Category: Hair Products

Hi, i’ve been using rogaine foam for about 7 1/2 months, and started using nioxin system 1 shampoo and coditioner. i’m starting to get a lot of head aches i think from the foam (since i think i’m using too much) and i’m not sure i’m getting much results, so i was thinking of starting using propecia, except it’s costly and i’m afraid of the side effects, seeing as i’m only 22, male. i heard the younger you are though, the less likely you are to have side effects from propecia, is that true?

i’ve been reading around and would like to only use .5mg, by cutting themin half. is it safe to just take a knife and cut them in half though? and i’ve heard using nizoral shampoo along with the foam is considered the “big 3″ and has shown a good amount of results for people, do you recommend using all three products?

Headaches may be from the hypotensive impact of minoxidil (Rogaine), which does drop blood pressure in some people. You may be using too much of it, or may just be too sensitive to it.

If costs on Propecia is too much, you can get a prescription for the genetic finasteride 5mg tablet and cut it into quarters. At our local Costco, the cost runs about $5/month for the 5mg generic. With regard to halving the dose, the financial solution to your problem is discussed already with the generic finasteride… and why take half when a full 1mg dose is better? Side effects are rare in men of all ages, but I don’t recall seeing statistics about side effects relating to age.

You can use Nizoral, but aside from being a good shampoo, I’m not sure it’s going to regrow your hair. If you’ve got the financial means to do so, you can continue to use all three products.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

An earlier question brought up an article about a topical DHT inhibitor at HairLossTalk:

The doctor interviewed in the article made some pretty impressive claims. Paraphrasing:

1. His topical DHT blocker is as effective as Propecia as long as you could apply it to the affected area
2. Downside of topical: It’s more of a pain to apply. It would be really difficult to apply to entire scalp, whereas Propecia blocks DHT everywhere.
3. Upside of topical: it only blocks DHT near the scalp, having less of an affect on serum DHT levels. This decreases the chances of side-effects.

The claims seem to make sense to me, but this kind of stuff can sometimes be counterintuitive.

1. Do you agree with his general evaluation of topical vs. serum DHT blockers?
2. Do you have an opinion on the specific topical solution he is talking about?

We have written about topical DHT blockers before here. The doctor in the article you referenced is a web-based provider of compounded, off-label medicaments for hair loss. The use of spironolactone has been a mainstay as a treatment for female hair loss when taken orally, but there is no real evidence that it works and many studies show the controversy, saying either it works or does not work. It is tied to the belief of the doctor, but you must keep in mind that doctors who recommend it profit from its use. When you take such medications and convert it to skin (topical) use, there is no guarantee that it works, if it is absorbed through the skin and just where the medication works (if it does work at all). It is easy to make such compounds and when a doctor puts his concoction into a cream or topical, there is an implication that it is safe and effective. Spironolactones are known antiandrogens and as such should work in men, but if taken orally, men will have significant secondary sexual side effects, such as loss of libido and problems with sustaining erections (when and if they get them). The question one should ask is whether this medication has sexual side effects. Without proper scientific studies, we really can not tell.

I never understood why men chase this stuff when the rare sexual side effects from Propecia (finasteride) have been measured. I would guess that if spironolactone was taken orally, they would dwarf the side effects of Propecia in men, yet men somehow want to experiment and may find themselves swamped with side effects or ineffective treatment losing valuable time on fixing hair loss with what is known to work. Topical spironolactone has a bad smell associated with it which is claimed to have been successfully addressed by this doctor, so I don’t know if this medication stinks from the aroma or its success and without good science behind it, it becomes a real gamble with the belief of one doctor who makes his living putting topical medications together.

I don’t know if you have seen this new test by HairDX, but it caught my eye. It supposedly will predict your response to Finasteride.

HairDX

I also found this interesting news release at Marketwatch.com that discusses the HairDX (RxR) Genetic Test for Finasteride a bit more.

I am trying to understand how I would use the information that this new test would supply. I suppose if the test shows someone is not going to be very responsive to Propecia, then it could open up the possibility for the patient to have a hair transplant earlier, rather than waiting to see results from Propecia that may never occur. It’s not uncommon for me to turn potential surgical patients away if there’s a possibility that a single daily pill could solve their problem (I’d much rather recommend a pill over surgery if it’ll help). I think that I will offer the test to my patients and let them decide how to use it.

Hi Doctor,
I’m on finasteride 5mg (cut into 4 pieces) from past 7-8 months. I have been taking it regularly but have missed it once/twice in a week some times(from a month back). I had no hair loss from past 6 months may be coz i was regular with finasteride and also coz i had head shave. Now im experiencing more hair loss, im counting hair follicles each time i comb my hair. Its around 30 – 40 follicles. Now im totally scared, could you please tell me what can i do to prevent further hair loss.

Also im using toppik and dermmatch for better look. I use once in 3 days. I was using dermmatch when i had short hair and since my hairs have grown im using both for better look. Do you think these concealers can cause hair loss if used regularly ??

Also if i need to send a picture of my hair how can i do it ? Please help me out here, and thanks in advance.

Having your head shaved won’t prevent hair loss. Taking your finasteride each day will help halt the hair loss in most men. You should discuss the increase in hair loss you’re seeing with your prescribing doctor, who should hopefully be able to compare your results with photos taken before you started the medication. You might also consider minoxidil, which is available over the counter.

Toppik and DermMatch do not cause hair loss. You can send photos to photos@baldingblog.com, but reference this post when sending so I know you’ve written before.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):