Q: I use Nizoral for my dandruff. Does it work for hair loss too?

A: The active ingredient in Nizoral is Ketoconazole. This medication, originally developed to treat fungus infections, has slight anti-androgen action. It is supposed to work in hair loss by inhibiting the action of DHT on hair follicles. Although, in theory, it should be useful for androgenetic hair loss, there have not been conclusive scientific studies to show that it works to treat balding when used as a topical application for balding.

Q: I heard that the sexual side effects of Propecia are irreversible. Is this true?

A: The sexual side effects of finasteride (Propecia) begin to subside soon after the medication is discontinued. This would make sense since the drug finasteride is a reversible inhibitor of DHT. Although it is possible for side effects to be persistent after stopping the medication, this situation seems to be very uncommon and a cause and effect relationship is still in question.

Q: I saw your post on the clinical trials of Latisse (bimatoprost) for hair loss on the scalp. What is the status of the study?

A: Allergan, the company that makes Latisse, is conducting safety and efficacy testing of three formulations of the drug for men with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). The first phase of the trials is now complete and the study has moved into phase II. In this phase, the pharmaceutical company will be studying the results of the same three formulations of the drug, but this time they will be comparing them to results of a control option and also an over-the-counter minoxidil 5% solution.

After trading anecdotes with fellow hair loss physicians about how finasteride can reduce body hair in some patients, Dr. Sharon A. Keene asked whether finasteride might have a negative affect on patients who have body hair transplant (BHT) procedures. While the current research is inconclusive, her review sheds light on how to avoid any possible negative impact that finasteride might have on patients who have body hair transplant procedures.