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Thanks for the replies. There's a small possibility the "Procure" stuff from Israel I was on from October to December wasn't the real deal, so I could be sort of starting over as of this past December with Generic Costco Fin. More likely it's just hair loss I'll check with my derm, but I was still wondering about my follow-up question: in case it is shedding, would that be mostly concentrated in the area where you have been losing hair (or does it happen all over)?

(I have my other thread about Accutane, so I thought I'd separate this out.) I'm almost 28, and have been on Fin for 11 months. The past couple of months, I've been noticing a lot of hairs around the sink, etc. I've read about sheds, except that it seems like they usually happen earlier than 11 months in. It's hard to tell because I've done a bad job taking pictures and such, but it looks to me like I've got a lot of thinning going on in the hairline over the past month or so. So my question is, is there any easy way to distinguish regular hair loss from propecia-caused shedding? and is shedding mostly concentrated in the area where you have been losing hair (for me it's the hairline)?

(I have my other thread about Accutane, so I thought I'd separate this out.) I'm almost 28, and have been on Fin for 11 months. The past couple of months, I've been noticing a lot of hairs around the sink, etc. I've read about sheds, except that it seems like they usually happen earlier than 11 months in. It's hard to tell because I've done a bad job taking pictures and such, but it looks to me like I've got a lot of thinning going on in the hairline over the past month or so. So my question is, is there any easy way to distinguish regular hair loss from propecia-caused shedding? and is shedding mostly concentrated in the area where you have been losing hair (for me it's the hairline)?

Bill, thanks for your response. Glad to hear that the Generic 5 MG Fin is a small circular pill...I thought they all would have the Proscar shape. I was wondering if the pharmacist gave me 1 MG Propecia pills or something (sounds silly, but if you'd seen this person, it seems realistic). Losing more around the front is exactly what I'm worried about with a HT at 27. That's why I wish I could know with at least some certainty if I was going to lose more. (At this point I'd prefer not to say who the consultations were with, but at least one of them was with a doctor that is very well regarded around these forums.) Anyway, my plan at this point is to stay on the Fin for at least another year, and add some Minox, just since I figure it couldn't hurt. If things get substantially worse, I'm going to be in in a real dilemma, since I'll want the HT more than ever but be even more worried about having to need more of them (compounded by the fact that the cost is certainly an issue for me at this point in my career). Anyone have any idea re: my Accutane questions?

Hello everyone. I think it's great that there are these resources out there. I was hoping you guys could help me with a few questions I have. Hopefully your eyes won't glaze over...bear with me... First off, to set up the situation, I'm 27, and have always had a high hairline. My dad is probably a NW4/5, but my mom's dad still has a pretty good head of hair in his 90s (!) I had bad acne in high school AND college, and after doing the retin-a thing, I actually went on 3 (yes, three) courses of Accutane (one of them first year of college, one a bit later, and one when I was around 23). The first two were 40 mgs a piece, the last one was like 120 mg or something. My derm and I were determined to get rid of it once and for all, and for the most part, it worked! Little did I know it might have gotten rid of something else as well. Since about 24 or so, I've noticed my hairline up from receding somewhat. Nothing horrible at first, but rememeber I'm starting with a high hairline. I've been getting my hair cut a bit longer each time I went into barber (something I now dread). I've been on Propecia since around Feb/March of last year, and haven't noticed anything except more thinning up front. (I am going in to get another haircut next week so I can post pics then). So finally, here are my questions: <UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> I know (now) that Accutane can cause hair loss, or accelerate MPB. Now that I have been off it for around 4 years, could the hair loss I'm having now still be a result of the Accutane? Most of the stuff I read makes it seem like you experience it during the use (which maybe I did, but I didn't notice back then), but how far can it continue after? <LI> Following up to that question, will Propecia do anything for loss caused by Accutane? Or accelerated by it? <LI> When I first got a perscription to Propecia 1.25 mg a day, I went online and ordered it from some pharmacy in the UK which gave me Proscar tablets, which I chopped into 1/4ths. The 3rd time I ordered from them, they raised the price (bastards!) and gave me something from an Isreali pharmacy that looked similar called Procure. I got a little freaked out, and when I went to my derm to get another prescription, I went to my local Costco, where they gave me a bottle of "5 MG Fin". The pills are much smaller and circular, but I have been cutting them into 1/4th also. So my questions are: are these all the same? should I try to get the proscar again? I've been noticing shedding (and we are nearing 11-12 month mark) and major thinning of the hairline in the past few months. <LI> Finally (phew), I have gone in for a couple HT consultations. Both places said around 1500 grafts. But now that I am having thinning up front, that freaks me out even more. I really don't want plugs up front and thinning behind, or just shaving down and having a strip scar (both places recommended strip). As I said, I'm 27...how young is too young? Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

