Starting Finasteride 6 weeks before HT?

[lookingforht]

I'm scheduled to have an HT in 6 weeks and after a long though I just bought Finasteride today. After I bought it I started thinking if this is the right time to start it because my scheduled HT is just 6 weeks away?

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

[TommyLucchese]

I always read that you should be on it for at least a year before a HT to stabilise your hair loss. With only 6 weeks you wont know if it will work for you, if it doesn't then you will continue to lose the rest of your hair after a transplant.

Who is your surgery with? Did they not discuss this with you?

[gillenator]

In addition, the "initial use" of finasteride and even minoxidil can induce a massive shed. Not in all, but in some men.

If that were to happen to you, then potentially you could shed perfectly good native hair within the recipeint area as well. Subsequently, the surgeon then could potentially and unknowingly make recipient incisions into exisitng hair follicles that have already shed their respective hair shafts leaving those underlying follicles subject to transection when the recipient incisions are being made. In other words, damage to those underlying good follicles that have shed their hair because the doc can't see them when the hair shaft is not there.

IMHO, better to start the meds way in advance, ideally 9 months, and then you will at least have the chance of growing back hair that was lost from the shed!

[lookingforht]

Originally Posted by gillenator

In addition, the "initial use" of finasteride and even minoxidil can induce a massive shed. Not in all, but in some men.

If that were to happen to you, then potentially you could shed perfectly good native hair within the recipeint area as well. Subsequently, the surgeon then could potentially and unknowingly make recipient incisions into exisitng hair follicles that have already shed their respective hair shafts leaving those underlying follicles subject to transection when the recipient incisions are being made. In other words, damage to those underlying good follicles that have shed their hair because the doc can't see them when the hair shaft is not there.

That's exactly what I was concerned about even though there aren't many native hair in the recipient area which I'm going to get treated in 6 week, just few hundres miniaturized hair.

Would it then be a good idea to start with Finasteride after the surgery?

I know I should have started earlier but I just couldn't mame up my mind and now postponing the surgery date is not an option.

What do you recommend? Starting fin now or after the surgery?

[lookingforht]

Originally Posted by TommyLucchese

I always read that you should be on it for at least a year before a HT to stabilise your hair loss. With only 6 weeks you wont know if it will work for you, if it doesn't then you will continue to lose the rest of your hair after a transplant.

Who is your surgery with? Did they not discuss this with you?

This is my second surgery (first one was a year ago) and yes the doctor did advice to start with fin but I just couldn't make up my mind to start with it :-S

[gillenator]

looking,

If you do not have much native hair left within the recipient area as you stated, then the risk of transection is not as much of an issue. With very little native nair, you should make a more noticable visual gain in coverage providing that you have a good talented surgeon.

As lay people, we cannot give you that type of medical advice as far as when to start finasteride, only your licensed physician can do that.

At the same time we have our lay opinions for whatever they are worth. My opinions are based on long term observations and actual feedback from patients over the past 32 years.

Having said that, starting the initial use of finasteride can potentially have a more adverse effect on the "exisitng native hair follicles" causing them to retreat into telogen phase (resting) and shed their hair shafts. The follicles being transplanted typically enter the resting phase after they are implanted into the recipient area and also shed the hair shaft within the grafts. But they enter telogen more related to the trauma, not the finasteride.

Also keep in mind that starting the initial use of finasteride can induce a shed throughout the scalp, not just the recipient area.

Remember, the potential massive shed from starting finasteride or even minoxidil is the exception. not the norm. It is unpredictable like shockloss.