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I took Proscar for 6 months with no problems whatsoever and great results. For whatever reason I decided to cut my dose of finasteride in half and see if I could get the same results. In short, that didn’t happen. So after 5 weeks I jumped back on 1 mg and am back to where I was before I decided to lower my dose.

Here’s the problem: I have had constant testicle aches since then. I don’t know why this is happening since I never experienced this on 1 mg. This could be my imagination, but I find lifting weights helps reduce the ache.

What do you think?

I assume you mean that you took Propecia, not Proscar, since you say it was 1mg finasteride. Here are some past posts we’ve made about this issue. It’s worth pointing out that testicle pain may not be associated with the medication and could be a serious medical issue.

Regardless, I would take this seriously and follow up with the doctor who prescribes you the medication. If that is not possible, follow up with your general physician.

Hi doctor, i will like to know how long will it take to know if you are balding or just have a mature hair line. is like if my hairline have stay the same for 2 years does that mean that im not balding now? or i have to wait more time like 4 - 5 years

There’s no way to tell when you’ll go bald just based on an email. You need to be examined for miniaturization and then re-examined again in 6-12 months to compare the results. Then an educated guess can be made as to what type of loss you’re going to be seeing down the line. It’s not as simple as just applying a deadline to your hair loss based on an age range.

Balding (in men) can start in the late teens or in the 60s, but usually most people who bald will have signs of it in their 20s. The most sensitive test for balding is when the hair bulk is measured on the front, top, and crown and compared to the fringe area on the sides and back of the head.

Is it common to experience hair thinning as a result of shock loss? I ask because I recieved a transplant at my temples a few months ago and suddenly now my hair in the front is thinning as well as my hair at the crown.

In general, thinning hair in the front and crown sounds like male pattern baldness. I am confused by your description of the temples and wonder if the area you’re referencing is actually the corners of the frontal hairline, which is commonly confused terminology. See the photo at right for clarification.

Regardless, shock loss would be mostly limited to the near the recipient area, which in your case may include the hairline… but I wouldn’t expect the crown to be associated with shock loss if your surgery was just in the frontal area (corners or temples). In other words, it sounds like a coincidence to the surgery and is more likely just the progression of your hair loss.

Not all hair transplants are the same. I don’t know anything about your hair loss history, age, or any knowledge of the surgery you have had done. Please follow up with your doctor to address these concerns.

Snippet from the article:

Although past research has suggested a correlation between iron deficiency (ID) and female pattern hair loss (FPHL) or chronic telogen effluvium (CTE), a recent population-based study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology finds no such association.

Elise A. Olsen, M.D., of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and colleagues assessed 381 women with FPHL or CTE and 76 controls to see what, if any, role ID plays in the two conditions.

Read the rest of the story — Iron Deficiency Not Likely Culprit in Female Hair Loss.

The study shows that while iron deficiency is commonly found in women, it doesn’t appear to be increased in those women with hair loss or telogen effluvium. This goes against what we previously believed to be one of the many possible causes of female hair loss.

I’m sure there will be more research to come, and I’ll post more about this as I find it. Read the abstract in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

For several years I have had thinning whilst stressed; but it has always grown in. However, this year my hair thinned out due to stress, unlike times before I also had spot areas of hair loss. That has grown in however my hairline has started fall out in a ” V” shaped peak. It’s not dramatic or noticable; with this said I have no male blood relatives suffering hair loss; only female. Is it possible to inherit hair loss through females if you are male.

A common myth is that male pattern baldness comes from the mother’s side of the family, but in reality, the genetics can be passed to you from either side of the family (paternal or maternal). It can skip generations, too.

Without seeing the loss you’re referring to, I’m having a difficult time figuring out how pronounced the “V” shaped hairline you’re seeing actually is. It could be that you’re just experiencing a maturing hairline, or it could be that you’re seeing genetic hair loss that is starting at the hairline. I don’t know enough about you (age or history) to make any kind of real guess online.

(female)
I recently (5 weeks ago) had back surgery. Now I find that I am losing hair. How long does this last?

It could be a few weeks, perhaps even a few months. It may have nothing to do with the surgery, or it could be related to the stress your body experienced from the procedure. Have you talked with your physician about the hair loss?

It generally takes one year to see if you regain some hair.

(female) I have a couple scars on my head from a car accident when I was around 4 years old, and I am now 21 and was wondering if there are any ways to get rid of these scars? One is about three inches in length and the other is about one inch. The hair has never grown back, and I would love to wear my hair down but cannot because the scars are then very visible.

About how much would a procedure cost to fix this problem? Thank you so much for your help, you have no idea how much I appreciate it!

Hair transplantation works well for scars. I would imagine that a transplant would be in the $3000 range. We would, of course, need to evaluate you first and then a quote can be offered.

Removing the scar may not work well if the scar falls outside of the directions seen in Langer’s lines, which are lines that “correspond to the natural orientation of collagen fibers in the dermis and epidermis” (source).

See if your scalp scars are in line with Langer’s lines. If so, this would imply that they might be removable. The image at right is a quick view, and you can see the larger version here.

Can I take finasteride sublingualy? because i heard that by taking it sublingually can bypass first pass effect and it can goes directly to your bloodstream.

You are supposed to take Propecia by swallowing the pill. Taking it sublingually (administered under the tongue) does not mean you will see better results. Similarly, taking double the dose (or even 10x the dose) does not mean you will have better results.

What I’m getting at is: Please take the medication as directed. Plus, I’m sure it would taste really bad.

My husband has been using propecia with good effect for 10 years. We are now trying to get pregnant and he stopped taking propecia. My question is, 1) how long can he be off the pills before the hair starts to fall out? and 2)does the hair grow back if he starts the pills again?

Thank you for your answer.

Men who stop taking Propecia while they are trying to conceive with their partner usually stop for two to four weeks. This should not have an impact on hair, but if in the worst case scenario there is a negative effect on the hair, the hairs lost will most likely not grow back (even if you start back on Propecia). This phenomenon is often referred to as “catch-up” hair loss. Your husband should discuss this further with his prescribing physician.

Snippet from the article:

Toss the Rogaine and Viagra? Not just yet.

But Harvard scientists have found that some effects of aging, such as hair loss, infertility and decreased brain function, can be stopped. And not just stopped: the scientists’ research, published today in the journal Nature, showed that it’s possible even to reverse the signs of aging.

“Basically, what this study teaches us is that there’s a point of return in aging,” senior author Dr. Ronald A. DePinho, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told CBS News.

Read the full story at CBS News — Aging Reversed in Mice: Have Scientists Found Key to Immortality?

Not all research on mice can be applied to humans, but regardless of that, the published research sounds quite intriguing.

Hmm… mice living forever? Probably good for the pest control industry, but that would be a whole lot of rodents in this world. What’s next — flying, muscular mice?