May 2 2005, 2:16 pm PT | Posted in: Drugs
Dr. Rassman, I saw one of your comments on Propecia on the balding blog. You are welcome to use my pictures to show your bloggers what the drug can do. As you remember, I am 39 years old and I got these results in just 8 months on the drug. Contrary to what some say about the sex drive, the drug did nothing to suppress it. Sometimes I wish it did. I saw a couple of other doctors before I started Propecia and one had a salesman who tried to sell me 1500 grafts. He said Propecia would not work. Glad I did not have the surgery and listened to you guys.
Thanks for coming forward on this very important issue. The young man can get an outstanding response from Propecia, especially the ones under 30. You are an exception to the rule and a lucky one at that. Although sometime I feel like a Merck salesman because I suggest this medication for many of my patients, it is because of people like you that I have become an enthusiast for Propecia. Although the corners did not return, the fullness you wanted was achieved and you are happy. That is what this is all about. You were wise to seek out other opinions. I applaud you for such persistence. There is no ‘A’ given in school for such decisions. In the real world, the hairy guy you look at in the mirror every day is better than an ‘A’ on a report card.
The above photo on the left is before Propecia use (scanned from a Polaroid, so please forgive the quality); above photo on the right was taken about 21 months after continued Propecia use.
what is the best way to grow or maintain some growth in the frontal area?
those are some incredible results. are they from propecia alone? no hair transplants, minox, or anything else?
There is NO way he went from a NW 4A to a NW 1-2 like that on just propecia/proscar alone. NOTHING on the planet can make a person who is almost totally bald to almost a full head of hair WITHOUT a hair transplant. I think this is bogus!!! I was a NW3 when I went on a combination of proscar, minoxidil, folligen and nizoral shampoo for two years or so. There was very little difference. Maybe it made my hair slightly thicker, but other than that…nothing. And I’ve scoured the internet for hundreds of legitimate before and after pictures of people in my predicament. Same results….
In regards to the photo above. It is completely possible.
I actually have phots and it is…just short of completely amazing. When I was 22 or so, started to thin, I hadn’t completely lost my hair but it was going very very fast.
I took propecia for a 3 years or so… and stopped of course, but I have pictures of when I was 28-29 (now 31 thinning not bad, but its getting there) where I had like I did when I was 18. My hair now is thinning again as I mentioned above and once more…started taking propecia, its been only 1 1/2 months…hair stopped falling out and I can see the hair base getting thickening. I know what will happen too. 6 mos…1 year from now, all my hair will be back.
I feel for those who do not have the same results, I truly do. I myself am in that 4% class of men, that when I do take propecia…. 6 months…1 year and Im back to 100% normal.
Its incredible.
Please excuse all the grammar mistakes that were made in my post (listed above). Super busy at work and was going back and forth while writing my comments.
Hope you get the point though. Just an added note. I used nothing but propecia and a positive attitude. Another thing, I started with propecia the minute I noticed my hair thinning (Father and Grandfather are bald). The men in my family all had all but lost their hair by the time they were 30, or it was really looking thin.
Because I took it earlier in my life, and I had healthy hair follicles to a certain degree, it stopped the DHT from killing my hairs off, bought me some time also, but the key is to always take it. My hair came back so thick, that I thought hey…. “Don’t need to take it anymore”… Dont make that mistake… I had put this hair thinning session off…I am coming back fast, but, I hope I can get it back to what it was again 2-3 years ago…I am pretty sure I will though. You have to catch it while you have your hair, not after it is gone.
Best of luck,
Brian
Thanks for the comments Brian. Always great to have these personal stories to boost the spirit of those who are losing their hair.
Why does the picture show the outline of a frontal hair transplant region? This is very suspect.
I have to be honest, this looks like a faulse hope. I don’t believe it either. That is a cure for baldness. There is as of yet nothing 100% effective at maintaining or fully recovering a full head of hair. To have recovered so drastically would surely have required a combinatin of treatments both prescriptive and surgical (digital). And why the hair trasplant line?
