Drugs – Page 302 – Balding Blog

October 13, 2006

I’m Taking Propecia, But I’m Not Convinced I Am Balding – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Dr.,
I have been taking propecia for three days and I’m now not convinced that I am suffering from male pattern baldness. If I stop taking the drug and wait to see if my hair starts thinning or falling out would starting propecia again work? In other words, would propecia still be effective after taking it briefly and then starting again in the future? i want to see if my hairloss is attributable to other factors. Also, I have no history of male pattern hair loss in my family. Many thanks for your thoughts.

If you are not treating genetic balding and have only been taking Propecia for 3 days, stop it now. If you ever need it, you can start it then. Follow the old adage: If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.

October 9, 2006

I Have No Signs of Balding, But I Take Propecia Anyway – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 20 year old male with no sign of baldness or a maturing hairline. However, I have been taking Propecia for almost 2 months and I have noticed that just below my hairline I am starting to sprout hair.

Thank you for such a great blog!!!

If you ‘think’ that you may eventually developing balding, then follow your hair mapping yearly for miniaturization to find out if and when you start balding. If you tke the drug without knowning, you will never know if it has value until you stop it. Simply put, you should not be taking Propecia without a prescription, and you should not be taking Propecia if you do not have male pattern hair loss! Why give the drug company your money when you have no benefit to achieve.

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October 9, 2006

Taking Tamoxifen with Propecia for Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Actually I don’t think I’m a candidate yet for grafts. My question is about Propecia. I have tried propecia twice: once at the normal dose and once at a much lower dose. Both times I have experienced mild breast enlargement. I have a job for which having a full head of hair is very important. Given this, what I’m wondering is, if a low dose of Tamoxifen or some other anti-estrogen could be justified.

The following link shows the side effects of Tamoxifen in men. I have no experience with this or other approaches like other anti-estrogens.

Tamoxifen for Male Breast Cancer

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October 6, 2006

Phytotrixil to Prevent Balding? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr. Rassman
I am a 22 years old male and i am loosing hair. I started using this one product called “phytotrixil” more than a year ago. (do you know anything about this drug??) And fortunately my hair got a little bit thiker. It is said in the instruction manual for the product that it can restore up to 19% of the volume of the hair and i think i have maneged more than that…so my question is: if i use this drug for 5 years, will i restore my hair completely?? (oh yeah…and my balding is genetic)
thank you!

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This appears to be about as good as anything else out there that does not work for restoring hair. I can’t comment on whether it volumizes or not, but volume and hair growth/regrowth are two different things. If it works for you, let me know in 5 years how much of your genetically balding hair is left.

October 6, 2006

Hair Loss InformationIf I’ll Have Propecia Side Effects, When Will I See Them? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

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!

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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.

October 6, 2006

Can Propecia Cause Increased Thinning? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hey,
I am 22 and have thinning hair in the temple regions and on the top side areas of my head, as well as generally not as good hair up front. My hair has always been cyclical (good months/bad months) but this is the first i’ve noticed real thinning. I was going to go to my dermatologist to look into propecia, would a regular derm be able to test my hair fine? And would propecia ever cause increased hair loss/thinning?

Thinning of the hair is not a known side effect from Propecia. It sounds like you are possibly experiencing genetic male pattern hair loss. In the young man, I always suggest that you get your hair mapped out for miniaturization to get a diagnostic base like and a firm diagnosis. A dermatologist can do this, and it may be helpful to print out Miniaturization: Critical to the Master Plan for Hair Loss to show him/her.

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October 6, 2006

Woman Prescribed 5mg of Finasteride Daily – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a woman and have been prescribed a dose of 5mg of finasteride daily for hair loss. It is working, but I am concerned about the high dosage. Since I am not of childbearing age, do I need to be concerned about side effects?

This is a question best asked of the doctor who prescribed it. I am always concerned when something is prescribed outside the normal FDA approved channels, where the drug is approved for safety and effectiveness. Both are up in the air when it comes to women and finasteride at the 5mg dose.

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October 5, 2006

Low Sperm Count from Propecia? – Balding Blog

I’ve been using Propecia for a year and I have recently experienced mild side effects. As a result, I searched online for information on Propecia side effects and came across a new and very significant side effect of Propecia, which I have not experienced, but that has certainly made me extremely anxious about Propecia. I found it at the following link:
AskDocWeb

It comes from a woman named Lynda who claims that her husband’s sperm count has been significantly lowered since using Propecia and as a result he is not able to get impregnate her. The writer, Lynda, also mentions that she has come across other Propecia users with the same problem. This is a very serious issue that should be addressed and I would like to know your view on this issue and if you have ever heard of this side effect.

Scientific research and a woman named Lynda’s comments are two totally different things. While anecdotal reports may have some utility, they are often sources of misinformation and unfounded concerns.

I do not know if the AskDocWeb site is maintained by a medical doctor (it doesn’t indicate on their site), and I cannot comment on a woman named Lynda’s experience, because frankly, I do not know the full medical history.

One of the side effects of Propecia can be a decrease in semen volume. It should not decrease sperm count. That being said, I will inquire my contact at Merck (the makers of Propecia) about your concerns and will post any new findings here.

October 4, 2006

Minocycline and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hello. I was taking minocycline for about 3 months due to acne. 10mg total a day. I stopped the treatment and through out I noticed that my hair was falling out, but not too much to cause concern. during this past 2 weeks my hair is falling out in big patches and i don’t know what to do? what do you recommend? thank you!

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As I’ve said before, many drugs can cause hair loss, but if you are losing big patches of hair, then you need to be evaluated by a doctor (dermatologist) and can not assume that this is caused from the drug you had taken. You need to get a complete physical exam and history reviewed by this doctor. With all of that being said, I do not know of a direct link between minocycline and hair loss.

October 4, 2006

I Lost Hair After Using Hair Dye – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I used hair dye a few time to much in a one month period and i ran my hands through my hair and it came out in clumps. I was wondering if it would come back. Its been about a year since i last used hair dye and i dont see more hair loss or notice any more falling out. But its hard to notice if its getting better. I’ve been to so many doctors and they never tell me anything helpful. Is there anything i can do? I tried rogaine but didnt notice any difference with it. what should i do? help please. thank you

If you have been evaluated by many doctors and have come to a dead end, I doubt I can be much help either. Hair loss from hair dyes are a difficult problem, because it is difficult to treat or even understand why it happens. You may have induced genetic hair loss with the use of chemicals, but the chemicals themselves may have worked their way down the hair shafts into the growth center of the hair and killed or damaged it. As long as you have ruled out any medically related causes of hair loss, there are no proven treatments available (many products claim to reverse hair loss, but it is a buyer beware market and it targets the desperate consumers in a society obsessed with personal appearance and image). Minoxidil may help and is worth a try. With respect to hair loss after using a hair coloring dye, your hair should have grown back after a year.

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