Category: Drugs

Doctor

I recently had scalp sensitivity with itching and decided to take a few days off from minoxidil which i’ve been on for years. After a few days my scalp felt so much better. The surprise was how much better my hair looked. It hadn’t looked that good in years. it combed easier, looked less messed, had a lot more body and actually looked much thicker. Had more scalp coverage.

I’m at a week now and it still looks great. But I’m pretty screwed aren’t I? I know I’ve got to get back on soon. But it’s depressing that I have to use something that I really have no way of knowing how well its working (and not gonna take a chance finding out) that makes my hair look lousy. its probably the PG and alcohol. I had a bad reaction to the foam. Do you hear this complaint often with clients?

I know going off is a bad idea.

Some people see value in growth from minoxidil, but it’s not very common to hear that stopping the medication made your hair look thicker. Most people do not like the textural impact of it on their existing hair, which can dry it out or make it appear brittle.

Are you using the proper dosage? Have you tried any conditioners after using the minoxidil?

Dear Doctor,

Your website has been extremely helpful in dealing with my hair loss. I began losing my hair at 21. By age 22 i began taking propecia, and it has worked great thus far. I regrew almost all the hair i lost. I am now 28, and last year i developed a mild case of gyno (I think). I went to my prescribing doctor and had the lump evaluated. He sent me for a mammogram & ultrasound. Nothing showed up, however i can feel a lump. The doctor said I shouldnt worry about it, because i have several fatty tissues all over my body. I was not diagnosed with gyno because the lump was not under the nipple.

Recently, I have notice another lump in my chest (other side). Does this sound like gyno? Should i continue taking propecia if i am developing breast lumps? I know it sounds silly, but id rather have benign lumps in my chest then baldness. Will reducing my dosage help? I am currently taking 1mg daily. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated!

You had a mammogram and ultrasound, and were told you didn’t have gynecomastia, so I am not sure what more I can contribute. I haven’t examined you, nor am I your prescribing doctor.

From the few cases of gynecomastia I have seen from Propecia, they have been painful, however, there still could be a connection. If you are looking for a second opinion or reassurance, the Internet is not the place. You need to see another doctor for an in-person exam to get a second opinion. I suppose in the most extreme circumstance you can have the lumps removed, but I have no idea if what you’re experiencing is even related to taking Propecia. Reducing the Propecia dose may or may not help, because again, I do not know if it is related to the lumps.

Many men (not on Propecia) still have fatty breast tissue. This is a sensitive subject for them and some men undergo a cosmetic procedure to remove the lumps. My point is that this is a difficult decision that you should talk through with your doctor.

Hello,

I am aware that grapefruit and finasteride (and other medications) may not mix well together (hence me not eating or drinking any since I started). I just bought some eau de toilette, and noticed that one of the “notes” is grapefruit. I know in my brain that, even if the scent used real grapefruit as an ingredient, the amount used would be extremely small, but am I crazy to worry if it will affect my propecia intake? I know wearing it is not the same as drinking it…

Many thanks.

For those that aren’t aware, grapefruit can impact many prescription medications, including Propecia. I don’t think you have anything to worry about as long as you’re wearing the cologne and not consuming it.

Snippet from the article:

During the last decade, more than 1,500 Americans died after accidentally taking too much of a drug renowned for its safety: acetaminophen, one of the nation’s most popular pain relievers. Acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol – is considered safe when taken at recommended doses. Tens of millions of people use it weekly with no ill effect. But in larger amounts, especially in combination with alcohol, the drug can damage or even destroy the liver.

Davy Baumle, a slender 12-year-old who loved to ride his dirt bike through the woods of southern Illinois, died from acetaminophen poisoning. So did tiny five-month-old Brianna Hutto. So did Marcus Trunk, a strapping 23-year-old construction worker from Philadelphia.

The toll does not have to be so high.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has long been aware of studies showing the risks of acetaminophen – in particular, that the margin between the amount that helps and the amount that can cause serious harm is smaller than for other pain relievers. So, too, has McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the unit of Johnson & Johnson that has built Tylenol into a billion-dollar brand and the leader in acetaminophen sales.

Read the rest — Use Only as Directed

This is a really informative and lengthy article you should read if you have some spare time. In a nutshell, the article says — the FDA isn’t perfect, around 150 people die every year from Tylenol misuse, and restrictions exist in many countries that aim to prevent overdose.

Doc,

You recently answered a question that perhaps I didn’t ask right about using Minoxidil for many years and the benefit on adding Propecia. I’d like to try again, because I think the answer is important. If you have used minoxidil for many years most hair subject to miniaturization would be minox dependent. Would that be a correct assumption? If so what is the benefit of adding Propecia to minoxidil dependent hair.. which after many years would be most miniaturized hair. Wouldn’t it be too late at that point since the hair Propecia might have helped are already minox dependent?

And since minoxidil is for life I assume any future miniaturized hair would become minoxidil dependent too. So what is propecia going to do at this point? I hope I was more clear this time.

Thanks again..

There is no way to answer this question appropriately without a controlled clinical study on this specific situation (those that start finasteride years after minoxidil dependence). That study doesn’t exist as far as I am aware.

Dear BaldingBlog,
I am wondering what time of the day DHT peaks? Surely if finasteride is consumed just before DHT levels peak, surely the efficacy of the drug must demonstrate higher efficacy – due to the short half-life of finasteride.
Thanks.

Finasteride works at the follicle level and reflects the fixation of the drug to the receptors. This is not blood level responsive, so time of day really does not matter. DHT is made from testosterone which peaks in young men between 8-12 noon. In older men, the testosterone levels are more stable with only a modest decrease in the evening. I believe DHT and testosterone will follow each other, as DHT is a metabolite of testosterone.