Category: Uncategorized

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Propecia and Coffee

I had a casual conversation with a dermatologist recently, who suggested that taking Propecia in the morning might not be the best idea given I drink around 4 (on rare occasion 5) cups of coffee every morning. The dermatologist said that, generally speaking coffee/tea reduces the absorption effectiveness of finasteride and many other drugs.

Otherwise, he stated that mornings are generally a good time to take medication. He further suggested that 1-2 cups of coffee would be less problematic. Any thoughts on this suggestion?

There are some suggestions I’ve read about on the web that point to some decreased absorption with coffee or alcohol because of the increased frequency of urination… but there’s no certain connection that I know of between drinking coffee and Propecia absorption. You should be fine with the coffee, but grapefruits have been shown to decrease finasteride’s absorption.


2010-03-18 16:02:09Propecia and Coffee

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Did You Meet Dr Gho?

Doctor,
A few months back you had mentioned an upcoming trip to Europe. You also said that you planned to meet with Gho to discuss his technique or whatever. I am just following up to see if the visit ever materialized? Many people would appreciate a blog update on that situation. ALSO- many people would like you to be the first doctor to offer HST in the United States!

thanks for your time,
anonymous baldy

When I said “on my next trip to Amsterdam” I didn’t mean that I was planning on going there right away.

I was hoping to talk to Dr. Gho at the recent ISHRS meeting in Alaska, but he didn’t attend so we did not have an opportunity to meet to discuss what he was doing.

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Propecia and NutraSweet Products, Follow-Up

A couple of days ago I had sent an email indicating that there is a belief that nutrasweet products interfere with the efficacy of propecia. The following site describes one such incidence.

https://205.238.137.71/hairloss-forums/viewthread.cfm?f=1&t=11649#33739

Please give me your opinion on this as I have been using propecia for 8 weeks with no effect.

I looked at the reference you cited. The piece proposes that nutrasweet may interfere with the action of Propecia, but it is conjunctural, not factual. Formaldahyde, if it were a significant metabolite of nutrisweet, would/could cause liver disease, which is not a reported side effect.


2006-08-11 16:04:39Propecia and NutraSweet Products, Follow-Up

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Diffuse Patterned Alopecia

Hi Dr Rassman!

I’ve been said I have male pattern baldness by a doctor. I’m currently 21 years old I lose my hair since I was 14. From reading articles over the internet, I think I have DPA (Diffuse Patterned Alopecia). My hair is thinning on the top, but remains thick on the sides. I have loss at the temples and crown in a diffuse way, but not restricted to these places (also thinning all the top). I currently take Propecia since I was 18. I don’t know if it’s helping, but I take in case it would be worse without it.

I’d like to know what causes DPA. Is it really androgenetic? Can it be from poor diet and life style? Is it reversible? What are the best options for treatments? Thank you for your attention and this excellent website!

Diffuse patterned alopecia (DPA) in men is mostly genetic in origin and Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is a good way to treat it. Have you had your hair mapped out for miniaturization to be sure? What is the result of your hair pull test? This test may point to a diffuse telogen effluvium. I can not really diagnose you via this site without examining you first.

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Propecia and the Crooked Penis

Ok, I just have to ask. I have been searching around for information regarding pros/cons of starting propecia. I came to a web forum in which several people were discussing the fact that propecia made their penis crooked. I have not read this anywhere in the side effects category listed with Merck. Is this a real possibility?

I highly doubt your penis will grow crooked after taking Propecia (finasteride 1mg). Many men are born with a penis that leans to one side or the other (example, Wikipedia – Chordee). What you read on that web forum just goes to show how the internet can be misleading and you must take all the information available with a grain of salt.

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Discouraged about hair loss and can’t get a date

It is discouraging. What’s interesting about human attraction and looks is, the most important factors are those you cannot change. Your height. Your hair. Your facial characteristics. Can’t get a date! Turns out being fit working out and being muscular doesn’t actually matter. Dressing nice matters but can’t compensate a lack of something genetically determined. I’m so bummed out how important the genetics code is to be successful in this area

Quality women often focus on what is inside your head not what is on top. Women who are superficial look for a package that may not be what they want when the wrapping is off.


2019-03-26 18:17:33Discouraged about hair loss and can’t get a date

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Propecia for Women

a short while ago, you answered a question on the use of Propecia in women. It was your feeling that this drug is not indicated in women, yet some doctors are using it in women. Are there any indications for female Propecia use?

There is no long term studies on safety in women for Propecia, but there are certain conditions that cause a woman to make a great deal of male hormones and as such, may actually develop a male patterned hair loss. In these diseases and only in a woman past child bearing years, a trial of Propecia may be indicated, but the patient must be made aware of the possible appearance of conditions that ‘theoretically’ may develop which could impact the breast, uterine and ovarian organs. For example, cancer risks have never been studied when a women is placed on Propecia and those women who are genetically prone to breast, uterine or ovarian cancer may find themselves at greater risk.

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Do Chicken, Oysters, Beef, Other Foods Increase Testosterone, Leading to Hair Loss?

I read all sorts of foods naturally raise testosterone levels, from garlic to oysters to chicken to lean beef to brussel sprouts to broccoli. So this must be normal and not contribute at all to hair loss right? These foods are considered healthy. Does eating chicken (which doesn’t have any external hormones added to it in the US) increase testosterone? And I read alcohol, sugar, caffeine lower testosterone and boost estrodiol. And that soybeans and tofu a phytoestrogens should be avoided by people wanting to increase natural testosterone. Similarly, working out and increased T levels with that should be normal.

I’ve also read that caffeine is both an in vitro cure for hair loss as well as something that boosts cortisol in the body and since cortisol is from the adrenal gland, that contributes to hair loss. What’s the deal here?

By the way, great episode on TLC Monday night.

Please do not focus too much on testosterone and hormones. If you are male and balding, it is most likely genetic. If you have the genes for hair loss, even normal or low levels of testosterone will cause balding. You may be trying to maximize everything by limiting hormones etc, but it doesn’t really work. If you are going to go bald, you will go bald. The best medical intervention we have thus far is finasteride (Propecia). However, even Propecia does not completely stop balding.


2008-06-17 16:37:44Do Chicken, Oysters, Beef, Other Foods Increase Testosterone, Leading to Hair Loss?

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Propecia and the Prostate, a Comment from One of Our Readers.

It isn’t just an issue of the prostate shrinking. The attached article points out that there is atrophy (tissue wasting) and apoptosis (cell death) in the prostate as well. You can do a quick Google search to see that there are hundreds of thousands of guys who have used Propecia and despite stopping the drug, still report having watery semen with reduced volumes.

Yes, I don’t doubt that for a moment. I know of one family member that stopped Finasteride after 15 years and had a full return of his semen to its normal level and consistency, so that means that the results vary with people.