August 26 2005, 3:46 pm PT | Posted in: Drugs + Post-Operative
Hi,
I have looked into hair transplants time and again but have been scared off by the horror stories of bad HTs. FUEs sound good to me. Where do I go to get evaluated? I am losing hair in my temple areas and am 36 years old. Also, do I have to be on Propecia? I was on it for a year, didn’t see any results in hair but did notice problems with sexual activity (i.e. hard to keep an erection) I like it a lot better without it. So, if I had a HT, would I have to be on propecia?
You do not have to use Propecia after a hair transplant. However, by not using this drug you will not have any protection against the progressive nature of hair loss, assuming you are still losing hair and not totally bald. With regard to your sexual problems, almost 40% of men of your age have some difficulty maintaining an erection. One of the erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs can solve that. Taking Propecia for your hair and ED pills for your erection may give you both a better sex life and hair at the same time.
You indicated that you are based in Colorado. I would be happy to evaluate you for FUE, but my offices are in California. To find a FUE surgeon in your area, please visit ISHRS.org, but please note that there are not many of them out there that have the reputation and experience you may want.
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Balding Forum
First off, I think it’s totally wrong to take one drug to overcome another drug’s side effects; you’re just compounding the effects of substances that are totally unnatural to the human body as well as being toxic long term. I realize that finasteride (Propecia) is the only proven substance backed by research to grow and/or maintain hair, but it is nonetheless a drug, and EVERY drug will have side effects. It is the choice of those who take that risk upon themselves when it is to be used long term which is usually the case and unfortunately the only way it’s really effective. It is just another double-edge sword band-aid that will become obsolete once another drug replaces it. Going the pharmaceutical route is not the answer for long-term use and, again, WILL eventually have disastrous side effects. E.D., decreased libido, and a decrease in free and total testosterone something are conditions I would not want to trade for a NON-GUARANTEED retention of my precious hair, even if such side effects are reported in only 4% of those who take it. Take a chance to save your hair and risk not having a sex life? I don’t think so. With the exception of conditions like BPH, testosterone is something we men need more of, not less of, especially as we age and it decreases! The trick is to inhibit the conversion to DHT and do it WITHOUT screwing up testosterone and other hormones.
Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a safer, natural DHT-inhibitor alternative that’s just as effective. The closest may be saw palmetto, but from what I’ve researched, it’s a weak DHT-inhibitor, if effective at all, and if you take massive doses to try and compete with something like Propecia, then you’re back to the pharmaceutical approach and the resulting toxicity issues. Soy milk sounds like it holds some promise [http://www.newstarget.com/001047.html], although it carries its own risks.
In the meantime, we have thousands of human guinea pigs using Propecia and have simply no idea of the long term effects.