Propecia or Avodart with Rogaine

[Mark D]

I know if you have new hair growth from Rogaine and you stop using Rogaine, it will most likely begin falling out again.

 

If you are taking Propecia or Avodart when you stop using Rogaine, will they prevent your new Rogaine hair from falling out?

 

Thanks,

Mark

[mmhce]

Yes. Minoxidil forces hair to grow. Finasteride keeps the hair from falling out.

[Maxxy]

I always assumed hair grown by Minoxidil would be Minoxidil dependant.

 

Mmhce, I know what you are saying regarding Finasteride helping to keep your hair, but do you have any reason to believe Finasteride will have the same effect on Minoxidil produced hair?

 

I understand your reasoning on the subject but do you know of any studies that show the above to be the case?

 

If you are right, why are we continuing to put Rogaine on our heads after say 2 years?

 

Lol, this has confused me a little, I totally see what Mmhce is saying and it sounds rational, but if that is the case, why are we told that we have to stay on Rogaine in order to keep what we have grown/prevented.

 

The way Minoxidil works after a certain amount of time we have realised the full benifits of the medication, continuing with Minoxidil only serves to keep up on those benifits, if Finasteride is keeping up any benifits gained from Minoxidil on it's own then why are we using both drugs?

[mmhce]

Below are a couple of abstracts I found in my old notes. I'm sorry, I can't post everything. Too time consuming. There's a wealth of information on the internet and all are welcome to research.

 

Personally, I've passed the stage of researching minoxidil and finasteride. I think you what I mean.

 

 

 

The mechanism of action of topical minoxidil has been extensively studied but is as yet unknown. Although originally used systemically to treat hypertension, vasodilatation does not appear to be the mechanism for hair growth stimulation1 Minoxidil is sulfated in the hair follicles, and minoxidil sulfate opens potassium channels.4 Minoxidil also upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-I.5,6 This finding does not necessarily imply that minoxidil stimulates blood vessel growth, but rather that minoxidil-induced VEGF may also function as a growth factor for follicular cells.7 How activation of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-1 leads to hair growth is not clearly understood, but several reports (see below) of hair growth with a prostaglandin F2a analogue suggest that prostaglandins may in some way be involved in hair growth.8.9

 

 

The FDA-approved androgen modulator finasteride is a competitive inhibitor of type 2 5a-reductase. Finasteride lowers the level of DHT both in serum and in the scalp by over 60%.1 Since type I 5a-reductase is not inhibited, serum levels of DHT in patients on finasteride are about 30% of normal. Although 5a-reductase in the hair follicles can produce DHT, much of the DHT that gets to the follicle is from the systemic circulation. In one study, topical 0.05% finasteride lowered serum levels of DHT by 40% but did not lead to hair regrowth.15 For these reasons, one can conclude that inhibitors of 5a-reductase must be used systemically. Many unproven over-the-counter products promoted as topical DHT-lowering agents are also unlikely to be effective. Theoretically, an androgen receptor antagonist could work topically.

[Maxxy]

Hey Mmhce,

 

I was mainly looking for information directly relating to the effectiveness of Finasteride on hair regrown by Minoxidil.

 

Thank you for taking the time to post.

[lanthanos]

yea this is a really interesting question and one I have seen asked before.

 

This is my opinion on it. Hair is lost by the action of DHT. Minoxidil does something to grow hairs or convert them to anagen phase. These are hairs that were previously miniaturized by DHT. Once they are returned by minoxidil, and the DHT is lowered because you are now on propecia, then they should be more likely to stay growing.

 

but it confuses me, because by this logic, why is it that hair doesn't just regrow with propecia itself if DHT was what was stopping the hair from growing.

 

Sadly I don't think there ever has been or will be a study on this since propecia is made by Merck and rogaine is made by Pfizer.