By what month should Propecia stop hair loss?

[il.mafiozzzo]

I'm 22 1/2 years old with early frontal hair loss. Rite now I'm a NW2 but definitely thinning on the temples in the center hairline and if I don't do anything I'll be a NW3 in no time! I noticed hair loss a year ago and been on Propecia for 8 1/2 months! The first 5 months everything looked the same and then I saw a little thickening in the left side center of my hairline and I noticed less hairs during styling and almost nothing in the shower. 2 weeks later I noticed some less at the right side center of my hairline. Another few weeks later I started to see more hairs in the shower again and it hasn't stopped since. Month 8 I noticed a bit hair loss again in the center (that area seems so persistent). And now month 9 I saw very little loss on both my temples, these area has some really weeks hairs but I still lost a bit.

I know Propecia can work up 2 years especially for a guy my age but shouldn't the loss stop by now? Surely all the loss that occured while being on Propecia was subtle by the way. I read on Propecia.com by month 9 you should be maintaining what you have! I don't want Propecia to slow down my MPB but stop it just like it does for 90% of men and that last mostly for about 5 years! Heck I would want thickening of miniaturized hairs as well (that's all I need to look way fuller) but right now I seem even to have a hard time stopping my loss! Please help I'm very sad and disappointed!

[Mark]

I'm 22 1/2 years old with early frontal hair loss. Rite now I'm a NW2 but definitely thinning on the temples in the center hairline and if I don't do anything I'll be a NW3 in no time! I noticed hair loss a year ago and been on Propecia for 8 1/2 months! The first 5 months everything looked the same and then I saw a little thickening in the left side center of my hairline and I noticed less hairs during styling and almost nothing in the shower. 2 weeks later I noticed some less at the right side center of my hairline. Another few weeks later I started to see more hairs in the shower again and it hasn't stopped since. Month 8 I noticed a bit hair loss again in the center (that area seems so persistent). And now month 9 I saw very little loss on both my temples, these area has some really weeks hairs but I still lost a bit.

I know Propecia can work up 2 years especially for a guy my age but shouldn't the loss stop by now? Surely all the loss that occured while being on Propecia was subtle by the way. I read on Propecia.com by month 9 you should be maintaining what you have! I don't want Propecia to slow down my MPB but stop it just like it does for 90% of men and that last mostly for about 5 years! Heck I would want thickening of miniaturized hairs as well (that's all I need to look way fuller) but right now I seem even to have a hard time stopping my loss! Please help I'm very sad and disappointed!

Hi il.mafiozzzo,

It sounds like you already know the answer to your question. Finasteride can occasionally take anywhere up to two years for some people to see the full effect of the drug, and you're right in saying that it doesn't work in about 10% of men.

If you're one of that 10%, then you may be out of luck. Propecia does have a sort of money back guaratee if you can get the doctor who prescribed your propecia to confirm that it didn't work for you. Not much of a consolation if you're losing your hair, but at least you won't have blown a bunch of money for nothing.

You may want to see if you react differently to minoxidil.

-Mark

[il.mafiozzzo]

I would rather have Propecia work and not think about getting money back :eek: I know in terms of thickening/regrowth it may take up 2 years for it to work but what about stopping of hair loss how long can that take? I doubt that's up to 2 years!? Can you get the answer for meon that one please? Thanks.

[Mark]

I would rather have Propecia work and not think about getting money back :eek: I know in terms of thickening/regrowth it may take up 2 years for it to work but what about stopping of hair loss how long can that take? I doubt that's up to 2 years!? Can you get the answer for meon that one please? Thanks.

I just spoke to Dr Rassman and he said that it typically takes 2 to 3 months to see a reduction or stopping of hair loss, mostly because of the time it takes for the phase of your hair follicles to change.


I'm more curious to see how you're determining that you're still having hair loss. Is it just visually inspecting it in the mirror? Are you noticing large amounts of hair coming out in the shower?

-Mark

[il.mafiozzzo]

For me it's only visual but I knew when something was there and now there isn't even if it was just a little trust me lol. As for the shower hair shedding, I started seeing very little or nothing after 3 1/2 months into Propecia but then I started seeing hairs again in the shower after 5 1/2 months into Propecia and it stayed about the same till now but before Propecia I had clumps of hair in the shower.

[Mark]

For me it's only visual but I knew when something was there and now there isn't even if it was just a little trust me lol. As for the shower hair shedding, I started seeing very little or nothing after 3 1/2 months into Propecia but then I started seeing hairs again in the shower after 5 1/2 months into Propecia and it stayed about the same till now but before Propecia I had clumps of hair in the shower.

I don't mean to sound condescending or anything, but it's very common for people to misinterpret what they're seeing when they're balding or having any other body issues that you can't see instantly happening.

Think about when you see people who you haven't seen in a long time and you think "wow, they gained/lost some weight!" but they don't even notice because they look at themselves every day.

You're never going to not see hairs in the shower by the way. There will always be some hair falling out of your head. The average is about 100 hairs a day, which are replaced.

If you want to be very objective about it, it's probably a good idea to start taking photographs of your head every week or so to chart this all. Doing regular miniaturization tests can help as well.

-Mark

[il.mafiozzzo]

Well I guess I'll just do another miniaturization test in like 6 months or so by the doc that did it for me before I started taking Propecia and if nothing then I guess it's time for Avodart I really don't want to take it but I seem to have no choice.

[Mark]

Well I guess I'll just do another miniaturization test in like 6 months or so by the doc that did it for me before I started taking Propecia and if nothing then I guess it's time for Avodart I really don't want to take it but I seem to have no choice.

It's really good practice for anyone who's taking a medication like Finasteride. If you can afford to just spend tons of money on pills and not be sure that they're working for you, then more power to you. But if you're working stiffs like you or I who need to make sure we're getting a good value, it's extremely important to have a way to objectively evaluate whether the money you spend on drugs goes to good use.

-Mark