what meds can i use?

[Gavin]

Hi, I am from Ireland and for 3 years i had been taking propecia with great results.Then, in July of 2004, for personnal reasons i stopped taking propecia and for a month everything was ok.Then i started to shed massive amounts of hair.In October i realised what a mistake i made, and I started taking propecia again, but although the hair loss has slowed, even on a weekly basis i can see my hair line receeding even more.Just 2 weeks ago fter advice form this forum I added 5% minoxidil to my daily routine.I am now definetly going to have a HT, but my problem is when will my hairloss stabilize!I will be travelling to the North America for surgery for definite, but if i went next month say and got my hairline restored, i would say that within another month, based on the present hairloss, my hairline will receed even further.My main question is what else can i do to stabilize my hairloss so that i can actually consider a HT.

All comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Gavin]

Hi, I am from Ireland and for 3 years i had been taking propecia with great results.Then, in July of 2004, for personnal reasons i stopped taking propecia and for a month everything was ok.Then i started to shed massive amounts of hair.In October i realised what a mistake i made, and I started taking propecia again, but although the hair loss has slowed, even on a weekly basis i can see my hair line receeding even more.Just 2 weeks ago fter advice form this forum I added 5% minoxidil to my daily routine.I am now definetly going to have a HT, but my problem is when will my hairloss stabilize!I will be travelling to the North America for surgery for definite, but if i went next month say and got my hairline restored, i would say that within another month, based on the present hairloss, my hairline will receed even further.My main question is what else can i do to stabilize my hairloss so that i can actually consider a HT.

All comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[arfy]

I'm not a doctor but since nobody has replied, I will offer a reply.

 

I would suggest that you continue what you're doing and see if you can halt the progression with your current approach. You started back on Propecia in October, you need to give it ample time to show it's effects... it is not instant gratification.

 

Good luck.

[Ailene]

Like Arfy I am not a physician but I can tell you what my doctor recommends. You are on the right tract and Arfy is correct in that it will not stop everything at once, it will take time sometimes 3 months. The 5% minoxidil is a good addition but a big committment. If you stop it you will see shedding. The hair becomes dependent very quickly. The only other addition Dr. Cooley would make is Nizoral shampoo. It has been studied to have some of the same effects that minoxidil does. The OTC is more dilute so you need to use it daily and leave it on for 5 minutes before rinsing. The prescription strength you only need touse a few times a week. You can still follow up with your normal shampoos and treatments. Good luck.

 

Ailene

Dr. jerry Cooley's assistant

[Robert_]

Both what Arfy and Ailene said are very true.

 

Remember that with the way that hair growth cycles, what you are seeing going on with your hair today is pretty much the result of what you did 4 months ago if you look at if froma medication point-of-view. Though that sentiment is grossly over-simplified, it is a good reminder of how long down the road it can take (or longer) for your regimen to really begin to work.

 

Best of luck,

 

-Robert

[gillenator]

Gavin,

 

Well how are things in Ireland? Being half Irish, I have always wanted to visit the country but to date have not made it as I am restricted from being in high altitudes like airplanes.

 

A couple of things you should know. The effective inhibition period for Propecia (finasteride) is approximately 90 days. In other words it takes roughly three months from ingestion for finasteride to begin "effectively" functioning as a hormone inhibitor. Its pharmacology classification is a "specific hormone inhibitor". So getting back on it will take a little time to see its effects and also do not be alarmed if you shed some more because you do have some follicules that will enter the shedding (catagen) phase.

 

Also be advised that both finasteride and minoxidil do not claim any effeciency in the frontal zone, only the mid (vertex) and post (crown) areas. The disclosures and clinical trials for both Propecia and Rogaine clearly disclose this in their packaging. Do not expect finasteride or minoxidil to save your hairline. I believe you would have sustained hairloss in the front even if you had remained on finasteride.

 

Hairloss is very progressive and unfortunately, a life-long event. When I used to be a consultant I would sometimes hear other consultants state to patients that if they started Propecia and then got a HT, they would be set for life, no more hairloss. This simply is not true. Genetic hairloss can be VERY unpredictable EVEN when on hairloss meds. I have heard from guys who have been on finasteride for 3,5 years or so and all of a sudden BANG, it begins again.

 

That's why it is SO important when examined by any HT surgeon to know the zones of demarkation (areas of miniturization) affecting your scalp bacause that is the indication of where future loss will probably manifest. And it's those areas that you will want to consider for future restoration. If your family history displays advanced hairloss classes for the men in your genetic background, all the more reason why one should have plans for addressing future loss and restoration.

 

I always caution men who desire complete coverage and yet visually show the potential of being in a Norwood 6 and 7 in the future. I "always" ask them, what happens if you lose more hair when you get older and you run out of donor? Some will say, "if I cannot get complete coverage (illusion of coverage), I don't want to even start". And I agree for those who will not want anything short of it.

 

Since you are beginning to experience loss in the frontal zone, just be sure that you know your donor limitations so you can plan accordingly. Some guys do not care about crown coverage and have plenty of donor for the front and mid-range, but only you can decide for yourself. Not everyone's goals are the same. Best wishes to you!