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(female)
I had an allergic reaction about a year ago and they put me on prednisone 50mg. I had to take 8 of those for 3 days and then every 3 days I go down 1 pill. It took about 3 weeks to get off of them and then as soon as I started taking them my hair started to thin. Then eventually it was coming out in giant clumps. It took about 2 months for me to lose all of my hair. Is that normal for that amount of meds I was given? To lose that much hair in that little of time?

Steroids (like prednisone) are a cause for hair loss. You need a good doctor to analyze you, your general health, and your overall hormone balance. This can not be done over the internet.

I am 24 year old Indian. I started losing my hair when I was 19. Ten months before I went to see dermatologist, and he prescribed me 1 mg generic Finpecia(cipla). I am taking since then, but I havent seen any difference. Moreover for past 2 months, I think my hair are falling at slightly more rate.

I have less density at crown area, my hairline is not so affected. Do you think finpecia is working or not? I know that you cant tell properly without examining me, but still I would like to know about your opinion. Moreover,I know finpecia is not FDA approved, but in India, we dont any any FDA approved finastride tablet. What are your opinion regarding Cipla’s finpecia?

Thanks & Regards

I can’t tell if the Finpecia (generic Propecia from India) is working or not without an examination, but it sounds like you’re seeing most of the loss in the crown, which is where finasteride tends to work best. I would stay with the medication, but discuss this with your prescribing doctor to find out his thoughts.

Cipla is a very large drug company and I haven’t heard or read any complaints about their 1mg finasteride being anything less than the regular Propecia. It isn’t sold in the US due to patent laws, but I’m not sure how those laws would apply to the Indian market. I believe Indian law requires drug makers to provide compulsory licenses to other companies to allow generics to be made, regardless of patent. There seems to be a lot of sales over the internet from sources outside the United States, though I don’t have any recommendations (nor would I provide them for legal reasons).

I read an article suggesting that the thinning hair can be reversed (care2.com). Could you comment on it please.

A good diet is always important for good health, but thinning hair in a person with any reasonable diet will not improve or reverse without a more direct ‘attack’ on the problem. First, find out what is happening (diagnosis), then probe treatment options with a good doctor.

The photo used in the referenced article shows a thinning Norwood Class 6 patient who will probably lose much of his hair from genetic causes over the next 10-20 years unless he does something about it. Home remedies are fine if you want to get your bathroom tile clean or get the stain out of your shirt, but I’ve yet to see any diet that works to regrow or halt hair loss.

Hello Doctor
I am in my mid 7th month of using Propecia everyday (alone without anything else), and am starting to get concerned. As I understand it, you need to wait 9-12 months to see any effect from the treatment, and thats where I need clarification.

1. Would I notice worst symptoms (loss of hair bulk/mass) before it got better? My hair was diffuse beforehand but still covered my head. Now, the rear crown of my head is very close to being bald. (Please see images..I sent them to your email) Frontal has remained basically the same. I now keep my hair very short, so I dont know if there was shedding (and it just wasnt apparent for this reason.) But I havent noticed ANY hairs falling out….instead the hair just seems to be getting thinner and thinner.
2. At this point, I am trying to determine whether to use Rogaine on top of Propecia as a last ditch effort. I know that would make it hard to determine WHICH product is helping my hair (which is why I have been holding out on that), but my big concern is that if I let things continue to progress at this rate than I won’t have any hair in the crown for Rogaine to even “thicken”…What is your take on that.
3. The only reversal/progress I THINK I have found is a few disperse black hairs that have spouted up in areas that I believe were bald before (in my frontal region). This could very well be my imagination, but I am wondering if that is a sign that things are picking up..or if some people just gain a few of these random hairs and nothing else.
4. In considering that I started taking Propecia 7 months ago….does Propecia work to try and maintain THAT base level hair (with ups and downs in the process). Or does it work to maintain baselevel from the 6-12 month mark when you guys say it typically starts to take effect….I am very confused at the “typical” experience I should expect for the 1-12 month term of treatment (with Propecia)
5. I would be open to take that genetic test, but they dont list any NY doctors on the site…any suggestions for that?

Thanks for the help!

1. Some report shedding, but it doesn’t seem extremely common. At 7 months, things shouldn’t necessarily be worse than before. The HairDX finasteride response test might be a good idea (see #5 below).
2. Many men use both medications. I see no problem with that as long as you don’t mind the financial aspect of sticking to two medications for life.
3. Not really sure what you mean. Random black hairs?
4. Aside from regrowth, the goal of taking Propecia is to maintain your hair at the point of when you started taking it. Obviously, each person is different.
5. The HairDX site has a list of clinics that offer their genetic tests, but if there’s no listings for New York, you should contact them to find out about local options. I’m sure they’re looking to have their tests available on the east coast.

