Reducing the dose to 0.5% of finasteride may help some men with symptoms. The half dose is 82% as effective as the full dose.
Will Propecia Thicken the Hairline?, Follow-Up
I sent you the question which you titled “Will Propecia Thicken the Hairline“.
I don’t have a good digital camera so I’m unable to take reliable pictures for you but I think I can help color the situation with more detail. As I mentioned earlier I’m 25 years old and have a Norwood 1.5 – 2 hairline with thinning in the area around the hairline of 2 -3 cm. The worst area is due north of my temples and isn’t a usually area to lose if your hairline is just maturing. My father is a Norwood 5 and has been since his mid 30’s. The thinning the crown area and diffuse thinning in the hairline indicate to me that I will progress like my father considering my age. I’ve been on propecia for 7 months and it has stopped my hairloss in the vertex and possible slowed the thinning in the front, although as you know it’s difficult to assess even if you are going to a doctor regularly. Taken that propecia is effective in me is it reasonable to think that I will keep the hair behind my hairline given that it hasn’t been significantly effected my MPB? I don’t expect propecia will help thicken the hair in the hairline as it hasn’t done so yet but would it be acceptable to expect I will keep most of the hair that hasn’t been effected my MPB yet? I hope there is more clarity here.
There are no guarantees that Propecia will stop the progression of hair loss. In fact, the studies on the medication show that the loss continues, starting possibly at a higher level of growth on the curves accounting for hair gains seen. Please refer to this graph (click it to see full size), which was made available by Propecia’s manufacturer, Merck. Note that the green curve (those on Propecia) has a less significant downward slope than the gray curve (the control group). This suggests to me that beyond the 5th year that the hair counts will not be droping as fast in the treated group (I wish the actual data had been made available to me).
2006-04-06 14:38:432006-04-06 17:10:46Will Propecia Thicken the Hairline?, Follow-Up
Will Propecia Protect My Hair from Loss Following Underbite Correction Surgery?
Dr. Rassmann,
I am 21 year old male and I recently had surgery to correct an underbite. I started propecia shortly after my surgery. Will the propecia protect against possible shock loss after the surgery? I’m concerned because I saw in earlier posts that in balding men with shock hair loss, the hair does not usually return.
Propecia is taken for treating androgenic alopecia, not for shock loss following underbite correction surgery. Hair loss after general anesthesia or medical issues is not related to androgenic alopecia.
If you were prescribed Propecia to treat your genetic hair loss, it might protect you… but I wouldn’t recommend the medication solely for protecting from a temporary shock loss.
Will Propecia produce depression?
Depression is a known potential side effect from Propecia (finasteride). There are actions of the 5AR enzymes in many parts of the body and as it blocks the effect of this enzyme, the effects can be seen everywhere the enzyme exists which does include the brain. The dose of Propecia (1mg) is low so the effects elsewhere in the body is minimal. We see this drug used in the 5mg dose for the treatment of benign hypertrophy of the prostate (BPH) and most of the information we have on side effects come from the men treated with BPH. There are, of course, many causes of depression and depression itself needs to be addressed independent of the use of this drug alone.
Will Propecia Be Absorbed In My System If I Defecate Alot After Taking It?
I take Propecia at breakfast time. I drink a lot of coffee and eat a lot of fiber, so in well under half an hour after I have breakfast, I have to urinate and defecate – a lot. I know you say that you can have Propecia with coffee, but if I’m using the bathroom so quickly after I take Propecia, am I really absorbing any of it? Thank you in advance.
It doesn’t matter what time of day you take Propecia. Taking medications (such as Propecia) has nothing to do with your urination and defecation schedule. It has nothing to do with your fiber or coffee intake. If you are worried enough to write about it and think about it, you can always take Propecia after your morning habit! Remember, the distance from your mouth to your rectum measures about 30 feet and whatever you take into your mouth has to transit the 30 feet and that takes time.
