Propecia Shedding?

[outhere]

Hi guys,

 

I'm 21, and I've been using Propecia for just over 2 months now and have started to notice my hair shedding. I've read that this is normal for most guys and it is a good sign that your hair is responding to the treatment. I was curious in knowing, for those of you who have successfully used Propecia - how long did the initial shedding last for you and when did you start to notice the shedded hair begin to grow back? I know they all say 3 - 6 months but I was keen to find out your personal experiences or thoughts.

 

Before I began using Propecia, I had a definate widows peak but since I've been using the treatment I seem to be losing hair around the temples rapidly. Do you think this is due to the Propecia treatment? I had planned to start Min/Rogaine only after 9 months of using Propecia so I could see the individual effects of each but now I'm unsure. If I do start Min/Rogaine, I understand that it's lifelong and I can't keep stop starting so I want to be absolutely sure before I start.

 

I've also read that Propecia does not assist in receeding temples, which makes me think I should begin using Rogaine around the front to hopefully keep the hair around the temples I have. Do you guys think I should be using Rogaine?

 

Thanks

[Guest]

Originally posted by outhere:

Do you guys think I should be using Rogaine?

 

Thanks

 

NO! I definitely would not recommend Rogaine - it didn't help me one bit (I used it for a year) and your existing hair can become dependant upon it, so when you do stop using it you end up worse off than you would have been without the stuff. And if you are only 21, using Rogaine for the next 50 or 60 years will cost you a fortune. I suppose there will be plenty of people here who will recommend it... it will be interesting to see how many are for and how many against. I certainly wish I had never used the stuff (I stopped using it about a month ago).

 

PB

[Robert_]

Originally posted by PB:

 

NO! I definitely would not recommend Rogaine - it didn't help me one bit (I used it for a year) and your existing hair can become dependant upon it, so when you do stop using it you end up worse off than you would have been without the stuff. And if you are only 21, using Rogaine for the next 50 or 60 years will cost you a fortune. I suppose there will be plenty of people here who will recommend it... it will be interesting to see how many are for and how many against. I certainly wish I had never used the stuff (I stopped using it about a month ago).

 

PB

 

PB, from personal experience I can tell you that if you used minoxidil for a year or more and only stopped using it a month ago, more likely than not you are in for some more loss in the coming months. I do hope for your sake that you are an exception, but I know that I wasn't when I stopped after ~8 months of use back in '98 or so.

[Robert_]

Originally posted by outhere:

Hi guys,

 

I'm 21, and I've been using Propecia for just over 2 months now and have started to notice my hair shedding. I've read that this is normal for most guys and it is a good sign that your hair is responding to the treatment. I was curious in knowing, for those of you who have successfully used Propecia - how long did the initial shedding last for you and when did you start to notice the shedded hair begin to grow back? I know they all say 3 - 6 months but I was keen to find out your personal experiences or thoughts.

 

 

Tough to say. Everyone is different and reactions to the drug vary greatly. I would venture to say that your 3-6 month estimate is fairly accurate, if not just a tad bit optimistic. If forced to put a time limit on it at gunpoint, I would go with 5 to 8 months, give or take 2 months or so...

 

Originally posted by outhere:

Before I began using Propecia, I had a definate widows peak but since I've been using the treatment I seem to be losing hair around the temples rapidly. Do you think this is due to the Propecia treatment? I had planned to start Min/Rogaine only after 9 months of using Propecia so I could see the individual effects of each but now I'm unsure. If I do start Min/Rogaine, I understand that it's lifelong and I can't keep stop starting so I want to be absolutely sure before I start.

 

Like Propecia, minoxidil not marketed for use at the hairline. This is not to say that it will not work there (I apply it there once a day) but the manufacturers cannot legally say that it does since the FDA-approval tests only focused on the crown. More recent studies have shown that it can be effective at the hair line.

 

Does this mean you should use it? Well, that is a personal choice. I think the best way is trial by fire. Get yourself a bottle of generic minoxidil from your local drug store and apply it twice a day for a week or so. See how it fits into your life. Then imagine doing that for an indefinite amount of time - day in, day out - knowing that the consequence of not doing it would almost certainly lead to any benefit that you recieved dissipating almost immediately.

 

I'm not trying to talk you out of it or into it. I'm saying that some days it is a HUGE hassle. I am also going on record as saying that I am VERY thankful that it exists because I have gotten a great deal of benefit from it.

