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Can I Take a Half Dose of Propecia if I See Side Effects? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi, Doctor Rassman,
Im a 27 year old male,my hair has been thinning since I was 23.I still got hair on top and at the front but is thinning on the crown. After tried herbal remedies like Provillus (waste of time and money, honestly) and tried different topical lotions like Revivogen( the same as Provillus,waste of time and money.) Please guys don’t even think about this kind of products,they don’t work!!!

I just decided to try Propecia after a year of research,Im still bit scared about the side effects but I think I’m going to give it a go and see if it works for me. My question is: is possible to take a dose of 0.5 daily in case I get any of the side effects? Is this safe an effective?

Thanks

You should take 1mg of Propecia (per your doctor’s prescription) and if you develop side effects, you can cut the dose… but going the other way makes no sense. 99% of people do not get sexual side effects addressing sexual performance. Why would you assume you are in the 1% group of the population?

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Hair Loss InformationBalayam Yoga Will Cure Hair Loss? It’s Magic! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have come to know that someone called SK has discovered a Yoga exercise called balayam is effective in curing baldness and hairloss. If you want to know more about balayam please log on to balayam.com

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Controlling stress can help with balding that was caused by stress, but I would sincerely doubt any yoga technique is a “magical yet simple way to cure baldness” as that site states. Who doesn’t love a good magic trick? Sorry, but no yoga move will reverse genetic hair loss.

I just watched the video of this “magical” method and smiled when I saw that the baldness cure that everyone has been missing over the years was apparently the act of rubbing your fingers in a certain way. Well, at least the Balayam site isn’t charging people money for this stuff. See the video yourself at YouTube. And by the way… I’m only indulging this to leave you all with a smile for the weekend.

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Propecia Maintenance Phase? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have been using Propecia for about 8 years. Though no measureable regrowth, I feel it slowed or haulted the hair fallout and have been able to keep what I have. I do not believe I have sufferred from any of the “male concerning” side effects. My question is, is there a thing such as a maintenance phase? Meaning, instead of taking the 1mg tablet daily, can I take one every other day and still be alright?

Thanks

The need to take the same dose over and over again for life should continue. If you drop the dose, you run the risk of losing hair. If you do go for every other day, that’s your call to make… but I wouldn’t recommend it. Unlike your case, some patients have reported that after 5 years or so some hair loss picks up again, and in those patients I have been recommending an increase in the dose to 2.5mg each day, provided that there are no side effects. Discuss any prescription medication changes with your prescribing doctor.

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Propecia and Liver Damage? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Can propecia can liver damage for one who is taking it for a long time. We all know, propecia is heavily metabolized in the liver, so if taking it for years and years can it cause some damage to the liver?

There is no causal connection between liver disease and Propecia, however, if you have liver disease, the dose for Propecia will have to be monitored and may have to be reduced.

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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I’m Applying Rogaine Behind My Hairline To Retain My Hair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi I have been using rogaine on the front of my scalp behind my hair line and I’m just wondering if this will hold my hair loss. I know chances are it wont grow it back but I just want to know if I’m wasting my time applying it here. Thanx

There are no guarantees with drugs like minoxidil (Rogaine), but it tends to work by increasing the length of the anagen (growth phase) of the hair cycle. It can both grow new hair and retain the existing hair where it is longer than normal so instead of a 3 year growth (anagen) cycle, maybe it would extend to 4 years or so. It might work where you’re applying it, but without a microscopic miniaturization mapping over time, I couldn’t tell you if you’re wasting time.

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Have All the Hair Loss Questions Been Answered? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

There are so many questions and answers here as well as that forum. I think you’ve covered most if not all questions that need to be asked. If people would take the time to look through them, I’m sure their questions would be answered. There comes a point where all the information becomes too overwhelming, and becomes information overload. Maybe it’s time to relax a bit, ay?

What is this “relax” you speak of? Actually, I stopped writing the blog around 3 years ago when I hired woodland elves to respond to your questions (they needed something to do after a long day of baking cookies in a tree). It seems to be working out well, even though they do have a tough time spelling “finasteride” correctly.

