I just got my first prescription at the low low price of $74 a month. Yoiks! I suppose that's not too much to pay for peace of mind, but I'd like to know when to start expecting results.

The script says it may take several months, but first hand experience is of course much preferred.

Thanks guys (and gals),

Fante

Propecia starts working within about 24 hours. Its job is to reduce the conversion of testosterone into DHT since the original purpose was to shrink the prostate. According to the insert it reduces DHT something like 60-80% within 24 hours.

However, it can take up to twelve months to start seeing noticeable results in your hair. That doesn't mean it doesn't start working sooner, so you have to keep on it and remain diligent. Even if it just manages to stabilize your hair loss, it is still a lifelong commitment, because if you stop taking it, all of your DHT-sensitive follicles will shrink and play "catch up"

Its important to remain patient and optimistic, but also realistic.

Propecia is a great medicine, but your question regarding, how soon can you expect results. Many users of Propecia experiece stabalisation of hairloss at the most. Therefore, obvious results are never apparent. Its just that with more consideration, they have lost less hair or at least at a lower rate.

Having said that, other users do see thickening, but I would suggest that this would be the minority. You may well be that minority, I am not attempting to be pessimistic, I just feel it is of vital importance to be realistic. A minimum of 12 months is recommened before analysing its effects.

I didnt notice anymore hairloss after I started finasteride full time.

Thanks for the informative replies.

I'm not expecting any regrowth, just stabilization or, best case scenario, a complete stop to hairloss.

I don't think I'm going to take it for my entire life. Right now I'm just focused on getting out of my 20's with some hair left on my head.

Sparky: so you're saying within the first week you stopped shedding hair?

yes straight away, I started on it in 2002 and havent lost hair since.

I have been taking Propecia since April of 2009 (so seven months) and am still losing hair. I have several of the side effects, however, so I know it is "working".

quote:

Originally posted by Marvin:
I have been taking Propecia since April of 2009 (so seven months) and am still losing hair. I have several of the side effects, however, so I know it is "working".

Yes, I also find it odd that the side effects start immediately and yet the hair loss continues. Do you do anything to counteract the side effects, or just grin and bear it? Also, do you think your hair loss has lessened at all?

Peter Gibbons is correct, and like hair procedures, some folks grow quickly and some take a while. And of course with meds, some people just hold on to what otherwise would shed and don't notice much of a change...until they quit. Frustrating isn't it?

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

I personally had seen visual results at about the 4th month.. The results were much increased hair thickness in crown, mid scalp and front... Probably some regrowth as well, but I think regrowth is hard to see unless You have a severly bald scalp. I myself have nearly a full head of hair so its hard to gauge.. Also I believe that you will have better results if catch baldness early like I did. Unfortunatly the sides got to annoying so I decided to quit. 6 months later im back to where I was prior..

My results were also about 4 months after taking it. I started not long after having my last Bosley procedure. The 400 micro grafts caused the remaining hair(not a lot) in the crown to go into shockloss. The finisteride started regrowing all the lost hair from the shockloss plus the rest of my crown hair that had dissappeared over the last couple of years.

It started as almost like it was a moving carpet of hair growing from the edges toward the center. Within about 7 months, I had complete crown coverage minus the scar from the scalp reductions. I wish it would have worked longer than 4 years though.

In your experiences do you feel propecia works just as well on the hairline as the crown? For example, have you noticed that shedding has slowed or stopped in the crown but not the hairline, or vice versa?

Fante,

Though Propecia (finasteride) states on their website that not enough sufficient evidence is available to support Propecia's effectiveness in the hairline and frontal areas of hair loss, many men with thinning hair have reported successful hair regrowth in those areas while using Propecia. The same goes for Rogaine (minoxidil). Shedding can occur to any miniaturizing hairs whether they're in the balding crown or thinning hairline.

In my opinion, if you have signs of hair loss and/or thinning hair, consider using both Propecia and Rogaine to help you keep and strengthen the existing hair you have.

Best wishes,

Bill (Falc)

Thanks Falceros. I've been resisting minoxidil due to its messiness and negative rep, but I might be giving in soon.