Category: Drugs

Hi,

I have just started taking Propecia to combat MPB and early results look promising. As it starts to reverse hair miniaturization does that mean the hair will also grow for a longer period (and so achieve longer length) before it stops growing then falls out to start another cycle? And if I continue with Propecia can this growth phase eventually be brought back to the normal length (for me it was about 4 to 5 years) so I can grow long hair again?

Note: I’m not asking if it WILL … just if it can!

Thanks

Some people will note that the hair that is impacted with miniaturization will stop growing prior to falling out from genetic hair loss. Propecia may reverse this ‘failure to grow’ process, but there is no way to be sure. Usually, hair that slows down prior to falling out, will not completely reverse back to its original growth rate, even on Propecia.

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Dr. Rassman,

I am in my early 20s with no signs of hair loss. My father has a receded hairline with somewhat thin hair at the top at the age of 55. My mother’s father died at a young age (say 33) but was losing his hair at the time. My mother has 3 brothers, one of which has lost his hair at an early age with the other 2 retaining full thick heads of hair well into their 40s. My mother, however, has shown some signs of female pattern hair loss. At what age should I expect (if ever) to see signs of hair loss?

Also, what kind of results can someone expect from Propecia if they begin using it literally the first day they see their harline recede even the slightest bit.

Kind Regards

Propecia is not a magic pill. It does not completely stop balding. So if you use it on the first day of hair loss, that does not mean it will stop it completely. It may slow down the rate of hair loss and in patients who have lost hair in the past 2-3 years, it may reverse it. Furthermore, Propecia is more effective on the top and crown areas of your scalp. Propecia does not seem to work as well for preventing hairline recession.

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Dear Doctor:

Thank you for answering my question regarding the liver’s function in the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Might this prove a new avenue of therapy? In your opinion, if there are
cholesterol-lowering drugs that reduce the amount of cholesterol that the liver produces, could the same not be done for DHT? Also, do you think there could be an immunization against DHT, perhaps triggering an immune response against DHT in the body. I know I am hypothesizing a new approach to immunotherapy, but I figure…what the hey? Thanks, as allways.

I suppose anything is possible, but finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) is a very effective medication that blocks DHT production for the treatment of androgenic hair loss. You can conceive many creative ways to block DHT, but why would you want to when you already have a proven and safe medication such a Propecia. What we really need is more research into finding other non-DHT related drugs that can stop / prevent / or even reverse androgenic hair loss (AGA) or male pattern balding (MPB). In other words, blocking DHT is not the end all, cure all.

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Hi Dr.Rassman
i’m 27 yr old and have been taking finasteride for a week now, i have been prescribed finepecia as propecia is not available in india, my doc says that both of em are same, anyways my concern is that i have been having testicular pain after the 2nd day of use, its mild but remains, will it subside? also i am very much concern about the sexual side effects. i have recently quit smoking and in college i have had my fair share of marijuana…will these things aggravate the side effects. what do u suggest should i stop it or continue ?

Smoking cigarettes and using marijuana can have negative sexual side effects independent of Propecia use. With respect to testicular pain after starting Propecia, I have occasionally heard reports of this as a relatively rare side effect. Usually the pain is not significant and will subside. However, it is more important to check with your doctor and notify him/her of this problem since the testicular pain may signify other serious medical problems unrelated to the Propecia use.

Doc,

You have stated in previous answers that no matter what treatment a male is on, Male pattern baldness will eventually catch up. I do not see how this is possible since drugs such as Dutasteride can block up to 90% DHT when taken on 0.5mg form. Lets say it is approved in five years time for MPB by the FDA and taken along with minoxidil twice a day, how would MPB be able to catch up since the main factor; DHT is blocked?

Are then any studies that actually back up your opinion/theory?

If this is the case then surely every male suffereing from MPB including myself is throwing their money down the drain?

I suspect MPB is not singularly dependent on the concentration of DHT alone. Small amounts of DHT (the 10-20% that still is produced, even with taking dutasteride) can still trigger hair loss. Case in point, there are a few of my patients who have chosen to take dutasteride, but they still lose hair. I do not believe taking medications such as finasteride or dutasteride is “throwing their money down the drain,” because I have seen clear evidence on many of my patients that it does work! All medications have limitations — yes, including dutasteride and finasteride. For example, you can take the most potent anti-oxidant anti-aging medication, but you will still grow old and look your age.

I am trying to conceive with my wife and the doctor advises that I stop taking propecia during this period. If I do so, I have 2 questions:

1. How long after I stop taking it will I start to see hair loss – been on it for 7 years.
2. How long after I stop taking it will my body not have any its system to impact this conception process?

Thanks

Officially, you can continue taking Propecia while trying to conceive a child. From the official Propecia.com’s Possible Side Effects page: “Contact with the semen from a man being treated with PROPECIA is not a risk to the unborn child of a pregnant woman.”

However, some doctors and patients are still cautious about using Propecia when trying to conceive. Because of this, some doctors recommend you temporarily stop taking the medication during the fertile period when you are trying to conceive with your partner and best to stop for only a week when your wife is fertile. You can also stop taking Propecia for two weeks and I doubt it will have any significant negative impact on hair. I’ve written about Propecia and pregnancy before:

• Taking Propecia While Starting a Family
• Taking Propecia While Trying to Have a Baby
• Propecia and Sperm Count

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Hi,

I am a 23 year old male. I began using Rogaine 2% approximately 3 years ago when I noticed a steady increase in balding on my hairline. I didnt have a full beard when I first started using it. Only a mustache and some hair around the chin area.

A year after using the Rogaine without any results I switched to Propecia. My beard at this stage hadn’t formed yet.
2 years later I still have just a few hairs around my cheeks and the rest hasnt grown tremendously either.
Do you think this could in part be due to the DHT-blocking affects of the Propecia/Rogaine?

If so, can you recommend any way of potentially trying to ‘inspire’ the cheeks to grow hair if there is still a chance?

Some men can never grow beards. Some men can never grow a moustache. Some men become bald. This is all in their genes. It is not related to Propecia (finasteride 1mg) or minoxidil.

That being said, anecdotally DHT blocking drugs such as Propecia may have some impact on beard hair or chest hair growth, but I doubt that Propecia is the sole reason why you cannot grow a beard. Minoxidil (Rogaine) is not a DHT blocker.