Category: Drugs

Hello Doctors

I am 20 years old and Ive been using 5% Minoxodil foam for 4 months now (on a recommendation from my practitioner), and im seeing little in the way of progress (been losing hair and receeding since I was 18). I am going to see my practioner next week about getting a prescription for Propecia (im not worried about the side effects).

Would you recommend continuing the use of 5% Minoxidil along with Propecia, or stop using the foam whilst using Propecia?

Many patients use minoxidil (foam or liquid) while taking Propecia. If your doctor prescribes the Propecia, you can continue the minoxidil daily. There is no problem with this. Keep in mind that if you see positive results, you won’t know which medication was the reason (or if both were) — so you’ll need to continue using both for life or risk losing the benefits by stopping one.

I wouldn’t have expected much progress at only 4 months of minoxidil use, particularly if you’re looking to treat a receding hairline. These medications work best at the crown.

Hi Dr. Rassman,
I am 19 years old and have been on Proscar for the last year. My hair loss has begun quite slowly but it is somewhat noticeable around the temple area. Obviously it is hard to tell just how much hair I have saved or whether it has slowed the progression at all. However, in the past few weeks I have altered my dosage and believe it has caused a slight increase in hair loss.

Originally my doctor suggested a 5mg pill cut in half and taken every second day, but after reading your answers here about how long the pill lasts in the system I reassessed with the doctor and decided on a 5mg pill cut into four and taken every day. Seeing as this only changed three weeks ago, do you think it is purely coincidental?

If there is one thing I want all readers to understand it’s that you need to establish a relationship with YOUR doctor, and obtain and resolve your medical issues with them. I’m glad you talked to your doctor before changing the dosing, but if you do have issues you should contact that doctor for his/her take on it.

In general, Propecia (finasteride 1mg) taken every day is used for the treatment of androgenic alopecia (genetic male pattern hair loss). Many men cut the generic finasteride 5mg into four parts (since cutting it in 5 equal pieces is very difficult). Other doctors may have their own opinion and treatment regimen, but the recommended dose is finasteride 1mg taken every day.

Finally, it takes several months before you see any effects (benefits) from finasteride. I occasionally read emails and comments where someone notices some change in their hair (loss or gain) after several days or weeks, but that is unlikely. So what you’re seeing may just be coincidental.

I got two questions linked to finasteride and side effects:

1. Why does testicular pain occur when taking finasteride?

I’ve read somewhere that the testicle is working overtime to produce more testosterone as it senses that DHT is low and is trying to compensate. I don’t know if this is true or not, but is there any “official” explanation?

2. Is there any connection between finasteride and penile shrinkage?

You should not have testicular pain when taking any medication, including Propecia / finasteride. If you have testicular pain it may be a serious medical emergency. I believe it was less than 1% that had this side effect in the clinical trials, so it is quite rare. I don’t have a reason for why it could occur at all, though.

I would strongly advise you to follow up with your doctor. What you read on the Internet (and even BaldingBlog) does not substitute for a face-to-face personal relationship with your physician, and that includes exploring the cause of your testicular pain. Finally, finasteride do not cause penile shrinkage.

Hello Dr.

I’ve have eczema on my forehead and cheeks, i’m using miconazol/hydrocortison twice a day for ten days now.

Because i’ve to put it on my forehead, close to my hairline when i wake up and going to sleep, could it speed up my hairloss? It’s also on my cheeks so if it comes on my pillow is it dangerous for my hair?

Thank you

Please use medication as directed by your physician. Hydrocortisone can be absorbed by the body and can contribute to hair loss if it is used in excess. Very small amounts work well for its primary purpose.

I’ve been taking Propecia for almost a year now and don’t think I’ve seen any more loss but I’m curious about taking Propecia whilst drinking heavily. I drink every night due to a stressful job and also entertain clients. I am looking into cutting down but due to the nature of my work, it’s not always possible.

If I am taking Propecia whilst drinking a lot, is there a better time of the day for me to take it? If I take it in the morning before work after a night of drinking, will my body process it like normal?

You know this already, but you should cut down or stop your excessive drinking. Taking Propecia is not related nor interferes with alcohol intake.

However, if you develop liver disease from the excessive alcohol, this could negatively impact the metabolism of Propecia. But if it got that far, hair loss shouldn’t be your number one priority anyway.

I have a question about taking Rogaine. I read a lot of people saying that when they took topical Rogaine that they noticed soft erections and impotence. Is this possible and do you hear a lot of people reporting this? thanks

I personally never heard of this from any of my patients. Moreover, I do not believe erectile dysfunction or impotence is a side effect of Rogaine (minoxidil).

Hello doctor,

I’ve been on propecia for about 8 months and its going well my hair is stronger and the crown is looking better every day..

I’ve noticed some long thin white ‘baby’ hairs on the front of my head where my hair recedes that were never there before. Could I be one of the lucky ones and get hair growth on my front too?!

Perhaps you are one of those rare lucky patients that sees some regrowth at the hairline from Propecia (finasteride). It would be nice to see your before and after pictures.

What you are calling ‘baby’ hair is not the strong hair that you need to consider it regrowing, but give it a full two years to see what emerges.

If one takes male enhancement supplements while in finasteride would that combat any possible male member negative effects from finasteride? Thanks

We all know about the prescription medications like Cialis and Viagra, but I do not know if there are any valid male enhancement supplements out there that really work. I realize they are advertised as such, but scientific research and actual effectiveness attached to these supplements are vague.

That being said, if you are having side effects from Propecia / finasteride, please speak with your doctor and make sure there are no other medical issues.