August 12 2005, 11:16 am PT | Posted in: Drugs
I have a question for you … on merck site it says hair mass can thicken up to two yrs… but I was told it can thicken up to three yrs… is that true??? and when is the best time to take propecia am or pm??? please let me know your answer… thanks
I would not doubt what Merck says, but these are generalizations about the length of time the drug will give thickness- it can vary with each patient from one to three years. It is best to take Propecia in the morning, since that is the time of day that men have their highest testosterone levels. As Propecia has a half life of four hours, it theoretically gets less effective later in the day, when you take it in the morning. The reality is that the drug binds to the receptors and even if the blood levels go down, the drug may still maintain effectiveness through the day.
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Balding Forum
just started propecia….I’ve had this debate…mostly with myself….I took accutane years ago…and I’m wondering if this has caused my thinning hair…I had a beautiful had of hair up until about 6-8 months ago….The front hairline…thinned out quick….I know there are worse things…but I’m only 26…finishing grad school…my confidence has certanly been hampered. I added therapro…shampoo…to my regimine….to keep the scalp free of build up…I just don’t understand how a drug can regrow hair? If the follicles are by most accounts dying off…how can hair grow out of them agian….Getting older can be enlightening and at times difficult…If you feel like doing pro bono…work to hard working college guy…look me up! -mike
Mike - Good luck in your quest. A couple of points:
1) Find a doctor to write you a prescription for generic Finasteride and then cut it into quarters. This will save you a large amount of $$ over the course of a year (as no doubt being a student you can appreciate). If you fill your prescription at Costco or Walmart you’re talking about a total monthly cost in the neighborhood of $13-$14. Pretty good compared to Propecia which is the EXACT SAME drug - only repackaged in a “convenient” 1mg size and marked up 600%
2) “Scalp build up” is the biggest hoax in hair loss. There is NO SUCH THING as a “clogged follicle”. Every time I read this in an ad I want to either laugh or berate the scam artists who perpetrate this cruel joke. Drop the Therapro. When a company lies to you to entice you to buy their garbage it’s normally not a good sign. Try Nizoral® A-D, the 1% kind you can get in any store that carries shampoo. While it’s original intent was as an anti-fungal, anti-dandruff shampoo, it’s active ingredient, Ketoconazole, has been shown to reduce scalp DHT (the primary culprit in hair loss for those of us unfortunate enough to be sensitive to it).
3) With the money you save on the Propecia and shampoo, consider buying some Rogaine® Foam (buy it on eBay). While I’ve never tried it, it’s gotten good marks from a variety of sources as convenient, effective and user friendly. Another approach is purchasing a higher strength minoxidil solution or creme (15% - 30%) and using it at night only. You can buy this from a compounder on the net such as Community Drug.
All this may sound like a pain, but in reality it’s just a matter of popping a pill in the am once per day, switching shampoos, and rubbing a bit of foam on your head after your morning shower and before you crash at night.
Good luck!