gmansjunk

Well thank you two very much for the responses. I guess I will continue Propecia another 2 months to make any further decisions...however judging by what this drug has already done to me, I can most likely assume I will have lost MOST (close to all) of my hair on the top of my head. This is really scary for me. As much I as I want this drug to work, in all honesty I want to stop taking it because its painful to watch how its destroying me. But then there is always the case of..."well, maybe it'll work." Grr, I don't know what to do anymore. (Another question: Say I do conclude that Propecia has been nothing but detrimental to me. Now fast forward 5 years from now and say I am having a hair restoration surgery. After having surgery, are Propecia and Rogaine required to maintain the hair, recommended or not even necessary? Now before that, since I did conclude that Propecia years ago did not work for me, what happens in this situation? Can Propecia now work for me 5 years later (25 years old)? Assuming it doesn't because I've tested it before, will having the hair restoration surgery be pointless? Just trying to find out some info ahead of time.)

Bump..=(. Hopefully I can get some other responses.

Are you currently using any medication to maintain your hair post-surgery? Propecia, rogaine, etc?

Are you currently taking anything to maintain your hair? Propecia, rogaine, etc?

Well assuming my assumptions of it not working and your 2nd paragraph comment of it not responding to my physiology is in contrast with your 3 paragraph comment that being to wait the full 12 months...and my question of what for? But then again I already know that answer...hope. Heh. I realize that the shedding period on Propecia usually starts in the beginning months and only last for a couple/ few. However not the case with me, as this has been a 10 month shedding all you hair period. Granted I do still have some on the top of my head, but oh boy is it ever less dense. And yes, I have been seeing a really good hair doctor in San Francisco and just recently saw him some days ago. Of course he's part of the reason I still have hope but I don't think he has fully examined my hair, regardless. As well he pushes the whole propecia AND rogaine regimen but I have chosen to decipher the two one at a time. And I believe I have also developed dandruff, among other things, from this. It's hard to tell if its dandruff or just the strands but anywho, any good shampoo to use? I've only tried Head&Shoulders and that made me itch...so no no. So again, would it even matter if I continue for another 2 months to make a final conclusion? Considering how much damage it's done to me I can't stress enough.

I'm going to save how horribly depressed and pathetic I have been this past year for another story and get straight to the point. Now 20.3 years old, started Propecia 1mg once every night since last May. I have always had a higher hairline, thinner hair on the top of my head (not the back), and an even thinner patch of hair on the top left part of my hairline. At the time of deciding whether to take Propecia or not last year I was NOT shedding. AND also to take note, at the time of starting Propecia once every night, I have also been taking a 5mg Biotin and a B-Complex vitamin. Now with that in mind, my hair has gotten so painstakingly worse ever since I started. The top of my head has lost SO much density with the continuous shedding every damn day. Every time I take a shower I feel like I am taking a pair of scissors to my head and giving it one swift cut....Or I guess a better visual way to describe it would be that after I apply the shampoo to my hair, and then look at my hands, they are ALWAYS covered with hair. And then I just watch the water wash it all off as it hits the bottom of the shower as if I'm sitting in a chair at the barber shop watching my cut hairs fall to the ground. The top left thinner patch of my head has gotten worse. My high hairline continues to recede as I continue to lose hair. I can so easily just wave my hand through my hair as pull out several pieces at any given time during the day whether I just showered or not. And I continue to use Propecia with this shred of hope that..."ok, maybe it's just taking longer for me," but I think I need to face reality and realize that I am not a good responder to the medication. I did try Rogaine foam for a brief while but it just made me smell WAY to pretty and make my hair way to greasy...also making me feel like the medicine wasn't being absorbed to my scalp. However I am only taking Propecia because I want to see if that would do anything for me and not take both drugs and not know if one is helping or not...which obviously Propecia has not helped. So quick recap: -20 years old -propecia 1mg once a night - 10 months now -5mg biotin & b-complex vitamin a night (on top of a multi-vitamin and fish oil I might take in the morning) -diet is fine -current shampoo/conditioner is Pert Plus -do not use any hair products -hair a lot WORSE - an even higher hairline - and a lot less dense...and I truly mean it. And now my question to you guys, even though this post assembles an answer, is if I should continue or not? I think I shouldn't...but its difficult having taken it for this long and having much hope in this drug...yet at the same time I don't have any hope. It's hard guys...I wanted to help myself and spent so much time deciding if I should take Propecia...and now coming close to the end year mark, it has ruined my life. (Yet another long story.) So, help. What do I do? (And despite my hair loss, any recommendations for shampoos/ coniditoners? I LOVE Pert but I think it would be better to use some increased thickening/ regrowing product.)