RE: SHEDDING!

[NYCman]

Looking for some insight/comfort on this situation. I am currently going through a massive shed - I estimate that I have lost about 40% density over the past month.

 

Here is the background: stopped avacor (with minox) 3 months ago, replaced with Revivogen. Went to an HT consult and went on Propecia 1 month ago. Almost immediately my hair started to shed. I'm pretty sure that it is due to the discontinued use of Avacor/Minox. However, I've also been under a significant amount of stress which could also be contributing. I also read that Propecia can cause an initial shed. Needless to say, I starting using the Minox 5%again, been back on about 2 weeks.

 

I'm hoping the shed will stop soon, but the loss is so significant that it is really affecting me. Can anyone advise as to whether I can expect the hair lost during the shed to come back??

[NYCman]

Looking for some insight/comfort on this situation. I am currently going through a massive shed - I estimate that I have lost about 40% density over the past month.

 

Here is the background: stopped avacor (with minox) 3 months ago, replaced with Revivogen. Went to an HT consult and went on Propecia 1 month ago. Almost immediately my hair started to shed. I'm pretty sure that it is due to the discontinued use of Avacor/Minox. However, I've also been under a significant amount of stress which could also be contributing. I also read that Propecia can cause an initial shed. Needless to say, I starting using the Minox 5%again, been back on about 2 weeks.

 

I'm hoping the shed will stop soon, but the loss is so significant that it is really affecting me. Can anyone advise as to whether I can expect the hair lost during the shed to come back??

[kg007]

Hello NYCman -

 

I would suggest that DO NOT get on 'Minox', unless you're willing to committ to it for the rest of your life. I had used it for 2 years... it worked wonders.. It filled in my bald spot nicely.. but eventually I got 'really' sick of using it everyday, and finally i stopped using it.. few months later I was looking worse than what I had started with.

 

KG

[NYCman]

I am apparently dependent on the Minox already, which I believe is what caused the shed. The Dr. recommended that I go back on asap. I'm willing to stay on it if it means that I'll keep the hair that I have.

 

What I'm really wondering is if the hair that I have lost due to the shed will come back? Any insight?

[tymman]

NYCMan -

Usually the hair will come back with further treatment from Minox. I used Avacore for a year and never saw any results, so don't sweat that too much. The Propecia is known to cause a shed in the begining. and as I said most of the time it comes back. Be careful of changing treatments around. The only two treatments approved by the USFDA are Minoxidil & Propecia. Anything else is very questionable as to the effectiveness. As long as the hair follicles are still healthy, the hair should grow back.

[EastCoast]

I stopped propecia after 3-4 years as I thought it was not working. In 30 days I went from a NW 2-3 to a NW5. Propecia will not last forever so just wait till it stops working before quiting.

[Robert_]

Your shedding was a result of discontinuing the minoxidil that was in the Avacor and starting Propecia, more likely than not. Restarting minoxidil is a good idea if you will stick with it. Don't expect everything to come back at once, but you should regain most of what you have lost.

 

Propecia does not stop working in the way that is sometimes claimed. Take a look at this Propecia effectiveness chart to see what I mean. You will see that over time, hair count still decreases while on Propecia, but a user is far better off than never starting at all, or starting and then stopping.

 

-Robert