 

 

-Robert

[Guest]

Originally posted by Forum Moderator and Satisfied Patient:

PB, from personal experience I can tell you that if you used minoxidil for a year or more and only stopped using it a month ago, more likely than not you are in for some more loss in the coming months. I do hope for your sake that you are an exception, but I know that I wasn't when I stopped after ~8 months of use back in '98 or so.

 

Yes, that's what I'm worried about and why I wished I had never started to use the stuff (I probably didn't use it for a full year, 10 months perhaps). Pity that I started using it before I found this place and had chance to read about other peoples' experiences. It didn't make any difference when I used it and so far I haven't noticed any difference after stopping using it (no hairs on my pillow, no noticeable hair in the shower drain and only my wife's long hair tangled in my hair brush). It's only been a month though, if that, so I could be in trouble after another month. I used it all over the top of my head too. Only 8 weeks until HT day so on the other hand it could be good to get rid of any hair that's likely to fall out anyway before then to make more room for permanent transplanted hair. The condition of my hair seems to have deteriorated since stopping Rogaine but I'm not sure if it's due to stopping Rogaine or that I haven't had my hair cut since stopping Rogaine - the condition of my hair seems to deteriorate if it's any longer than 2 inches; it becomes almost like pubic hair (I'll have to get a haircut...).

 

PB

[Robert_]

I don't know if I already told you this or not, but it helped me IMMENSELY when I was sick to death of "minoxidil head" day in and day out.

 

I just started applying it twice a day AFTER I got home, just making sure to keep the applications four hours apart. I haven't noticed any difference in the amount of regrowth I am recieving and I don't have to worry about it during the day.

 

Sometimes I even take a day on the weekends off altogether and sometimes I only apply once a day. No harm done thus far and I've done this for the past year.

 

Of course, if you truly hate it that much, then this probably won't be for you. I just wanted to let you know that there may be an alternate to quitting altogether.

 

Good luck, man. I'm rooting for you.

 

-Robert

[Guest]

Thanks, sounds like good advice if you are going to use minoxidil. I'll wait and see what happens during the next 8 weeks without minoxidil (and perhaps ask Dr Feller to do a 3500+ mega session instead of a 2000 - 2500).

 

PB

[sensesfail]

What percentage of the hair lossed due to "initial shedding" is regrown when the shedding is over? And does anyone have any experience with propecia's effect on the front hair line? thanks

 

-brian

[Robert_]

sensesfail,

 

When on finasteride, I had no negative affect on my hairline while using it. I have read accounts of users saying that they have had some shedding, but it's been my experience (your mileage can vary) that if a person sticks with the medication over time, that any hair lost is regained.

 

Of course, there are an infinite amount of variables to consider and everyone is very different. My advice is that if you are using or considering using minoxidil and/or propecia is this:

 

1) Be prepared to utilize them for an indefinite period of time. Once you discontinue use, you will lose all benefit recieved. Propecia will not "hold on" to any benefits gained by minoxidil and vice-versa.

 

2) Give the medication a chance to work and be diligent about application and taking the pill. If you don't see yourself applying minoxidil twice or at least once a day for an indefinite amount of time, then I wouldn't suggest even starting. It can be a pain in the butt for even the most diligent user sometimes.

 

3) Start finasteride under the care of a physician. This is one aspect that I think is overlooked entirely too much and I have a suspicion that many of the scary side-effects that get posted about on forums are the result of people ordering medication online without first being diagnosed by a physician.

 

-Robert

[sensesfail]

Thanks - I'm seeing my physician monday to discuss finasteride and possibly getting a referal to a dermatologist .

 

I'm thinking I'll just start with finasteride only from the get go and we'll see how satisfied I am with the results before considering adding minoxidil to the arsenal.

 

I'd love to have some of my thinned areas fill in a little.... *cross fingers* we'll see.

[Robert_]

Sounds like a sensible plan, sensesfail. Let us know how it works out.

 

-Robert

[pushing 40]

Hey guys, need some experienced input here. I am about to start propecia. Supposedly it not only stops hair loss but also can make the skinny little sad hairs that haven't fallen out yet thicker and more like they're supposed to be. Anyone have experience with this? If that actually works, I may not even need a transplant that soon.

[Robert_]

Don't expect miracles, but yes this has been known to happen to some (myself included before I switched to Avodart). I firmly believe that users at the first stages of hair loss will recieve better results than those that have been losing for quite some time, but it never fails that there are exceptions.

 

-Robert