Hello everyone. I think it's great that there are these resources out there. I was hoping you guys could help me with a few questions I have. Hopefully your eyes won't glaze over...bear with me... First off, to set up the situation, I'm 27, and have always had a high hairline. My dad is probably a NW4/5, but my mom's dad still has a pretty good head of hair in his 90s (!) I had bad acne in high school AND college, and after doing the retin-a thing, I actually went on 3 (yes, three) courses of Accutane (one of them first year of college, one a bit later, and one when I was around 23). The first two were 40 mgs a piece, the last one was like 120 mg or something. My derm and I were determined to get rid of it once and for all, and for the most part, it worked! Little did I know it might have gotten rid of something else as well. Since about 24 or so, I've noticed my hairline up from receding somewhat. Nothing horrible at first, but rememeber I'm starting with a high hairline. I've been getting my hair cut a bit longer each time I went into barber (something I now dread). I've been on Propecia since around Feb/March of last year, and haven't noticed anything except more thinning up front. (I am going in to get another haircut next week so I can post pics then). So finally, here are my questions: <UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> I know (now) that Accutane can cause hair loss, or accelerate MPB. Now that I have been off it for around 4 years, could the hair loss I'm having now still be a result of the Accutane? Most of the stuff I read makes it seem like you experience it during the use (which maybe I did, but I didn't notice back then), but how far can it continue after? <LI> Following up to that question, will Propecia do anything for loss caused by Accutane? Or accelerated by it? <LI> When I first got a perscription to Propecia 1.25 mg a day, I went online and ordered it from some pharmacy in the UK which gave me Proscar tablets, which I chopped into 1/4ths. The 3rd time I ordered from them, they raised the price (bastards!) and gave me something from an Isreali pharmacy that looked similar called Procure. I got a little freaked out, and when I went to my derm to get another prescription, I went to my local Costco, where they gave me a bottle of "5 MG Fin". The pills are much smaller and circular, but I have been cutting them into 1/4th also. So my questions are: are these all the same? should I try to get the proscar again? I've been noticing shedding (and we are nearing 11-12 month mark) and major thinning of the hairline in the past few months. <LI> Finally (phew), I have gone in for a couple HT consultations. Both places said around 1500 grafts. But now that I am having thinning up front, that freaks me out even more. I really don't want plugs up front and thinning behind, or just shaving down and having a strip scar (both places recommended strip). As I said, I'm 27...how young is too young? Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

Hi, I'm a 27 year old who noticed about a year and a half ago that my front hairline was receding. I've been taking 1.25 mg Proscar every day since the start of June and I can't say I've noticed any positive progress. If anything, in the last couple of months, things have gotten worse, and I would have been content if things just stayed where they were in June. I've taken to having longer and longer hair in the front but it really doesn't work well with the way my hair grows. I've been noticing occasional hair fallout recently too, which is something I never saw up until this point. My question is: how long until Proscar starts working, if ever? I'll be 28 soon, am I still to young for HT? My situation isn't critical yet, but I want to nip this in the bud.