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Avacor



 
 
Avacor is the brand name of a line of products designed for both men and women to treat hair loss. The entire Avacor brand is marketed as a baldness treatment; however, Avacor's physician's topical formula is the only Avacor product containing the FDA approved drug minoxidil
Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a vasodilator medication known for its ability to slow or stop baldness and promote hair regrowth. It is available Over-the-counter drug for treatment of androgenic alopecia, among other baldness treatments, but measurable changes disappear within months after discontinuation of treatment....
, proven to regrow hair. Avacor's topical solution for men consists of 5% Minoxidil; Avacor's topical solution for women consists of 2% Minoxidil.

drug to combat hair loss
Baldness

Baldness involves the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or "male pattern baldness" that occurs in adult male humans and other species....
, the most common side effect is itchy scalp.






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Avacor is the brand name of a line of products designed for both men and women to treat hair loss. The entire Avacor brand is marketed as a baldness treatment; however, Avacor's physician's topical formula is the only Avacor product containing the FDA approved drug minoxidil
Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a vasodilator medication known for its ability to slow or stop baldness and promote hair regrowth. It is available Over-the-counter drug for treatment of androgenic alopecia, among other baldness treatments, but measurable changes disappear within months after discontinuation of treatment....
, proven to regrow hair. Avacor's topical solution for men consists of 5% Minoxidil; Avacor's topical solution for women consists of 2% Minoxidil.

Side effects of Minoxidil

As a drug to combat hair loss
Baldness

Baldness involves the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or "male pattern baldness" that occurs in adult male humans and other species....
, the most common side effect is itchy scalp. In some cases Minoxidil may initially cause an increase in hair loss.

There have been cases of allergic reactions to minoxidil or the non-active ingredient propylene glycol which is found in some forms of the topical version, such as Rogaine. Large amounts of minoxidil can cause hypotension
Hypotension

In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. This is best understood as a physiologic state, rather than a disease....
, and it has been found that using petroleum jelly
Petroleum jelly

Petroleum jelly, petrolatum or soft paraffin is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons , originally promoted as a topical ointment for its healing properties....
 or tretinoin
Tretinoin

Tretinoin is the acid form of vitamin A and so also known as all-trans retinoic acid or ATRA. It is a drug commonly used to treat acne vulgaris and keratosis pilaris....
 on the scalp with minoxidil can cause too much of the drug absorption by the scalp, as can using the drug on sunburned scalps.

If a person uses minoxidil to stop hair loss for a length of time and then stops taking the drug, hair loss will occur again.

Other side effects include:
  • acne
    Acne vulgaris

    Acne vulgaris is a skin condition caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units . Severe acne is inflammation, but acne can also manifest in noninflammatory forms....
     on the area where it is being used as a topical solution
  • headaches and/or lightheadedness
  • very low blood pressure
  • irregular or fast heart beat
  • blurred vision
  • chest pain


All the side effects in the above list except for acne may be an indicator that too much of the drug is being used.

It has also been found that the drug can be passed from a mother to a child via breast milk
Breast milk

Breast milk refers to the milk produced by a mother to feed her baby. It provides the primary source of nutrition for newborns before they are able to eat and digest other foods; older infants and toddlers may continue to be breastfeeding....
.

Other FDA Approved Hair Loss Treatments

The only other FDA approved hair loss treatment is Finasteride
Finasteride

Finasteride is a synthetic antiandrogen which acts by inhibiting type II 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone ....
, whose drug trade names include Propecia and Proscar. In a study on the effectiveness of the various treatments for hair loss, it has been shown that the combination of topical Minoxidil and Finasteride produced better results than using either topical Minoxidil or Finasteride alone.

However, the FDA has determined that Finasteride is not for pregnant women (Finasteride is categorized in pregnancy category
Pregnancy category

The pregnancy category of a medication agent is an assessment of the risk of fetal injury due to the pharmaceutical, if it is used as directed by the mother during pregnancy....
 X) and in general use, Finasteride may cause the following side effects: allergic reactions including rash, itching, hives, and swelling of the lips and face; problems with ejaculation; breast tenderness and enlargement; and testicular pain.discharge.

See also


  • Baldness
    Baldness

    Baldness involves the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or "male pattern baldness" that occurs in adult male humans and other species....
  • Baldness treatments
    Baldness treatments

    More than half of men are affected by male pattern baldness by age 50, and baldness treatments are estimated to be a US $1 billion per year industry....
  • Dihydrotestosterone
    Dihydrotestosterone

    Dihydrotestosterone While DHT is best known for its roles in causing male pattern hair loss and prostate problems, it is crucial to virilization and is necessary to mitigate estrogen's effects in men....
  • Minoxidil
    Minoxidil

    Minoxidil is a vasodilator medication known for its ability to slow or stop baldness and promote hair regrowth. It is available Over-the-counter drug for treatment of androgenic alopecia, among other baldness treatments, but measurable changes disappear within months after discontinuation of treatment....


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