Month: December 2011

Hi doctor Rassman. you have an amazing blog and are so informative when it comes to hairloss.

I have been taking propecia (the brand version from merck frost) for 6 months and 3 days to be exact. (I started taking it on June 1 2011, and today is december 3 2011). I have seen no change in my hairloss at all. My hairloss has not gotten better, or it hasn’t gotten worse. It is at the same rate prior to taking propecia. So basically its like I have taken the propecia for nothing. They say you are suppose to see less hairloss by month 3. this is now month six and still nothing.

I went to see my dermatologist and he told me that since I haven’t seen any results within these 6 months that I should stop taking it if I want and further treatment with it will make no sense since it has done nothing in the first six months.. he basically left the decision up to me. These were his exact words, “If I were you, I would stop taking it because since it has done nothing, i don’t think it will be of any benefit, but its up to you. you can keep taking it for another 6 months and see where that goes”.

Now this is my question to you doctor rassman. I know you can’t give medical advice and such, and I completely understand. I just want your opinion on the matter. Since you are a hair restoration specialist, I feel that your opinion is far greater than any dermatologist.

do you think 6 months is to soon to give up? should I continue in your opinion? Have you had any patients who started seeing the benefits after 6 months and such. what do you think? I just want your opinion. I really appreciate it. thank you

Without an examination or documentation of how your hair loss has progressed in the last 6 months, I really would not know what to advise. I can’t tell you whether you should or shouldn’t take a medication I didn’t prescribe to you, but it could be worth sticking with it for a little while longer before making a decision either way. Your doctor gave you the same advice.

We advocate miniaturization studies, bulk measurement studies, and even take photographs under consistent lighting. These tests, while not perfect, are an attempt to quantify and scientifically track hair loss. Hopefully one day we can accurately measure and document hair. As a matter of fact, we have just been granted a U.S. Patent on such method a method (see here).

If you want an evaluation of hair loss and options, I would seek a hair transplant surgeon in your area. I generally tell my patients that they need to take Propecia for 6 to 12 months before the effectiveness can be assessed. I also make it a point to tell those patients that while they may not notice any difference (or even notice more hair loss), that could mean the genetic predisposition to hair loss is winning out over what the drug can offer. It’s possible that the medication has slowed the rate of your loss, and had you not taken it for these past 6 months you’d have even more loss. Really though, I don’t have any way to know.

Dr. Rassman,

I have been taking Propecia for 2 years with some positive results. One of my friends, who is also losing his hair, commented on my progress and asked what my secret was. I told him about Propecia, a drug which he has surprisingly never heard about, and he did some research online. A few days later when I spoke with him again, he came across countless articles and webpages stating how dangerous the drug is, cursing my name for even suggesting he take it. He showed me one article in particular that indicated that Finasteride inhibits crucial neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone, and many people online concluded that finasteride can likely cause serious neurological problems down the road. Have you seen this article, and are you able to comment on the validity of these types of conclusions?

I have not experienced any side effects thus far, but I want to ensure I am not setting myself up for disaster down the road. After all, I trust the word of a doctor over a thousand know-it-all’s who post in message boards!

Thank you kindly for your time

Your personal story is like the thousands of men I treat with Propecia (finasteride), including my own son. The internet does tend to blow information out of proportion at times, and Propecia seems to have polarized many balding young men.

I’ve written much about this medication on this blog, so the search box at the top might have what you’re looking for. As for your friend, if you’re not experiencing any negative effects and have seen positive results, I don’t know what more he might be looking for. It’s a prescription drug and completely elective. If he has hair loss and wants to take it (or just wants more info), he should talk to his doctor.

Does Propecia make hair grow faster on other parts of my body?

I have seen reports that Propecia may increase body hair, but so does aging. On the other hand, there are reports that Propecia can decrease body hair in some men. As for the speed of body hair growth while on the medication, I do not know the answer.