Hair Loss after Stopping Rogaine/Propecia

[Megatron]

I've read many posters (including doctors) say that you lose all the benefit you gained after you go off of Rogaine/Propecia. I don't think there's any conclusive evidence either way, but I just want to offer up my theoretical guess for what it's worth.

 

I'm a fitness nut so I'm going to compare this to a person's metabolism because it's something I like talking about. Studies say that your metabolism begins to slow at ~25 years old at 1% per year and then increasingly slows down the older you get.

 

Studies have also shown that you can reduce your metabolism by HALF with moderate exercise for 45min per day, 3 days a week. Once you stop working out, your metabolism decline returns to where it genetically was programmed to be. However, that's not to say you are not better off today for having exercised in the past.

 

In mathermatical terms:

 

A person who doesn't exercise from age 25 to 35 should experience a 8.7% decrease (too long to show my calculations for this). But, someone who did exercise for those 10 years should have seen their metabolism decrease only 4.4%.

 

If they both stop exercising at 35years old, their metabolism will continue to decline at ~1% per year from that point forward. However, the person that worked out for the last 10 years will be in better shape.

 

I don't see why hair loss should be any different. I would think that perhaps you lose a little more immediately going off of rogaine/propecia as the body adjusts. But, I would think it's only logical that there should be a net gain if not having ever taken it.

 

Agree/Disagree?

[youngsuccess]

Megatron,

 

That's an interesting analogy. However, users invariably report losing any regrown hair after discontinuing finasteride or minoxidil treatment. That's conclusive evidence, in my opinion. I've honestly never heard anyone suffering from male pattern baldness claim otherwise.

 

Do you think you've maintained Propecia or Rogaine-dependent hair growth after stopping?

 

Best,

 

Anthony (youngsuccess)

[default609]

I enjoyed reading your theory and experience. I too am 25 and have a high metabolism and work out 45 min 3 times a week, plus soccer every chance I get. I will agree so far with your diet metabolism 1% analogy.

 

With hair However will say if you stop hair that has been restored b y Minoxidil or Rogain, When you stop applying that stuff, Your hair days are over.

 

Propecia is Supposed to decrease a hormone produced by Your body that has been studied by Science Etc. Etc.

Perhaps if I was too stop taking this drug in X number of days/months/years, Maybe if The science and pill is True and not false, then your hair could stay restored until that damn hormone builds up. You stated something like this pertaining to the human body and metabolism.

 

Pertaining to my comment of this topic, The propecia theory I stated was called I think the(snow flake theory) This has been thrown around before from what I've read over the internet. And anything you read on the internet just has to be True

 

Best of Luck

[Megatron]

I agree that whatever you regrow will be lost probably within 12m after stopping. No doubt. But, what I'm wondering is if a person that stops using Rogaine/Propecia would be better off having used it than not having used it at all.

 

I would think so, but others think once you're off of it your hair loss will quickly catch up to where nature intended. I used the metabolism analogy because I don't think that's the way the human body works.

 

In other words, I don't believe that if nature intended someone to be a NW 6 at age 40, they would automatically be that way if they used Rogaine/Propercia from say 25 - 35. I'd guess that they'd now reach NW 6 at 50 yrs old. 10 more years of good hair is a big deal to me.

 

Know what I mean?

[youngsuccess]

Megatron,

 

I see what you're saying. I think this would depend on the aggressiveness of the individual's hair loss.

 

If someone is predestined to become a full-blown Norwood 6 by the age of 40, even 10 years of committed Rogaine/Propecia use probably won't be enough to stave off all of the effects of MPB. He will still likely progress somewhat over the treatment period, and abruptly stopping could then exacerbate things even further during the next few years.

 

Best,

 

Anthony (youngsuccess)

[lmt400]

With Regaine, i think its simple. Youre treating the symptoms rather than the cause.

 

Cause: DHT attacking hair follicles

Symptom: Follicles shrinking causing miniaturization and eventual hair "loss"

 

Regaine treats the symptom, much like taking a pain killer for a back ache may block the pain signals from getting through, but wont fix your back. Stop the pain killers, and your back will be as sore as it would have been had you not taken it.

 

In the case of Regaine, what is widely believed to occur is that the bloodflow to the follicle is increased and the follicle is "stimulated" such that it doesn't "shrink". This, however, doesn't stop the underlying cause of the follicle shrinking, i.e. DHT attacking the follicle. DHT will continue to attack the follicle, its just that when youre stimulating the follicle with Regaine, this doesnt result on the follicle shrinking. When you stop this stimulation, the follicle shrinks to whatever size it would be without the stimulation, which, after however many years of being attacked by DHT, will be smaller than it was before starting on regaine.

 

In the case of Finasteride, however, I dont think the situation is so clear. I think theres a chance your argument may ring true for finasteride use, which actually stops the DHT from attacking susceptible follicles.

 

Also, id be interested in seeing your backing calculations for you metabolism numbers.