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Saw Palmetto Verses Propecia for Hair Loss - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Question:

Can / does saw palmetto work the same as Propecia?

Answer:

Finasteride, the active ingredient in Propecia and saw palmetto, the active ingredient in a few popular hair loss treatment options such as Avacor, Provillus, and Procerin are both said to inhibit and block DHT, the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness.

What's important to consider however, is that finasteride has been clinically tested, proven, and FDA approved to stop hair loss whereas saw palmetto hasn't been formally tested to treat baldness. There are also no regulations on herbal medications in the United States so the suggested daily value of saw palmetto hair loss is taken from the clinical study on benign prostatic hyperplasis (BPH) or an enlarged prostate. The theory therefore is that if it can successfully treat BPH like finasteride, it must also be able to treat alopecia.

In all my research, I can find many real patient before/after photos and testimonies of success with Propecia however, I'm sorry to say that there aren't so many glowing reviews with saw palmetto.

Bill (Falceros) - Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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