From the article:

Every woman has experienced a bad hair day at some point. But for some women and men, a mysterious illness is causing them to lose all of their hair.

Read the rest (and see the video) — Men, Women Battle Mysterious Hair Loss

The article (ABC 7 in Washington DC) does not provide any insight into alopecia areata since so little is known, but it does bring some attention to the topic. The video is also a good chance to see how some patients cope with the disease. For more information, see the National Alopecia Areata Foundation

Hi doc

I want to know if by taking female hormones, hair loss would be stopped and if the regrowth will increase…For example, transexuals dont’ have hair loss problems. I know all the side effects, but I just want to know if the therapy to chanege sex makes hair losso stop in 100% of the cases.

Thank you

I see transsexual patients on female hormones and they still have hair loss. Even those who evolve into a female will still bald as long is there is testosterone on board. Some even have a hair transplant to get back their childhood hairlines (which is concave in shape, just like the adult female hairline).

I noticed someone else asking if propecia could accelerate hair loss and wasnt sure if it was possible or not. Both times I started taking propecia I did notice unusual hair loss within a couple of weeks. I understand it could take 6 months to get results but is there a possibility that in the first severall weeks it actually causes loss?

There are some reports of accelerated hair loss from Propecia, but this is probably just accelerated hair cycling and after it takes its course, the growth (anagen) part of the hair cycle will pick up and grow more hair.

I’ve been losing hair for years and heard that nothing really works unless you get a hair transplant or use rogaine.Transplants look horrible and are quite expensive, and they say Rogaine does not work for african american hair.There are a lot of topical solutions out there.I’ve been told that products like carol’s daughter,doo gro, and a product by a company called hairobics do some good. Can you give some advice.

thanks

Judging by your email, you haven’t looked into hair restoration (medical or surgical) in the past 15 or so years. Hair transplants done with old pluggy technology 20 years ago might look horrible, but transplants done today look very natural. Cost can be up there depending on your hair needs, but it’s a surgical cosmetic procedure that lasts forever.

I don’t know who “they” are that says Rogaine doesn’t work for African American hair, but that’s not true. Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) are the only FDA approved hair loss medications and are proven to work. I’ve seen fantastic results with Propecia, in particular. You can try any product you want (those that you mentioned look to be herbal supplements and shampoos), but I personally like to go with the stuff that is actually proven to do what it says, with actual peer-reviewed medical studies to back it up. I think your first step should be to see a dermatologist to find out more about your options.

Hello Dr.

I started losing hair at about 22yrs of age. I am now 39. My son is 15 and is showing signs of significant thinning around his hairline and I was wondering if it is considered abnormal for someone his age to lose hair this early in life, ultimately robbing him of his youth. I have visited the family doctor who could offer no cause or solution for this problem. He suggested rogaine but I noticed on the package that it doesn’t help with frontal hair loss and you should be at least 18yrs of age to use the product. Any suggestions or solutions would be of help.

Thank you for your time

Rogaine likely won’t help him if he’s losing hair in the hairline, regardless of age. It’s not abnormal, but it’s not extremely common to lose the hairline at 15 years old. Perhaps he’s got a mature hairline process starting?

As for the other hair loss medication, Propecia — there are many things to consider before putting him on it. It’s the only medication that might slow down the balding process (assuming that is what is going on), but you need to have a great doctor who will analyze your son and work through the diagnosis as well as his growth phases in his bones and elsewhere. His age is a potential red flag, as Propecia was tested for men over the age of 18. I’ll let his doctor make the determination about prescribing, though. There is help, but you need to address this with his pediatrician.

Hi Doc,
I was recently diagnosed with diffuse alopecia areata. I lost a lot of hair on my head, but the hair also got finer. I passed that off to genetics even though I’m only 19. We tried everything including cortisone injections and minoxidil, but nothing worked, so we tried oral prednisone. The hair follicles regrew, but the weirdest part was that the hair actually changed back from fine to relatively coarse. My question is: Does alopecia areata ever change the characteristics of the hair, or was the textural change a bizarre coincidence?

Hair during recovery from alopecia areata may just return to its original texture. Then again, it may not. Diffuse alopecia areata is not fully understood as a disease process. There might be better information (including support forums) at the National Alopecia Areata Foundation site.