Month: January 2023

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I’m a 30-year-old male who recently started taking Propecia. My question is, if there are any side effects, how long until the side effects would show up? I haven’t noticed anything, but believe your answer would be a good piece of information to have, regardless.

Thanks!

If a man on Propeica is going to get a decreased sex drive (one in a hundred) they should see that side effect in the first couple of weeks. If you have had no sexual side effects, welcome to the majority of men who have taken the drug daily for years.

I am in my early twenties and am in Type II of my hair loss. I started losing here about 2-3 years ago and in the past year it is becoming quite noticeable, i am losing hair at a faster rate then ever and am concerned that I will end up like my father (type 6). I have been staying away from Propecia and Rogaine due to their irreversible side effects concerning sexual dysfunction. Is there no viable alternative other than hair transplant for me?

Nope.

Side effects are not proven irreversible from Rogaine and Propecia, but if you don’t want to try either of the two FDA approved hair loss medications, that is your choice. Unfortunately, hair transplantation is the only permanent solution at this point if you do not want to manage your balding problem with medication.

Dear Doctor

First of I would like to congratulate you on this wicked resourse, I have a buring question wondering you can shed some light on. One of the common side effect of taking Finastride is that it directly effects the sperm making it watery etc. We planning for a baby and I am wondering taking Finasteride will directly effect the child, growth etc? I have not yet seen my GP but everytime I put my hand through my hair I get 2-3 hair that come out, front and crown. but still got a thick head of hair.

Thank doc hope to hear from you soon.

If you are worried about the quality of your semen, then get it check out by your doctor. Finasteride does change the quality of the semen in some men (about 20%), but it has not been reported that it will reduce your chance of getting your lady pregnant or effect the child’s growth. It is normal to lose 100 hairs/day.

Hi. I have been using propecia for 8 or 9 years with great success but in the last few months I’ve really noticed loss. This happened a few years ago and the hair seemed to come back after a while . I have read a little on cyclical shedding while on propecia and rogaine. Do you think it happens? I have also been under a ton of stress too. I am considering trying avodart now after reading some people are having success with it after propecia. How does one go about switching meds? I’m worried if I stop propecia and start avodart I might shed more. Also I had no adverse side effects with propecia, am I at greater risk with avodart?

Thanks

ps I love this site, it’s too funny… you have a great sense of humor.. well done

You need to speak to your doctor before starting or stopping any medication. So first have this discussion with the doctor that has been prescribing you Propecia. I hate the idea that people are taking my words and using that as if is is a substitution for their physician, so please consider this a disclaimer (there’s one on every page anyway). That’s a general statement and not directed squarely at you. Remember — I’m not a substitute for your doctor, unless I am indeed your doctor, in which case cyber-Rassman is likely as good as in-person-Rassman.

Moving along — Avodart (dutasteride) is not yet FDA approved for treating hair loss, so doctors that prescribe it for that use are doing so off-label. We’re all waiting with baited breath for clinical trial results, but regardless of whether the benefits are better than those of Propecia (finasteride), I’m concerned over the safety of dutasteride since the serum half-life is measured in weeks, as opposed to hours with finasteride. In other words, dutasteride stays in your system for a long time. They are different drugs, of course, so if you had no side effects with Propecia it doesn’t automatically rule you out for side effects with Avodart. There is just no magic drug that will solve your problem. I suspect Propecia is still working for you and your doctor may increase the dosage of finasteride to handle the problem, as it may show more improvement. It is just that you can’t cheat nature and the gradual process of balding may not be stopped forever.

I have been taking propecia for 2 months. I haven’t had any side effects yet but reading about gynecomatia and the sexual side effects have me worried. Also I read on your site that proscar in 5mg has had some connection to breast cancer. So I was wondering if I stopped using it will I lose any hair? I am not sure if it has slowed down my hair loss but will there be any sudden effects on my hair?

If you have been taking Propecia for 2 months without side effects, I suspect you probably will not have the side effect you’ve read about. 2 months is a relatively a short span of time and I suspect you will not have much negative effects on hair. For example, you will not lose hair suddenly if you stop the medication because the medication has not been taken long enough to work. It goes without saying, please speak to your doctor before starting or stopping any medications and express your concerns to him/her (I am not your doctor).

Propecia will not cause breast cancer, but in a very small number of men, it may cause breast enlargement (less than 1:500).

I travel abroad a good deal, often for long periods and for indeterminate periods, I therefore regularly miss my propecia intake for a couple of weeks up to a month every, for example 6 months. Am I increasing my chances of side effects or the drug becoming ineffective by doing so?

I do not believe you would be increasing the risk of side effects by failing to take Propecia for several weeks, but you may be increasing the risk of the drug not doing its intended job (of keeping your hair). Perhaps you should make a note to pack your medication on your travels.