Category: Drugs

Can stomach acid destroy finasteride in Proscar tablets that were cut in fourths? I heard the coating of some drugs is supposed to get them to the small intestine, where the pH is 6.5 and they are absorbed.

I do not have direct knowledge of this. It would be best to take the drug at the prescribed 1 mg dose (Propecia) rather than cutting the 5mg dose, but many people who switch from the 1mg dose to the 5mg dose (cutting the tablet into quarters) tell me that they get the same benefits. I would doubt that the acid would react differently with the intact 1mg Propecia and the cut sections of the 5mg tablet, but I do not know for sure. So just to be clear, my answer is just speculation based on what I have been told by users of finasteride.

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Are there any side effects of propecia? I heard that there will be ejaculation problems.

I’ve discussed possible side effects of Propecia many times before. Always discuss your concerns with your prescribing doctor, as an open line of communication will usually result in the best solutions. Propecia can reduce the size of the ejaculant in some men. The potency of the sperm remains good so the smaller ejaculant does not translate into less potency.

I used Minoxidil 2% for about two years, then -through bad advice — stopped using it for about 4 months now. I just started realising the reoccurance of my hair loss. I will re-start immediately but am wondering if it is too late and whether I will lose all the hair that had regrown during the past two years?
Thank you very much.

Hair that is being lost or miniaturized, or new hair that grows from the drug does get minoxidil dependent so when the drug is stopped, the dependent hair often falls out. Minoxidil is thought to increase the length of the hair growth cycle, but can bring on new hair where there was none. If the hair fell out upon stopping the minoxidil, then a new cycle must kick in and that might take months. I would hope that some of the hair will return to the level before you stopped taking minoxidil, but I can not give you the assurance you are looking for.

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I’m noticing a very, very clear reduction in hairloss only TWO WEEKS after I begun taking Propecia…10% of me wants to say “great! be happy!” but the other 90% of me thinks there’s something ‘wrong’ (I guess you can tell i’m quite a pessemestic person sometimes..). I’m almost certain that i’m not imagining this (again, i’m quite pessemestic so if anything, I thought it would be the complete opposite).

I’ve gone from losing dozens of hairs every day when combing my fingers through my hair to just a few. The Procepia phamplet said it could take as long as 12-18 months to see results, your website says as long as 8 months (generally 3 months)…so you can see why i’m so pessemestic and confused as hell. Is this really possible??! Or should I expect things to change again in a few short days / weeks?

Propecia will often slow or stop the hair loss in weeks, so this is not an unusual observation. The 8-18 month time-frame is reflecting new hair growth or benefits upon decreasing miniaturization in the hair shafts, which will increase the general fullness that you will see with the naked eye.

Hi Doc. Can i use Minoxdil 5% on my receding temples? i think they have receded about 0.5-1 cm which makes me try to cover them..i’ve read about your response that hairline recedes with maturity…so how can i tell if its maturity or MPB ?

I doubt minoxidil will help much with a 0.5 to 1cm of receding hair line (even if it is from MPB). You may have what is known as a maturing hair line, which is normal and not considered balding. Aside from this, minoxidil generally works best in the crown.

How was minoxidil discovered?

Minoxidil was originally used as an oral medication for high blood pressure. If I remember the story correctly, a family doctor reported that he had treated two elderly women with minoxidil for difficult to manage blood pressure. Some women who were prescribed this drug for high blood pressure developed in increase in hair in body parts to include beard area, moustache area, hair on the chest, and increased hair on arms and legs. It isn’t known how the drug stimulates hair growth, though.

I am a 25-year-old male that started on Proscar three weeks ago (I split the pills into fifths). My hairline has is receding, and over the past couple of years, the hair on the top of my head has gradually become noticeably thinner than the hair on the sides and back, although people that look at my hair think it is thick. It obvious the top is thinning when you run your hands through it though.

I have three questions:

1.) In just these three weeks on Proscar, I think I have noticed my hairline retreating a little more. Is this most likely the normal accelerated shedding process that takes place at first, to be replaced by newer, thicker hair?

2.) Given my age, what are the prospects that the hair on top will thicken up like the sides?

3.) I am a little concerned about the hormonal implications of the drug. In a previous post you mentioned that there is a spike in testosterone and estrogen when starting the drug, but the body adapts. My question is first, how soon for the body to adapt, and secondly, with respect to the adaptation, do the horomone levels return to normal or does the body merely adjust. I am worried about the sexual side effects, and also about having unnatural hormone levels in my body for who knows how many years.

Thank you.

Finasteride should not produce accelerated loss, though it has been reported by some of the readers of this site. When it works, it works better at restoring hair in the back of the head than on the front, but I believe that it sill slow down hair loss everywhere it is occuring in most men. Hormone changes (based upon patient reports only) usually return to normal levels in just a couple of months. If you do not develop sexual side effects in the first few weeks, I would expect none over time.