Emory University dermatology professor Mark Ling, M.D., Ph.D., is among the researchers nationwide who conducted the pivotal Phase III clinical trials of the anti-baldness pill.
Hair loss resumes when the medication is discontinued.
Finasteride has not been tested for hair loss in older men or women. Since it may cause severe birth defects in male fetuses, women of childbearing age are warned against any exposure to Propecia, including touching broken pills. But Dr. Ling believes the drug holds promise for women who experience the hair loss that is fairly common after menopause. It does not increase bodily hair. Its effect on receding hair loss at the temples has not been established.