Month: May 2011

Dr Rassman, like many others, I keep an eye on my head every day, not liking what I see. I’ve already been on propecia for a couple of yrs, seemingly with no significant benefits. This has lead to explore other options, theories etc. That being said, I would really appreciate your thoughts on 3 things and whether they earn a spot on the list of possible contributors to hair loss. They would obviously be an aside to the most common ones ie genetic, infection related, stress

1. The first is not drinking enough water, because generally speaking there are a number of ramifications for not doing so.

2. Second one is, benefits from using a boar bristle brush with the theory being: “The other excellent feature of a boar bristle brush is the massaging effect. The hard bristles stimulate the scalp, increasing the blood flow which can be very relaxing and soothing. The stimulation of the scalp also spreads the natural oils of the scalp – the sebum through the hair and down the hair shaft. This results in smoother, healthier hair that is soft and manageable. Increasing the blood flow to the scalp has been linked to stimulating hair growth, creating thicker and longer hair as well.”

3. And last, possible benefits from “supplements” such as drinking wheatgrass or matcha based drinks, both of which seemingly have a number of overall health benefits.

Thanks very much in advance for your time and valuable input!

We have said many times that genetic hair loss is not a curable or completely reversible process. It is what you are born with. Drugs such as Propecia (finasteride) work, but in the long run your genes will catch up. I’m not sure what benefits you’re looking for from Propecia. Are you merely looking for regrowth? Or have you seen continued loss at the same pace?

1. Drinking water and hydration have nothing to do with hair loss.
2. Massaging the head with brushes do not impact hair loss (either positive or negative). Blood flow is not the issue. Your hair follicles are programmed to die due to their inherent genetic programming tied to a particular number of hair cycles.
3. I realize supplements are a big thing in our society, but it really does not impact the hair in my opinion.

Sorry for the negativity, but it is how I see it. Everyone is free to try their own remedies in hopes of stumbling on the cure.

I have been using generic rogaine for over 6 years. Recently, I have noticed the benefits taper off considerably within the last 2 or so years. In recent weeks, I have just begun treating the my thinning hair with propecia, but I never stopped using the minoxidil.

I know how the saying goes “you have to use minoxidil twice a day for life or all that is gained will be lost”. IS this still true once someone has begun a propecia treatment?

I looked online for an answer, but all of the literature relating the two products together only say “give propecia 8 mos to a year before adding minoxidil”. My problem is, I had already been using it, and there was no scenerio for that.

Thanks in advance!

You shouldn’t replace Rogaine with Propecia and expect it to maintain your Rogaine benefits. You’ll need to keep up with the Rogaine to see those benefits remain, even if they’ve tapered off.

In general, we recommend adding Rogaine about a year after starting Propecia so that the individual patient can make an educated assessment of which medication is working without having two variables. Neither medication is guaranteed to work your lifetime. In fact, they usually decrease their effectiveness over time. Stopping them completely will likely result in catch-up hair loss, though.