Category: Drugs

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Hair Loss InformationRogaine Didn’t Help for the 6 Months I Used It, So I’m Trying Vitamins Now – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi guys, i think the work you do is brilliant well done.

I need some help. I’m suffering from hereditary hair loss. I tried using Regaine for men, for 6 months but it didn’t seem to stop my hair falling out. So i stopped using it & it seems my hair is rapidly falling out now :-(

I’ve started using Euromin Vital Hair which another guy recommended to me & said it stopped his hair falling out after a few months.

My mum also bought me the ‘Nizoral anti-dandruff’ shampoo that you guys recommend hair loss sufferers to use. In uk we have a red & white pack, in USA & on ur website it is a blue colour are they both the same on the inside? & do you recommend using a conditioner is is just the shampoo enough?

I wanna know should i start using Regaine again? or will it make my hair shed uncontrollably :-(

sorry i’ve asked a lot of questions. I’m really worried i hope you can give me some good advice. Thank you.

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I don’t know anything about your hair loss history to be able to recommend a treatment path to take. If you have genetic hair loss, see a doctor about a prescription for Propecia. Rogaine/Regaine/minoxidil might help if your hair loss is in the crown, but this doesn’t address the reason your hair is continuing to fall out. Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is going to provide a better treatment, particularly if you’re a young man with early loss.

If you’re going to mess around with supplements (that Vital Hair capsule is one) to treat genetic hair loss, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll see the benefits you’re wanting. If treating genetic hair loss was as simple as taking amino acids and vitamins, far less people would be balding.

Nizoral is a good anti-fungal shampoo, but it isn’t something we recommend as a treatment for hair loss. I’m not sure what you read where we recommended it.

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Could Finasteride Be the Cause for My Poor Facial Hair Development? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hi
I’ve used finasteride for about 9 years. I dont have shedding now and my hair is look like when i was 17. Problem is, my facial hair hasn’t really developed. Do you think this is related to finasteride at all and perhaps a lower dose would help my facial hair grow?

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Many years back there was a very small study of women with facial hair (stay with me here) that used a finasteride cream to treat their hirsutism. When used as a cream, it appeared to work in this controlled study of 8 women. Does this apply with systemic finasteride for facial hair growth in men? I would think that it might, but I have no way to know for sure if the finasteride was the cause for your facial hair developing poorly or if you would’ve had poor facial hair without ever using the medication at all.

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Where Does Shock Loss Happen? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doctor,

I’ve recently had a HT on the front of the hair line, the mid-section and crown were untouched. Only thing is, 4weeks after the surgery I’ve noticed more and more hair falling out from the crown and mid areas!

Does shock loss effect every area prone to hair loss?

Thank you

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Simple answer — yes.

Longer answer — Shock loss usually impacts miniaturized hairs, and can even occur when only an anesthetic is used on the scalp with no surgery (this is very rare). We know that advanced miniaturization and active ongoing hair loss have vulnerable hairs which can be impacted by any vascular change in the scalp or stressful situation (like a surgery). For this reason, young men (under 29 years old) are wise to take finasteride when they are having a hair transplant. Even if it is not a guarantee, it puts the odds in one’s favor for less shock loss (if any), especially if there is a greater degree of miniaturization present anywhere on the scalp.

The older the patient is, the less likely that they will be impacted by shock hair loss (e.g. a 50 year old man with stable hair loss)… and for these patients I do not insist on their use of finasteride before surgery.

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Generic Propecia (1mg Finasteride) – Pricing Schedule – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

A little birdie gave me some insider dates to look out for when it comes to generic 1mg finasteride (aka generic Propecia) that I thought I’d share —

    Nov 19, 2012 – Merck’s patent on Propecia expired

    Jan 1, 2013 – Jun 30, 2013 – Dr. Reddy has exclusive FDA approval to make generic 1mg finasteride. Currently 90 days of generic 1mg finasteride can run as high as $100 ($95-125).

    Jul 1, 2013 – Two additional companies will start making generic and price will drop by about 50% or $50 for 90 tabs

    Nov 5, 2013 – Five additional companies will start making it, at which time there will be 9 manufacturers of 1mg finasteride — 8 making generic, 1 making brand name. The price at that time will be around $20 for 90 tabs. Most of the generic makers already make generic 5mg finasteride so they only need to make minor adjustments to produce 1mg.

This is good news for us all.

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A Reader Sends In His Positive Propecia Report – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman

Just wanted to thank you for your blog. Its very informative.

I don’t have a question but I just wanted to let your readers know how well Propecia has done for me. I started losing my hair in my early to mid 20’s. It has always been a stressful issue for me. It was becoming thinner each year. I am lucky because I have dark blond wavy coarse hair but it was still thinning and receding. I went on Finasteride in 1995 and than Propecia in 1997 when it became FDA approved. When I was in my 20’s I never thought I would have my hair into my 40’s. I am 45 now and not only do i have my hair but I have more hair than many people my age. People all the time come up to me and tell me how lucky I am to have so much hair. This would not of been possible without being on Finasteride/Propecia for 18 years. This is a great drug for those that are concerned about hair loss. I have also never had any side effects from it.

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What you describe is not unusual, as the majority of men that take this medication likely have similar experiences with Propecia (finasteride 1mg), but the reports on the internet tend to seem skewed in the negative direction. As I’ve said in the past, those that feel slighted will usually speak out the loudest, while those men that have had success will not usualy take the time to go online to share the positive experiences they had.

