Category: Drugs

I am on Retin-A from 2 months now, some good results can be seen, anyway I looking to find an answer to another problem: I’ll like to start a hair-loss treatment, propecia or rogaine, but, searching the net, I’ve found some controversial dissections.
Any opinion? I’ll not stop Retin-A. What can be the risks of using both Retin-A and Propecia?

The internet is a wonderful research tool, but information is often limited. It is often dangerous when people try to treat their medical ailments from internet research. Before starting any medication, you need to be examined by a medical doctor. Finally, Propecia is not recommened for women and Retin-A does not help with hair loss, although some people use it with minoxidil under the hope that it will make the minoxidil more effective. People do not appreciate that Retin-A is an acid, which does produce burns to the skin amongst other side effects that need to be understood.

I have heard that propecia can cause muscle loss as well as the loss of facial hair . Is there any truth behind this and if so why do they not list this as possible side effects ?

Not sure where you heard these latest bits of quasi-information, but they are amusing and I’ll add them to my pile of “Hair Loss Rumors”. The FDA requires that Merck (makers of Propecia) list all side effects, and just to avoid lawsuits, drug companies usually list any potential side effects the drug can have as well, no matter how embarassing or remote.

Propecia blocks DHT formation, and since DHT is formed from testosterone, it raises testosterone levels slighly and temporarily. Since one’s testosterone goes up briefly, muscle and facial hair GAIN would be the expected consequence. Fortunately, the body’s own feedback mechanisms bring your testosterone back to normal levels pretty quickly, so long-term effects from this slightly increased testosterone are unlikely.

What I want to know was that I may have stunted my growth by taking finasteride at age 19? I don’t have genetic hairloss although the doctors said I have (without testing) and unfortunately just prescribed me the proscar/minoxidil/nizoral combo.

It’s fairly common for adult males to grow some more (in average 2-3 inches, but can be a lot more aswell) in their early twenties. So I wonder that the sudden hairloss i experienced just at my 20th could have been the (agressive) start of a new growth spurt, which I have blocked by taking finasteride.

As i read on a question you answered before: by blocking DHT there’s about 15% more testosterone which will be converted to estrogen. It’s well known that estrogen (in the end) results in closure of the (long bone) growth plates, thus meaning the end of growth for an adult. So I would like to know if finasteride can affect your growth, for the record, why else is it forbidden to take finasteride before age 18?
I thank you for your answer.

To my knowledge there is no evidence that finasteride can stunt growth. What you are talking about is theory and to look for that answer, the drug company would have had to conduct a study of people under 18, finding out if there is a different height/weight in those on the drug some years later. Such a study, to my knowledge, did not happen.

Recent hair loss does occur in spurts in some men. I do not see an contraindication for Propecia in you, but if you think that it is responsible for stunted growth, then stop taking it.

Hello and thanks for creating this blog.
I have been on Propecia for about 2 and a half years and started when I was 19 (though my hair loss started as early as 17). It has worked pretty well but lately I have noticed increased thinning in the front. Though I realize this area is the hardest hit by MPB, would an increase of 1.5 mg of Propecia possibly be helpful here?
Thanks.

Simple answer: No.

Longer answer: Your hair loss may be more pronounced if you never took Propecia. Propecia has its limits and it is not the panacea for preventing the progression of hair loss in all people for all times. As you may know from reading this blog, we are big proponents of mapping your hair on your scalp for miniaturization just to address problems like yours. You are asking if the drug is not working as well, and if your hair loss is progressing. What you are asking in technical terms is: Is my miniaturization stable? These miniaturization measurements will give you values on the miniaturization process, which is the precursor of balding. What I would want to know if I were you is: How fast is the process moving in the wrong direction? With that and a Master Plan in hand, you can intelligently decide on what are your options and what comes next.

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Thanks for your wonderfully informative blog. My question concerns shock loss. In your experience, does Propecia guard against shock loss even in transplanted regions in which the native hair is miniaturized? I was recently evaluated as a possible Norwood 6 though I’m currently 34 with only some thinning at the front and at the vertex. I’ve responded well to Propecia the last 2 years and was only interested in strengthening the frontal hairline but the doctor who examined me urged against it and didn’t mention Propecia’s benefit against shock loss. Please clarify if you can. Would the surrounding miniaturized follicles be at risk even on Propecia, especially in the front?

The miniaturized follicles would be at risk, but Propecia would definitely minimize that risk. Propecia has been shown to decrease the incidence/degree of shock loss and protect the existing native hair and for that reason I generally recommend it. Incidentally, transplanted hair is already naturally resistant to shock loss and very few patients find that shock loss is a problem in an area that has nothing but transplants.

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i am writing this for my 19yr old son. He has lost a lot of hair at the sides and is thinning at the top. His GP told him to try rogaine, although he didn’t hold out much hope for it. He only suggested rogaine because we told him we had been looking on the internet and we came across propecia and rogaine. My son did want to try propecia but his GP advised against it due to hormones relating to female breast tissue? You are the expert in this field. Which one would you recommend to get the best results?
– from a very concerned and worried mum

It is true, one side effect of Propecia is gynecomastia, which is a benign enlargement of the male breast resulting from a proliferation of the glandular component of the breast. It is reported in a very small pecentage (approximately 1 in 300) of patients using Propecia. Of note, many other drugs (such Advil or Motrin) also cause gynecomastia. The good news is that most of the time, gynecomastia is reversible.

Your GP may or may not be familiar with male pattern baldness (MPB) and may not feel comfortable prescribing the drug Propecia. Propecia can only be prescribed by a medical doctor, so I if your son is concerned about hair loss, he should see a qualified hair transplant doctor or a dermatologist. For male patterned genetic hair loss, Propecia is the only FDA approved drug that will prevent, slow down, or reverse hair loss. Rogaine does not act in that manner with any predictability.

I’m 27 and about to start using Propecia 1mg. Does it regrow (or grow new) hair in other places than the scalp?

Not to my knowledge. Are you seeing some growth of hair elsewhere that you may want to share with me?

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