Hair Loss

Alopecia is loss of hair and sometimes baldness. The commonest form is male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), which can also affect women. Both women and men can lose their hair.

Alopecia areata is another type of hair loss, involving patches of baldness that may come and go. It affects about one in 100 people - mostly teenagers and young adults, and runs in the family in one in five cases.

Alopecia areata is thought to result from a problem with the immune system. There is no proven effective treatment, but in most cases the hair grows back after about a year. One in five people with alopecia areata may go on to develop a more severe form of hair loss - alopecia totalis (no scalp hair) or alopecia universalis (no hair on the scalp and body).

In some cases, hair loss is a side effect of having cancer treatment drugs, but in many cases the hair grows back.

Hair loss can lead to problems with confidence and self-esteem.

Hair Loss Medication

PharmacyDirectGB can prescribe Propecia and Avodart for the treatment of hair loss. These medications are available through our online consultation service.

Propecia and Avodart increase hair growth on the scalp and prevent further hair loss. Male pattern hair loss is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic factors and the hormone DHT. Propecia and Avodart lower the levels of DHT in the scalp which helps to reverse the balding process.