Hair Restoration Blog

What is Saw Palmetto?

Saw Palmetto is an extract of the fruit of Serenoa Repens. It is rich in fatty acids and phytosterols. It has been used in alternative medicine for a variety of indications, most notably benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Indications:

Prostate treatment

Saw Palmetto has also been used in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition known by enlarged prostate size to the degree that it makes urinating difficult.

Hair loss prevention

The role of Saw Palmetto in hair loss prevention has also been documented. Saw Palmetto is one of the few effective herbal treatments that can reverse hair loss process in some people to some degree and slow down the process of  balding in men. Saw Palmetto bio active ingredients prevent conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

That is how Saw Palmetto helps to stop the process of balding on the hair follicle level. It can help increase the thickness of miniaturized hair and make them grow longer. The Saw Palmetto effect is comparable to finasteride or other DHT blockers by mechanism. Saw Palmetto is available in oil extract for topical use on scalp or as pills used for prostate enlargement treatment.

Q:

Hi Dr. Mohebi,

I had asked you some question about Finasteride 1 mg. I am still hesitating to re-take it. I came across a product named Procerin. Do you suggest it? Does it work in a different way compared to Finasteride 1 mg. What are the side effects and efficiency with respect to Finasteride?

Regards,
Patient’s name

A:

Procerin is a mix of several elements such as some herbal, vitamin and minerals. To be more precise the ingredient formula of Procerin tablets includes:

• Saw Palmetto Berries (which is an herbal DHT blocker)
• Gotu Kola
• Nettles
• Magnesium
• Zinc Sulfate
• Eleuthero Root
• Vitamin B-6
• Pumpkin Seed Meal
• Muira Puma Root

Procerin XT Topical Serum ingredients include:

• Gamma Linolenic Acid
• Grape Seed Extract
• Azelaic Acid
• Saw Palmetto Extract
• Avocado Oil
• Nettle Extract

We know that pattern hair loss is not due to lack of vitamins or minerals so you really should not take those components on a regular basis. Out of the herbal components of Procerin the only ingredient that is known to help the stop hair loss is the Saw Palmetto extract that has DHT blocking activities. The effect of Saw Palmetto (topical or systemic) in comparison with finasteride is not studied extensively. I should say the same thing about its side effects that are not evaluated as in depth as finasteride so I do not recommend it regularly for my patients. However if you cannot take finasteride for any reason Saw Palmetto might be an alternative.