Propecia does work for a good percentage of those that medicate with it, however it works best as a preventative measure rather than a cure.
how many pills are necesary? thanks a lot
Sorry for the late response. I missed your concerned comments.
You folks can believe what you want, but the line was drawn in for the patient to see where hair MIGHT be transplanted to if he were to undergo the hair transplant procedure. I do not rush patients into surgery. I prescribed Propecia and he diligently took the pill daily for nearly 2 years (and continues to do so). Surgery was not needed afterall, and I’m very happy for him. I’d much rather a patient take a pill than have to undergo surgery.
To repeat — there was no surgery in the after photo. This was 100% accomplished from Propecia.
Hi, I’m a 22 year old and have been taking propecia for about 4 months now, and also with a thinning hair treatment called anagen which is a lotion you use daily for 24 days, then every other day for 48 days, and also includes a shampoo (they contain Saw Palmetto, Capigen and Glycosaminoglycans and other components). So far I haven’t noticed any increase in hair and am still losing hair daily, and the crown area is now very thin that the skin can be clearly seen. I will not be continuing with the anagen treatment as I don’t think it has made a difference and in fact when applying the lotion I get a number of hairs on my hands.
My question is: how long will it be before the propecia makes a difference, and I stop losing hair? I understand it can take a while, but typically how long?
I have been taking Propecia now for about 4-5 months now and have had amazing results already. I started seeing that I was loosing my hair around the age of 17 and did nothing about it until recently at the age of 19. I dont know if it is working so well because i am still very young but i cannot wait for the next 6 months to see how well it really works. I went to Dr.Pistone in Philadelphia (A hair trasnplant surgeon) and he said because of my age and the amount of hair i still have on my head that propecia was the way to go for now. I now see hairs (and alot of them) growing in places that were once so thin that when pictures of me were taken from outside you could see the sun glare off of it. No one wants that. Will comment back again and let everyone know how and if hairs have completely regrown.
I have been taking proscar quarter tablet for ten years,iam now 38 years old,prior to starting proscar i had 1200 grafts in the frontal and top of my scalp which was at age 26.my father was completly bold at my age,now at 38 years old i still have a full head of hair, proscar has stopped or at least slowed down my loss,if any loss has occured it has been at the frontal scalp.a few heavy grafts have come through,getting 600 grafts to soften the front. Moral to this story is proscar or propecia will stop or at least slow hair loss, so catch it early, find a great hair doctor,dont expect a mop top from hair transplants and you will be home. But keep taking proscar if your concerned about losing more hair,this is the secret and the truth.
Nick, where do you get your Proscar from? Do you take a 1/4 pill every day. Thought most people cut it in fifths. Thanks, xmissile@excite.com
some men take 1/4 of the Proscar (or generic) tablet because it is easier to cut the pill into 4 pieces than 5.
I am 16 and suffer from MPB. My hair is so bad that my scalp has been visable for about 2 years now and do not think I will have any hair left my 18.
I would like to ask if propecia works all over the head. I went to a dermatologist and trichologist and they told me I can start taking propecia now.
Also rogaine foam, has anyone had decent results with that?
wow! amazing here..
Im 22 and thinking about getting on finasteride. I still have hair to the point of having my head covered, however the rate at which I am losing it is fast. Will I have better results because of my age and (still present) hair?
That does look a bit dodgy.
i have been taking finax from dr reddys for 8 months or so , im not sure if i was just paranoid at the start when i noticed it thinning , but ican say 100% that it hasnt gotten any worse while on it , i can say it does look alot thicker on top and people have noticed its gotten better as they could obviosuly see the thinning before. i have been taking 1 tablet a day didnt cost a whole lot so worth a try , i will never give it up, my brother is thinning alot hes 3 years ahead of me so i can compare to him in 3 years