I appreciate you taking the time to send in your report.

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Would a Norwood 6 Patient That Had 7000+ Grafts Still Need Propecia or Rogaine? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Thanks for the great effort here.

I just want to know, why minoxidil or finasteride are required after a hair transplant?

Let’s say a male, 45, with great donor area, Norwood class 6, had 3 sessions over 2 years, and was given 7000 – 8000 grafts covering his hairline, front, vertex and crown. Since most of his balding areas are covered, and the transplanted hair is genetically programmed not to fall off, why would this patient still require the minoxidil and/ or finasteride?

Thanks for your answer to this small query!

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Most patients in that situation do not stay on these drugs. It is worth noting that if there is residual hair still present or the fringe area has not been impacted and shows signs of miniaturization, then these drugs have value.

If you were a Norwood 3, for example, then finasteride would help minimize shock loss following surgery and help to maintain the existing hair around the transplanted areas.

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In the News – Chinese Men Using Western Hair Loss Treatments Instead of Snake Oils – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

After raw-ginger scalp rubs and walnut snacks failed to counter Shi Yang’s receding hairline, the 26-year-old Shanghai engineer says he’s ready to ditch his mother’s advice and give Western drugs a go.

Traditional herbal remedies for male pattern baldness are losing ground to treatments such as Merck & Co.’s Propecia and Johnson & Johnson’s Rogaine in China, where a full head of black hair on a man is a sign of health and virility. Shi, a slim, bespectacled college graduate, has a better chance of landing a girlfriend with a thick thatch of hair like President Xi Jinping or Premier Li Keqiang, both of whom are in their 50s, he said.

Sales of Western hair-loss treatments doubled in China the past five years, growing almost twice as fast as the broader hair-product segment, according to Euromonitor International. The hair-loss market is still small because baldness is only now being seen as a problem requiring pharmaceutical help, and Western companies have only recently begun to seize on the concern.

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Read the rest — Snake Gall Bladders Ditched for Drugs by Balding Chinese

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Would Finasteride Treat Hair Loss While I’m Taking an SSRI? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m 18 years old and have been on an SSRI, which has caused a diffuse hair loss. This has also seemed to kick off MPB. Obviously my mental health takes priority however is there any chance of finasteride being successful in treating the MPB side while i am still taking the SSRI which causes a telogen effluvium?

thanks.

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If your SSRI (e.g. some antidepressants) kicked off the genetic balding process, then the use of finasteride may have value for the treatment of the genetic component of your hair loss. If the hair loss isn’t related to your genetics, the finasteride is unnecessary.

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I Quickly Saw Great Improvement from Propecia, Then It All Started Shedding Just as Fast – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am 23 and have been experiencing MPB since age 16. I decided to try Propecia 6 months ago. After 2 months, I started getting fantastic results (hair looked WAY thicker, nothing was falling out). However, a month or so later, Propecia seemed to stop working. I am now in month six, and for the last 3 months my hair has been shedding and falling out like it was before I started the drug and it seems it has completely stopped working. I even called Merck and they told me they had NEVER heard of anyone responding positively so quickly and then stopping. Is it possible for a “shed” to last over three months and then revert back to positive results?

Interestingly, I had the SAME reaction when I tried Saw Palmetto a year ago. It worked great for a month or so and then completely stopped. Does my MPB overpower the DHT inhibitors and create some sort of immunity? I did not stick with Saw Palmetto for more than a few weeks after it stopped “working,” but I have stuck with Propecia so far.

Please let me know if you have any advice as I am desperate for some guidance. (I am no longer with my prescribing doctor and have nowhere to turn)

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An uncommon report from some people starting on the drug is that they experience shedding. When this occurs, it generally disappears after one or two months. You’re asking about three to four months of shedding caused by the drug, and I frankly have not seen that report. The real effects of Propecia take a year or so, in some people up to two years. Patience is a virtue.

It is unusual to see fantastic results in just a couple months, so I’m not really sure what you saw. Since it is a prescription medication and you’re no longer with your prescribing doctor, the best thing I can recommend is to find another doctor and have him/her handle your care. Hopefully you can get some metrics to compare your hair today to your hair a year from now to see if you’re experiencing any benefits from the medication.

You could have accelerated hair loss from the genetic impact. The hair loss cycle with those that have genetic hair loss can come in spurts and slow periods, and the only way to know is to watch it over time while you are on Propecia.

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I Started Shedding 9 Days After a Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doctor,

After 9 days I’ve begun shedding. Is this too early? I’m really worried.. All I can say is I’ve been relaxing in my hotel with air conditioning would that of helped ‘dry up’ and speed the process up?

10 days after my hair transplant, the scabs have formed and are flaking off, however, I’m noticing some hair inside the flake! I thought shedding occurred 2 weeks after op?

Thank you doctor great website!

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I am not sure what you mean by shedding. If you are talking about the grafts falling out with hair in them at 9 days, that is typical and should be of no concern. Although we call this a hair transplant, it is really a stem cell transplant and that the stem cells shed off of the graft into the recipient site. At the point when the grafts are routinely shed, the stem cells already are secure in the recipient area, even though most of the grafts have fallen out. Then comes the dormant phase, followed by hair growth some months down the line.

If you are saying that the native hair around the transplanted grafts in the recipient area are shedding, then I would be concerned. I routinely put my young male surgical patients on finasteride (as well as anyone actively losing hair) prior to the hair transplant to prevent this type of shedding, also referred to as shock loss.