Rogiane and Finasteride to Grow Hair and Then Drop the Rogaine?

[phil mascallpen]

I started Proscar 1.25mg 4 times a week back in October. One of the claims is that it will help you keep hair you already have and also regrow some hair. My thought is that adding Rogaine foam twice a day (which I did in Jan.) for the first 8-12 months will enhance the chances of regrowth. Once you have any regrowth I would think there is the possibility of stopping Rogaine because the new hair should be able to be maintained by the Proscar.

 

Yes I have considered the argument that they work by two different processes. But the bottom line is that once the hair has regrown it now becomes a maintenance issue more than a regrowth issue. Clearly there might be some small loss of benefit but I think the logic is sound.

 

Doctor Hasson told me he believes that even a once a day application of Rogaine has some benefit so that is also a possibility but I really do not enjoy using the stuff. Having to rub some chemical smelling (to me anyway, I know it doesn't bother others) stuff on my head 2 times a day versus just taking a pill EOD is a no-brainer.

 

I'm curious what others think about this, especially the doctors who frequent the site.

[SERIOUS]

Once you have any regrowth I would think there is the possibility of stopping Rogaine because the new hair should be able to be maintained by the Proscar.

Unfortunately not.

I have considered the argument that they work by two different processes.

Unfortunately yes.

But the bottom line is that once the hair has regrown it now becomes a maintenance issue more than a regrowth issue.

Hence the need to continue minoxidil.

 

Phil,

 

Anything you will gain "using minoxidil" will be lost after discontinuation. Give it 4-5 months.

 

You never really understand how well minoxidil works for you... until you stop it.

Doctor Hasson told me he believes that even a once a day application of Rogaine has some benefit

Fortunately yes.

 

Best of luck

[phil mascallpen]

Serious I think you are missing the point. Proscar works better at maintaining hair that is already there. Once it is there the mechanism that got it there might matter less to maintain it.

 

Yes I think you would lose SOME of the hair you regained through Rogaine but I also think continuing Proscar would help you hang on to some of the positive results.

 

But more than likely I'll just drop back to once a day applications after about 10 months.

[SERIOUS]

Once it is there the mechanism that got it there might matter less to maintain it.

It doesn't work like that. You can spend days researching about what I just told you, and you will come to the exact information I just gave you.

 

Yes I think you would lose SOME of the hair you regained through Rogaine but I also think continuing Proscar would help you hang on to some of the positive results.

 

And how are you going to assess that? How are you going to differentiate the two mechanisms and their independent action / results in the end?

 

That's positive thinking, but there is a science behind this. The positive results you will see that is left after stopping minoxidil are going to be from the action of the 5ar inhibitor (finasteride) "alone"... not the maintenance of the growth stimulant (minoxidil) "past" action through finasteride.

 

And the shedding that will follow your minoxidil withdrawal might cost you a plumber.

 

----------------------

 

-Is the action of finasteride more important than the action of minoxidil for the Male Pattern form of Baldness? Yes.

 

-But is the interaction between finasteride and minoxidil considered optimal as a treatment for MPB? Yes.

 

Let's imagine that finasteride will produce a cake, and the minoxidil will produce icing for the cake... Once you stop minoxidil, the icing will disapear, but the cake will still be there...

 

If someone hesitates to start minoxidil because of the fact it should be used for a life time to maintain its action, then I would suggest to wait, or to stop in the first weeks before it's too late.

 

But more than likely I'll just drop back to once a day applications after about 10 months

 

Good strategy.

 

Though if I were you, I would wait after 2 years...

 

Good luck