolactone, also known as aldactone, is one such drug that is used for treating pattern hair loss and growth of excessive facial hair caused due to increased production of androgens. Due to its anti-androgenic effects, it is also used to treat acne. Here's some information on the use of aldactone for hair loss.
How Does Aldactone Work
Aldactone is basically a potassium-sparing water pill which is used for the removal of excess fluid from the blood stream and tissues. Since it also inhibits aldosterone, it is also used for the treatment of high blood pressure and hypertension. Since it is an anti-androgen, it can also be used for treating female hair loss. Let me tell you how it works. Though testosterone is essentially a male hormone, it is also present in women in small amounts. When the levels of hormones fluctuate due to menopause or any other reasons, the levels of estrogen declines. Estrogen is mainly responsible for blocking the androgens and preventing them from binding to the receptors in hair follicles. When there is a dip in the levels of estrogen, the testosterone levels increase. This causes an increase in the levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Once testosterone is converted into DHT, it binds together with the androgen receptors and causes pattern hair loss or androgenetic alopecia in women. Since this drug is an anti-androgen, it competes with DHT and blocks it from binding to the androgen receptors in hair follicles. Thus, when applied topically or consumed in the form of tablets, it prevents the receptors in the hair follicles from interacting with androgens.
Is it Safe to Use Aldactone?
When doctors feel that hair loss is caused due to effects of androgens, they might recommend the use of hormone replacement therapy or prescribe anti-androgens such as aldactone for preventing hair loss. If they do, make sure that you tell your doctor regarding any other medicines that you might be using. Doctors generally don't recommend the use of aldactone for the treatment of hair loss in men. It is believed that the use of this drug might lead to a decreased sex drive, breast enlargement or even impotence. Though this drug may be recommended for treating hair loss in women, it could cause certain side effects. If you experience any side effects such as abdominal cramps, rash on the scalp, kidney problems, allergic reactions, inflamed stomach, bleeding from the stomach and duodenum, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea or hives, discontinue its use and consult your doctor immediately. Since aldactone is a diuretic which minimizes the loss of potassium, its use can lead to fluctuation in the levels of potassium. Too much potassium in the body could cause a medical condition called hyperkalemia. High levels of potassium could cause symptoms such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, weak or irregular heartbeat, muscle pain or cramps.
This was some information on the effects of using aldactone for the treatment of thinning hair or hair loss. Since this drug could cause certain side effects, it must be used under medical supervision only. If you are not too keen on using this anti-androgen drug, you can consider other treatment options. The option of getting hair transplant is available to both men and women. Since nutritional deficiencies and stress could be responsible for triggering this problem, make sure that you follow a healthy diet and stay stress-free. Always use good quality hair care products.
