Category: Drugs

Doctor Rassman,

I am wondering just how effective a let’s say 15% minoxidil solution is, in comparison to a 5% solution? I believe that 5% minoxidil is 45% more effective than a 2% variant, but are there any scientific reports that can tell us how much more beneficial an increase is beyond that 5%?

I have not seen comparison statistics between the various strengths of minoxidil that show with certainty just how much better the drug is at the higher concentrations, but the benefits and effectiveness is clearly dose related. If someone has that information, please send it in!

If Minoxidil is a drug, why does it not need a prescription? Sure, things like toothpaste and acne medication also list “Drug Facts” but sodium fluoride and salycilic acid seem natural, whereas minoxidil doesn’t. I asked a similar question like this before but it wasn’t answered.

That is an FDA decision. It originally was a prescription item, but someone put in an application to the FDA to release it for general over the counter sales. The FDA must determine safety and effectiveness and I guess that they determined it safe enough.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

I have switched from finasteride to dutasteride recently – my hair is definitely receding as i stopped taking anything for around 18 months. I started taking proscar again for a year before switching to avodart – will i lose all the hair that was kept or regrown by stopping finasteride and switching or will avodart just continue where proscar left off?

kind regards

If your transition from finasteride to dutasteride is transparent (stop finasteride one day and pick up dutasteride the next day), then there should be no impact on the switch as both drugs block DHT at the level of the hair. Keep in mind that appropriate dosage for dutasteride as a hair loss treatment has yet to be approved by the FDA.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

I was taking propecia for about 10 yrs. I’m a 47 yr. old male. I just recently stopped using it about 2mo. ago fearing that I’m doing harm to my body internally. I was always able to get an erection while using propecia, but it never seemed to be full. since I’ve stopped using the product I’ve noticed that I have a full erection and better feeling in that area, but the down effect is I think my hair is getting worse. I was still able to perform so I have a decision to make. Should I start using it again before I’m completely bald? and is it a good idea health wise?

Please give me some advise its a very depressing situation. Is there anything on the market that may be a better alternative? I’ve heard that laser comb works! In the mean time I’m going to start up today with propecia. Thank you very much and I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

I’ve written many times about the Laser Comb (and variations thereof), and I’m not impressed with the results. I do not think they work as claimed.

Since you took Propecia for 10 years and then stopped, seeing hair loss should be expected. Restarting the medication will hopefully halt your hair loss once again, but I can’t say that for sure. Cross your fingers and keep up the daily Propecia if you want a chance at maintaining your hair. If you’re having a sexual side effect from the drug and yet still want to keep your hair, talk to your doctor about Viagra or Cialis.

The only other FDA approved hair drug works a completely different way from Propecia, and that’s the commonly known minoxidil (marketed as Rogaine). If you stop the Propecia in favor of Rogaine though, the Rogaine won’t maintain what Propecia kept for you. So it’s not really an alternative, but it is something to look into if you’re running low on options.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

I took propecia pretty faithfully for all of 2008 and for some reason still unknown to me, stopped for the month of Dec and Jan. I started taking it again in Feb and then come March, I started shedding hair like crazy. When will the catch-up loss stop?? Its scaring me like crazy!

If you don’t know why you stopped taking Propecia, how are you sure you remember when you actually stopped taking it? I can’t give you an end date for the catch-up loss, as I wouldn’t know how to determine one. The hair loss may never catch up, even with just a 2 months hiatus. You need to hope and pray that it will reverse to where it was prior to your stopping the drug.

Readers, take note: If you’re serious about keeping your hair, do not follow in this man’s footsteps by forgetting to take the daily finasteride.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

Today I called GSK to inquire about the phase 3 results for dutasteride, and a GSK representative said that the clinical trial results were listed on their website. However, I could only find the Protocol Summary for the trial. The representative also mentioned that he could not give me any more information on where to find it because I am not a health care professional.

Do you have access to this information? Is there someplace I can find it?

I found the completed results here (most of them are for dutasteride as a prostate treatment) — Dutasteride Result Summaries

And this is all I could find about the Phase 3 results for dutasteride as a hair loss treatment (which I assume is what you found) — Dutasteride Phase 3 Protocol Summary

I do not have access to the information you’re seeking, as it is my understanding that it hasn’t been released yet. Phase 3 results have been released for dutasteride as a prostate treatment (but not for hair loss treatment), so perhaps you weren’t clear when you spoke to the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) rep or they were just confused.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):