Hello everyone --
This is my first posting, and I'm hoping you guys can give me some guidance. I'm 35 years old, and my hair has started thinning notably over the last three months. The hairline is starting to move back pretty fast, and I am not too happy. My dermatologist gave me a prescription for Propecia, but I have very mixed feelings about using it. Prostate cancer runs in my family, and there's a high probability that I will get it. Although Propecia/Proscar is thought to reduce the overall risk of prostate cancer, it actually increases the risk of developing a high-grade prostate cancer in those people who go on to get the disease. I do not want to take this risk. I see all sorts of reports (good and bad) about supplements like Procerin, Follicare, Hair Genesis, etc., and I don't know what to believe. Are there any other options when Propecia is not possible? Any advice will be most appreciated! Thanks!

The dosage of Propecia for hair loss is about 1/4 to 1/5th that of its earlier usage as a prostate shrinker.

What is more, there is evidence that Propecia stays in your system up to 72 hours, so that you can actually take the 1mg dose every 3 days and get a similar effect to taking it everyday.

Don't expect the Propecia folks to alter their dosage based on that more recent finding, but it is something you can take advantage of to minimize your exposure and maximize your gain.

Talk to your doctor about it. I was taking it every three days, but its easy to forget a rotating schedule like that, so 6 weeks in I've decided that since there are no apparent side effects I take it Tues, Fri, Sun, which is every other day, and on one day a week its a 3 day stretch.

Avodart may prove to be a more powerful hair restorer, but it isn't approved for that use yet, and of course as a more powerful medicine may have a greater risk for you.

I know nothing about the treatments you mentioned except that at present Monoxidil, and Propecia (containing Fin.) are the only two treatments for hair loss (medicine-wise)...period. Everything else is either bunk, or in the case of Avodart unproven.

mark h

Jon Jon,
I think some guys use Saw Palmetto which you can find at GNC stores. It is a natural DHT blocker. I have not used it and do not know of any side effects. Propecia is working well for me so far but I have only been on it a few weeks and it will take months to really know if it has any effect or stops the progression. Your hair is not worth the risk of a deadly cancer. Stay alive and bald if you have to!

Jonjon71,

While I can't really comment on the prostate cancer issue, you have to realize that propecia does not help with the hairline area. It only helps reduce hairloss in the crown area. I have been taking Propecia for over 9 years now and so far no problems. I'm now 37 and my hairline is also beginnig to recede, but I have a healthy amount of hair in my crown. More than enough if I decide to restore my hairline with hair transplantation.

quote:

While I can't really comment on the prostate cancer issue, you have to realize that propecia does not help with the hairline

Im going to disagree with you on this point. Propecia effects the scalp equally. It blocks DHT so it cant reach the scalp. It doesnt just block to the crown region.

JonJon,
This is a tough one. You are correct that although it can sometimes reduce prostate cancer it can also give you the worst kind. Saw palmetto nor all the rest of the alternatives you listed will give you any results. Id suggest at the very least to start taking rogaine 5% and nizoral shampoo as both can be an effective way to slow down hair loss.

Consulting you doctor is a good idea, and whenever decision you do make sure your 100% comited to it.

Which brings up another interesting question. If my crown is 50% gone and propecia is only proven to work in the crown, do I even bother taking it?

Yes, I would want to save the hair that's there, but is it worth the possible sides to maintain a small amount of hair?

Jonjon,

the possibility of saving some hair is in no way the risk of cancer. I have never heard of this before. How does a drug that was intended to prevent prostate cancer result in developing a high grade cancer in those who end up getting it? Is this why it was never used for prostate cancer?

Rick055,

withstanding the cancer issues-if prostate cancer does not run in your family- I would say that if you are willing to take the possible known risks of propecia (I did not know about the prostate cancer one and that is certainly a deterrent) then yes. I have not tried it yet and Im still on the fence. I might. But, I would like to give it a try AFTER I hear an explanation for this prostate cancer issue, because other than that all of the side effects are assumed to subside once use is discontinued...

But now I really want to hear about the prostate cancer issue as that is much more serious then the other *temporary* side effects...

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I tried Propecia for about 9 months and it did work...It worked wonders...I stopped losing thick hairs, I stopped losing thin hairs...BUT ALL THE WHILE, I HAD LOST MY ENTIRE SEX DRIVE....100% gone...I started not even feeling like a guy any more...I stopped checking out woman, and even wound up impotent when I tried a sexual encounter....I dont know if these side effects are 100% but I know they are VERY commen

Most of the people they experience some loss of the hair as they age. The result can be a partial or total baldness.
The men are much more prone who the women to the baldness and the loss of hair as they age.
The masculine baldness produces a loss of hair in a very characteristic pattern that affects the entrances and to the "ceiling of the head".

My friend who had been on Propecia for years complains of sudden/massive hair loss after he discontinued it. So which is the next best alternative?

quote:

Originally posted by hawk:
My friend who had been on Propecia for years complains of sudden/massive hair loss after he discontinued it. So which is the next best alternative?

uhhh...not discontinuing it?

Quote 'Although Propecia/Proscar is thought to reduce the overall risk of prostate cancer, it actually increases the risk of developing a high-grade prostate cancer in those people who go on to get the diseas'

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Hi jonjon71,

This link has not really been determined! If you look at the research properly you can see that they did not account for the fact that detection of high grade prostate cancer is aided by finasteride treatment as it shrinks the prostate. We still do not know if there is a link!?

Some recent reviews claiming no link....

http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/finasteride0907

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/576433

Regards,
Blondie