Non-Responder?

[munchkinman]

Hi, I am an 18 year old male with a receding hairline, it has been receding for about a year and a half to two years now, it started very early I know! However it has only just become properly noticeable from about a year ago. I cut my hair down to a grade 2 now and have become quite adept at applying dermmatch so it barely looks like I am balding. I have been on generic propecia for about 8 months now and have seen no results at all, I'm not expecting regrowth in the temples, I was mainly just hoping to halt the loss but it does not seem like it has. Do you think it will come in time, or am I part of the small percentage of individuals who do not respond to finasteride? i am experiencing no side effects, so considering stopping is purely from a financial point of view.

Thanks.

[JoeKid0000]

Unfortunately for most men, finasteride will not help (as in halt current loss or regrow hair) along the hairline/temples. It is most helpful on the crown so while it may not be helping the front of your head it might be doing something for the back. The medication also might be slowing down the rate of loss even if it doesn't seem to be helping. It's hard to say what's going on unless you go off the drug to see what happens (though it might not be a good idea!).

[aseda1979]

You can try minox in the hairline if propecia alone is not working...

[mattj]

What makes you think that it isn't helping to stop the hairloss? Are you seeing continuing thinning or has your hairline receded more since you began taking Propecia?

 

Like JoeKid said, it could be helping to hold off loss at the crown or mid-scalp (top) but unfortunately, if this area had no noticeable loss to begin with, you won't know if it doing so.

 

Did you experience shedding from taking the Propecia? I ask this just in case what you're seeing as continued hairloss is actually part of the common shedding effect from taking Finasteride.

 

Either way, I would recommend waiting for a full 12 months before making a decision on whether to quit.

[munchkinman]

I do have some minoxidil, however I use Dermmatch, and I am also at University so I struggle to apply it twice a day as you can't apply it over Dermmatch due to it's water resistant properties.

It is quite difficult to tell about further loss, as I used to have quite long hair that I have recently cut down, but if I had to say either way I would say there has been further loss. I am pretty sure I went through a shed period as I was losing hair like crazy, which was part of the reason I shaved it down. I was hoping this meant the finasteride was starting to have an effect, but I'm not sure as I think I am maybe starting to see some follicle miniaturization behind my forelock, but that is questionable, I might just be seeing things!

I plan to stay on fin for at least another 6 months anyway and see how my situation progresses, fingers crossed for some positive results!