But seriously, it does sometimes seem like I answer a lot of the same questions from time to time, but maybe just worded in a different way… and although I’d prefer not to get repeats, I don’t necessarily mind as long as it’ll help someone out. I can’t get to every question and I know many people think their question is deserving (and it probably is), but I just kinda pick some emails that look neat and roll with it. Plus, from time to time I really get some fantastic questions that keep me on my toes. Look, for example, at the previous post which is probably real to some of those who believe in Balayam Yoga. Who am I to say that it does or does not work? As a reader, you are entitled to learn about different approaches to the balding problem and weigh the evidence of others for yourself.

Content is king, and after 7000+ posts here, I do feel that this site is one of the best sources for hair loss info on the web. I’m really proud of that.

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Hair Loss InformationProgesterone Injections and Female Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

3 weeks ago I’ve stopped taking the fertility PROGESTRONE known as PIO injections, Progynova 2mg- Tiny light blue tablets that are taken orally to help build the lining of the womb. and Ultrogestan Progesterone-creamy white pills that can be taken rally or inserted vaginally. I did both.

I’m African American with very thick strong natural hair, and now, my hair is falling out by the handful. my hair egges are going bald. I never went through no crap like this. My hair went from very thick to very thin.

Am I able to get a lawsuit? How long will it take for my hair to grow back? When will all the medications be cleared out my system and for my hormones to go back to normal. I’m way to young for menepose affects and that is what one of the medications does. thanks so much for your help. I am experiencing boldily sharp pains too from that medication after I have stopped taking it.

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One has to be careful when treating medical conditions in a patient that requires hormones and has genetic hair loss. The connection between hormones and hair loss are published all over the web. Progynova (estradiol valerate) is also known as Delestrogen, and the side effects do include hair loss (full list here).

Although I can not give you legal advice, I would suggest that you have a long talk with your doctor and review the “informed consent” sheet he should’ve given you before starting you on hormone treatments. I am hopeful that your doctor at least discussed the side effects of such treatments.

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Hair Loss InformationHow to Measure a Mature Hairline? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

this may be a strange question, but when one talks about measuring how much a hairline has receded, and says that a normal (“Mature”) hairline recedes a half inch in the front, and an inch and a half at the corners, how do you measure that? vertically, as if straight down the face to a point parallel to where the hairline initially was??

thanks!

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The measurement of the mature hairline is essentially done with a drop string (gravity), from the leading edge of the hairline and to the highest wrinkle of the furrowed brow. Here’s a list of past posts that may help:

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My Hair Loss Just Started When I Turned 50 Years Old – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, I’m male and have just turned 50. There’s no baldness in the family and up until very recently I’ve had a full head of hair.

My hair started falling out considerably in the shower about six months ago (Oct ‘08) and has continued up until now, to the point where I just have to run my fingers through my hair and hairs will fall onto the countertop. Unfortunately I’ve now lost a good amount of hairline and have thinned all over the top of my head.

I went to a dermatologist and supplied eleven vials of blood for testing with everything coming back negative for hair loss – minerals, vitamins, hormones, dhea, thyroid, kidney, liver & bioavailable testosterone were all within range (the last two were slightly elevated, but still in normal range).

There hasn’t been any major stress events in my recent history, nor do I feel depressed. However, I have been taking prednisone since March ‘03 after being diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency (addison’s disease) after a bad bout with food poisoning. According to the medical association hair loss is not a side effect of prednisone, but I’m guessing it is the cause of my hair loss, or possibly an autoimmune disease attacking the hair follicle’s themselves.

I was given a dandruff shampoo (Ducray – Selegel) by the dermatologist but that hasn’t slowed the hair loss down, not sure dandruff could cause this type of hair loss anyway. I’m wondering if you might have any advice that could help as this is very frustrating to say the least.

Thanks

You can guess on the mechanisms for your thinning hair, but hair loss from genetic causes can start late in life (50s). I would need to know much more about your Addison’s disease and the impact of the steroid use before discussing your case further. Prednisone can cause hair loss (see here), but dandruff isn’t a cause of hair loss.

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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