Shedding on Finasteride

[fakeplstctrees]

I began using Proscar (Finasteride) about two months ago, and have noticed a marked increase in hair loss. Is this normal? Does it mean that it is working? And will it reverse the miniaturization of my thinning follicles? Thanks guys.

[Spanker]

Yes, it is making room for better and thicker follicles.

[gillenator]

The finasteride is stimulating your hair follicles which cause many of them to cycle. This shedding is temporary and yes a good sign you are responding to it favorably. Everything takes time to cycle through. But IMHO, finasteride will not reverse the effects of DHT, but is very effective in slowing down the progression of MPB by inhibiting the hormone.

 

That's why the sooner one can get the progression to slow down, the longer one can enjoy holding onto the hair they still have!

 

One last comment. I assume you are cutting your proscar into four pieces using a pill cutter?

[southbeacharchi]

The finasteride is stimulating your hair follicles which cause many of them to cycle. This shedding is temporary and yes a good sign you are responding to it favorably. Everything takes time to cycle through. But IMHO, finasteride will not reverse the effects of DHT, but is very effective in slowing down the progression of MPB by inhibiting the hormone.

 

That's why the sooner one can get the progression to slow down, the longer one can enjoy holding onto the hair they still have!

 

One last comment. I assume you are cutting your proscar into four pieces using a pill cutter?

 

I was just about to reply to say, what you said in your last sentence, until I got to it and read it.

[fakeplstctrees]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. Sorry it took so long to respond, I've been pretty busy. I am certainly glad to hear that this increase in shedding is merely temporary, and that it is indicative of a favorable response to the finasteride. I can't wait for it to come back, as I appear much thinner now, and the transplanted hair isn't dense enough to mask it. I really had my hoped up that the finasteride would reverse the effects of the DHT on the miniaturized follicles. At least I can find find comfort in knowing that I will have assistance in retaining the hair I have!

 

Yes, I am cutting my 5mg Proscar in quarters. It is a brilliant way to avoid paying the ridiculously high price of Propecia.

 

Are you sure my follicle miniaturization won't reverse?

[Gish]

some might, it is different for everyone, although recently miniaturized follicles may start producing decent hairs again.

 

Granted, I would get your hopes up. Internal AAs should be seen an a maintenance regimen and not a regrowth regimen

[Gish]

some might, it is different for everyone, although recently miniaturized follicles may start producing decent hairs again.

 

Granted, I would get your hopes up. Internal AAs should be seen an a maintenance regimen and not a regrowth regimen

[gasto]

It is expected to shed some hair at the beginning of the treatment, I did not notice it in me though.

[fakeplstctrees]

My shedding is significant, and I am three months on Finasteride. Is significant shedding normal at this stage, and how long until the Shedded hair grows back? I mean if it is just jumpstarting the cycle.

[Capelli11]

I'm about 6 months on FIN and I have noticed more shedding the past month than in the first few months...weird...i hope also that this will stop and new stronger hairs will come back.

[limit]

I had a serious shed, but said I'd stick it out. It tailed off after month 4. Since then progress has been good

[lukeyb1687]

I'm coming up to 3 months on generic FIN (Sam's club) and I have had significant shedding in my frontal crown area, however I have noticed alot of new hairs sprouting on my hairline (very fine white guys) so I'm assuming that they are on my crown as well I just can't see them as they are too thin right now. Good luck with it and I recommend sticking with it for at lease a year! (that's what I will be doing before assesing my situation) How is the rest of the transplanted hair growing though?

[gillenator]

Guys,

 

IMHO, you are both "spot on" with your observations and experience with finasteride. Some guys freak out when the shedding starts yet it is in most cases a confirmation that it is working. The follicles start retreating into the resting phase and shed. They rest for 3-4 months and re-enter the growth phase and "bingo" new hair emerges!

 

Best wishes to both of you in your journey against hairloss!

[pkbuck]

hi guys im a newbe in here so please bare with me, i am 42 and noticed very significant hair loss within a year (my aging catching up with me maybe). i decided to take propecia and start using ketocazal (excuse spelling) shampoos like Nizoral etc, ive been on fin for 7 months now and the hair loss is now more noticible and starting to freak me out majorly.

 

Should i stay on the fin in the hope its just shedding or should i cut my losses and stop using it?

 

Can propecia cause more hair loss?

 

should i stop and try something else incase propecia is not for me or stick with it until a year is up.

 

worried if at that point after a year i have irriversibly lossed more hair

 

please help team i am hoping somone can tell me maybe its just a long period of shedding?

