Question about finasteride and shock loss

[Enhancer]

I see some transplant results ~6-12 months out where the patient has lost a substantial amount of hair behind the transplanted area, too much in one year for the usual excuse "natural progression of baldness". It is obviously permanently shocked hair from surgery. It is my understanding that finasteride is supposed to decrease the chances of this permanent shock.

My question is - if you are taking finasteride/dutasteride and its not doing a very good job at stopping hair loss, only slowing it down somewhat, does it still offer some shockloss protection? 

[ciaus]

Yea it will, and you should consider minoxidil as well to increase blood flow and nutrients to the follicles. Your doc will have you stop the minox about a week before and after the procedure to limit the chances of excessive bleeding during the procedure and in the immediate healing days after. Don't listen to anybody telling you to stop the minox for weeks or months around this time, it will just increase the chances of a temporary shed. Since minoxidil doesn't address the underlying cause of baldness, just enhances the hairs/follicles, its up to you whether its worth the effort it keep using it long term.

[Future Hair Doc]

Finasteride and minoxidil lower the chances of shock loss.

[pradeepbr]

I came across hair md shampoo and spray to reduce shock loss. They claim it  can reduce initial shedding after hair transplant and help in hair growth after transplant. I myself a month late in coming across this shampoo and spray. So lost hair in shock loss. I am at the 6 month mark, close to 65% results.

Edited May 17, 2021 by pradeepbr

[SamV7]

I was told by my doctor to stop both finestide and minoxidil 3 months before the operation, and resume one month after. I think I am NW5/6 and I have thin native hair that I don't want to lose due to the surgery. What is recommended for this case? I know we are supposed to stop minoxidil to avoid excessive bleeding, but 3 months? Last thing I want is to lose my native hair that can add density after surgery.

[TorontoMan]

29 minutes ago, SamV7 said:

I was told by my doctor to stop both finestide and minoxidil 3 months before the operation, and resume one month after. I think I am NW5/6 and I have thin native hair that I don't want to lose due to the surgery. What is recommended for this case? I know we are supposed to stop minoxidil to avoid excessive bleeding, but 3 months? Last thing I want is to lose my native hair that can add density after surgery.

stop oral finasteride? literally never heard of that, makes no sense.

[gillenator]

The thing is, we all respond differently to these hair loss medications...as was stated, yes low dose finasteride can potentially reduce the level of shock loss yet we must remember that it's the higher level of trauma to the scalp that induces shock loss and that is something that finasteride cannot control...it's more the advanced diffused hair that is less likely to grow back.

[ciaus]

19 hours ago, SamV7 said:

I was told by my doctor to stop both finestide and minoxidil 3 months before the operation, and resume one month after. I think I am NW5/6 and I have thin native hair that I don't want to lose due to the surgery. What is recommended for this case? I know we are supposed to stop minoxidil to avoid excessive bleeding, but 3 months? Last thing I want is to lose my native hair that can add density after surgery.

I'd get a new doctor. You're going to be shedding any hairs the medications are helping you hold on to. Which will give the doctor an inaccurate picture of how much hair you actually need to have transplanted. He's probably not that bothered about that because it means he'll see the need to transplant more, which also means making more money off you. And some of your normal hairs could have a temporary shed too as their growth cycles reset because you're stopping the minoxidil for so long.

There's no reason to stop the finasteride at all. For the minoxidil a week before and after, two at the most. And with shockloss, the most important reason to take finasteride is to help reduce the chances the shockloss will be permanent. 

[SamV7]

39 minutes ago, ciaus said:

I'd get a new doctor. You're going to be shedding any hairs the medications are helping you hold on to. Which will give the doctor an inaccurate picture of how much hair you actually need to have transplanted. He's probably not that bothered about that because it means he'll see the need to transplant more, which also means making more money off you. And some of your normal hairs could have a temporary shed too as their growth cycles reset because you're stopping the minoxidil for so long.

There's no reason to stop the finasteride at all. For the minoxidil a week before and after, two at the most. And with shockloss, the most important reason to take finasteride is to help reduce the chances the shockloss will be permanent. 

Ugh that's reassuring. I picked this doctor after doing a ton of research here in this forum. Thanks mate, what you said actually makes sense, and is what I read in different topics as well. I don't want to lose my native hair, as thin as it is. I think they will add density to transplanted hair. 

[LaserCaps]

21 hours ago, SamV7 said:

I was told by my doctor to stop both finestide and minoxidil 3 months before the operation, and resume one month after. I think I am NW5/6 and I have thin native hair that I don't want to lose due to the surgery. What is recommended for this case? I know we are supposed to stop minoxidil to avoid excessive bleeding, but 3 months? Last thing I want is to lose my native hair that can add density after surgery.

It is evident this particular doctor has no idea what the meds are intended for - or is misinformed.  It does you no good to be on and off the medications.  Once on them, stay on them otherwise you will lose what you were supposed to lose.  A 3 month period, however, is not a long time and probably will have little to no affect on the overall scheme of things.