2014-08-04 11:06:312014-07-29 13:10:48Will Propecia Be Absorbed In My System If I Defecate Alot After Taking It?
Will Nioxin Regrow Hair Lost from Medication?
(female) When hair loss is caused by a medication, in my case Abilify – an antipsychotic I’m using for bipolar disorder – does medication such as nioxin work to prevent the loss or promote growth? I’ve started to notice large amounts of hair loss which began soon after starting Abilify. One of the rare side effects mentioned in Abilify literature is unusual hair thinning, apparently I’m experiencing this rare side effect.
I do not believe that Nioxin will help regrow your hair. Minoxidil might be worth a try, but be sure to read the warnings on the packaging. At this time, minoxidil is the only FDA approved medication for treating female hair loss.
Will NHI Ever Perform Hair Cloning?
Do you think NHI will ever perform hair cloning procedures?
When cloning is a safe and proven method for restoring hair, we will be on the forefront of it. It will take years and years for the FDA to approve the defined process of cloning and that process has not yet been defined. I don’t hold my breath waiting.
2006-02-22 08:36:202006-02-21 14:36:56Will NHI Ever Perform Hair Cloning?
Will My Urologist Tell Me to Stop Finasteride?
Going to see a Urologist next week, will he tell me to stop finasteride?
Hi Doctor. I have been on 1/4 proscar for over a year now with great success, no side effects, and great reqrowth and maintenance. I’m a 26 year old male and went to my hair loss doctor for my yearly check up a few weeks back and he and I were very happy with the way things are going. In the last 3 months however i have had 3 cases of hematospermia, passing blood in the semen accompanied with some minor pelvic pain. I however, have no other problems urinating so it’s clearly something to do with the prostate. My family GP gave me some antibiotics, which seemed to clear one episode and he referred me a urologist to get it checked out further. He mentioned that the fact i was on finasteride would have to be seriously looked at when I visit the urologist. I mentioned all of this to my hair loss doctor during my yearly consultation, now this guy is very ethical and has over 20 years in micro surgery and over 2000 patients my age on the drug. He told me that the finasteride had nothing to do with it.
In fairness to finasteride, I was on it for 10 months without a hitch before I started getting episodes of hematospermia. I’m just worried that the urologist may ask me to stop it as he clearly will not be concerned about male pattern baldness…and effectively lose the wonderful gains the drug has provided me.
In your experience have you ever encountered cases of hematospermia any more in patients on finasteride in my age group? Do you think it may have anything to do with it, what about prostate shrinkage?
Thank you so much and i hope you can help me on this, i really hold your opinion i this area in high regard.
Regards
People who are not on finasteride do develop hematospermia, so I would expect that people on the drug will be at the same risks. I doubt that the drug is contributing to the problem and would agree that finasteride should be continued. I would doubt that a urologist would ask you to stop this, considering the benefit you have achieved.
2008-02-18 10:33:282008-02-13 10:39:47Will My Urologist Tell Me to Stop Finasteride?
Will My Son’s Hair Grow Back After a Staph Infection?
My 5yr old son had a staph infection in his scalp .. It left a bald spot on scalp. My concern is will his hair grow back in that area.
It generally take up to one year to assess if hair will grow back in an area that has been traumatized.
Will my hairline disappear and eventually will I become bald? (photo)
Hi Dr. Rassman, I found this man’s photos with what looks to be a sharp NW2 or mature hairline at age 30, but he and others in the comments believe it will worsen and he’ll “get more bald without finasteride.” I’m asking because I’m 22 and can kind of see my hairline is starting to turn to this sharp shape. So if you had to guess without a haircheck test, what would you say? Mature hairline or MPB? Thanks
The balding pattern if each male is predetermined by genetics. The problem is second guessing it before it starts to become apparent. There is no guarantee that the picture of the man showed will eventually lead to balding. A good doctor building a Master Plan with him and using the tools of trichometry and the HAIRCHECK test might be able to tell before it becomes obvious. That is what I do.