[Blake Bloxham]

PK,

 

Did you start the ketoconazole shampoo after the finasteride (Propecia), or begin utilizing the product recently?

 

Ketoconazole, much like finasteride, can cause an initial shedding phase (up to 4 months) and if you began utilizing this recently (or after the finasteride shed) it could caused the prolonged shedding.

 

Furthermore, most hair restoration experts recommend taking finasteride (Propecia) for 6-12 months before determining if the medication is working. While 7 months does seem like a prolonged shedding phase, you may want to continue the regimen for several more months (5) before making any concrete decisions.

 

Good luck!

[pkbuck]

thanks for the fast reply Future HT doc, i started the shampoo a month after i think, as for waiting a part of me really wanted to hear that in the hope that around the corner my hair will get better.

 

should i stop the shampoo?

Edited December 6, 2011 by pkbuck

[gillenator]

pkbuck,

 

I absolutely concur with FHTDoc. IMHO, yes indeed the unilateral use of both products is probably the culprit behind the prolonged shedding.

 

I highly recommend that you stay on Propecia and quit the other shampoo product until you have been on Propecia for one full year.

 

At some point, the next 4 months, you should start to see a reduced amount of hairloss and in fact a stabilization of your hair. It appears to me that it is working (Propecia).

 

Once you see stabilization, stay on the Propecia but then you can add the other product and my guess is that you won't shed at all from it.

 

At least that way you will know whether or not Propecia is doing it's job to fairly evaluate it.

 

Whatever you do, don't start adding minoxidil or Nioxin or any other hair product right now. IMHO, Propecia or any other form of 1 mg daily finasteride is sufficient.

 

You'll be fine. And yes, you may have shed some real diffused hair that was si miniturized that it may not grow back. But the key is that if you don't stay on finasteride, you will lose much much more.

 

Best wishes to you!

Edited December 6, 2011 by gillenator

[gasto]

My best advice would be to consult your dermatologist/hair expert. Continuing with finasteride will probably make new hair grow, but I am not an expert or medically trained. Also, I did not experience the initial shedding or if I did, I did not notice it, so personally I?d have continued after consulting with the Dr.

[pkbuck]

cheers team

[Raj05]

Does minoxidil and Propecia combined use causes a longer shedding period? Propecia causes upto 3-4 months shedding period but If I use minodil will the shedding period increase.

[southbeacharchi]

Does minoxidil and Propecia combined use causes a longer shedding period? Propecia causes upto 3-4 months shedding period but If I use minodil will the shedding period increase.

 

From my reading and research, I would think it may, MAY, increase the amount of shedding but not increase the duration. As mentioned previously in this thread, the shedding comes from the weaker follicles falling out to make room for the new stronger ones. Along those lines, I would not think that the amount of hairs shed would increase that much combining the two initially. I also know that most doctors say that the combination of the two is the best non-surgical treatment to date.

[gillenator]

The amount of shedding from using both really does vary between patients from my own observations.

 

I advocate starting them well in advance of the proposed procedure. I see and hear about too much "massive shedding" when the patients "start the meds post-op".:rolleyes:

 

We see this in these communities from time-to-time.

[WarLord]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. Sorry it took so long to respond, I've been pretty busy. I am certainly glad to hear that this increase in shedding is merely temporary, and that it is indicative of a favorable response to the finasteride. I can't wait for it to come back, as I appear much thinner now, and the transplanted hair isn't dense enough to mask it. I really had my hoped up that the finasteride would reverse the effects of the DHT on the miniaturized follicles. At least I can find find comfort in knowing that I will have assistance in retaining the hair I have!

 

Yes, I am cutting my 5mg Proscar in quarters. It is a brilliant way to avoid paying the ridiculously high price of Propecia.

 

Are you sure my follicle miniaturization won't reverse?

 

Oh, some internet coconut, who had not been successful with the treatment, crept out of his hole, and gives wise pieces of advice! Don't listen to this garbage. The treatment with finasteride produces the better results, the longer you use it. When combined with minoxidil, the effect can sometimes be incredible.

[gillenator]

I agree that both finasteride and minoxidil are still the two best proven hairloss meds available.

 

IMHO, I don't believe that either med however has any proof of reversing the effects of miniturization to those follicles already miniturized.

 

This is why the younger men who get on low dose finasteride tend to have more efficiency and even better regrowth overall compared to those of us older guys who got on finasteride later in life.

 

I got started at the age of 41 and many times wonder what would have happened if I could have started when my hairloss was first noticable in 1980. :rolleyes:

[Dr Tom Walker]

I agree with gillenator but add that ketoconazole has some decent evidence behind it and bimatoprost has a growing evidence base.