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Hi i had a question about propecia. I used this (generic Finasteride) for nearly a year, however i never had any regrowth of hair. I seemed to maintain my hair to an extent, but i still was thinning. I’m curious do you think the medication was stopping my hairloss from progressing or is it more likely that the propecia just was not doing anything and i was buying more pills in fear of losing my hair? I stopped taking it for about a few weeks now and I’m not too sure if the hairloss that will continue from here is going to be from lack of medication or just the medication didnt work?

It was likely that the Propecia (or generic equivalent) was keeping your hair loss from progressing. Not everyone will see regrowth, but just halting the loss is considered effective. If you stop taking the medication, you should expect to see the loss continue in a few months time. If you don’t see more hair loss within a year, then you’ll have your answer.

It doesn’t sound like you had any kind of exam before or during your treatment, so I really don’t know how you can compare the before and after results. You’re taking a gamble by stopping the medication, but it is ultimately your call to make.

Hello Doc. I was wondering if long term use of benadryl could cause hair loss or hair thinning. I usually take two 25 mg tablets before i go to bed. Sometimes I take three. Also, could taking a large dosage of benadryl have any adverse effects on hair? I was wondering this because i accidentally took two doses(total of 4 25mg pills)in the span of an hour. This is a really great website. Thanks.

I’ve not heard of any connection between Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and hair loss. Antihistamines like diphenhydramine are not known to cause any kind of hair loss, even at higher dosages. There could always be exceptions, but I doubt you’ll see a problem.

Recently restarted Propecia on Dr. Bernstein’s advice. After one week, pulling out crown hair takes as much effort as hair in the permanent zone. Previously crown hair would come out with the slightest of force. Now it really hurts to pull crown hair like permanent zone hair. Does this mean it is working? Pity is, not much crown hair is left.

It probably means that the Propecia is working, though it might be a bit late for you though. I have reports from patients that have started the medication and saw their hair loss stop cold in just a few weeks. My advice — stop pulling on your hair.

Hi Doc,
I am a Canadian and will be in Los Angeles in two weeks time. Would you be able to prescribe me Proscar even though I am not a U.S. citizen? Is there a cost to visit you for a prescription and miniaturization mapping??

First, we should set you up with an appointment to be sure I can get you in on the day you want to come in. You can contact my office at 800-NEW-HAIR (or 310-553-9113). The consultation is free and includes a mapping of your scalp for miniaturization. If I prescribe medication, there is a $85 (USD) fee. The prescriptions can generally be filled in the US and most Canadian pharmacies recognize an American doctor’s prescription.

Hi doc,
First I appreciate you on providing expert level suggestions to people all around the world. I think it is really helpful for many patients. I am on Finax (Dr Reddys) for the past month taking daily 1mg at night. I have two questions:

1. I am very much tempted to take alcohol on weekend nights and skip the pills for those days to be on the safer side, and continue on the weekdays. I want to know whether I will get the benefit of the medication or it will slow down the effects?
2. Can I take the pills in the morning during breakfast even if I am on drinks in the nights, does it also effect the medication?

Please help me in understanding my concerns. Thanks in Advance!

I think you’re under the impression that alcohol cancels out the effects of finasteride, but that simply isn’t the case. There’s no adverse reaction to taking alcohol and taking finasteride on the same day. If you want to give in to your temptation of drinking alcohol on the weekend nights, it is not for me to judge or to advise you on. I wouldn’t down a bottle of booze with Propecia (or the generic Finax), but having both on the same day won’t make the finasteride ineffective.

I prefer to take the medication in the morning, but you can take the medication at any time of the day or night. Just take it every day.

Hi Doc! I really enjoy your blog and it has made a difference in my decisions regarding hair loss. I started losing hair when I was 17. I am now 39 and still have a lot left on the sides and back. I had transplants done on the top front half with good success (about ~1000 grafts) when I was 22. I started Propecia 4 months ago and notice a ton of regrowth in the area that was transplanted. Does Propecia normally work better in the crown or will that need to be transplanted also? With the success I’m having in the front, and even the original hairline from 20 years ago, I’m “hoping” that the crown will sprout healthy hair soon. Thanks for your time!!

Propecia is more effective in the crown than in the front. It’s great that you’re seeing so much success with the medication, but it’s quite unusual for someone that has been experiencing hair loss for over 20 years to see regrowth like you’re describing. Your story is interesting and may have value to some of our readers. Thanks for sharing!

Hi, I’m currently taking fiber supplements as part of my diet. On the bottle there is a warning stating that a laxative should not be taken within 2 hours of any other medication.

Do you know if fiber can impact the effect of Propecia if taken within the 2 hour time span?

I doubt that the fiber will impact Propecia. I generally suggest taking Propecia upon waking up, first thing in the morning.

I have a question about Loniten (oral Minoxidil). This isn’t considering using it as a replacement for topical Rogaine, but does Loniten show ANY major scalp hair growth? I know it’s an unstable blood pressure medication, but if someone who was suffering from hair loss were to take it, would it show benefits? What dosage would you think it would take to show benefits? I’m always curious about knowledge

I have no first hand experience with patients taking Loniten to really base an opinion on the amount of hair growth seen from it. I don’t even know the proper dose that would produce hair growth side effects, and I don’t believe that it is equal across all people, ages, and sexes.

I realize you understand this, but just as a warning to those that DO want to take a minoxidil pill to possibly regrow hiar — the risks for taking this medication orally to treat hair loss would make it something I’d not recommend trying. If you’re going to use minoxidil to treat your hair loss, topical is the way to go.

I am currently a 27 year old male who has been taking the following medications for hair loss.

1) Rogaine (5%) for 3 years
2) Propecia for 1 year
3) Nizoral (2%) for 3 years
4) Olux Foam 8 months

My hair loss had began to slow down for several months but as of recent it has increased dramatically and I had a blood screen. It showed that my testosterone levels are elevated and slightly out of range (most likely due to propecia). My dermatologist did not know what to do and has told me to continue and see an endocronologist. I was hoping you could tell me if this is commonly seen and what solutions there may be.

I am not your doctor, so what I can tell you without examining you is fairly limited. Olux (clobetasol propionate) is a powerful synthetic corticosteroid and with chronic use, can contribute to balding (along with many other issues). It’s generally used as a psoriasis treatment, so I don’t know why you’d be using it to treat hair loss. When you use steroids, there can be an impact on other hormones like testosterone, and perhaps this is causing your elevated testosterone.

Rogaine and Propecia are good to use for the hair loss, and Nizoral is good if you have dandruff (though some believe it is a hair loss treatment in itself). If you have genetic balding, the first thing you should do for diagnosis is to have your hair mapped out for miniaturization, which will clearly show you the existence of balding and the pattern you are likely to pursue. You do not need an endocrinologist for this. See a doctor who specializes in hair (transplants) and they can help you with a diagnosis. Do not rush into surgery without knowing what you have and developing a Master Plan for your hair loss.

Dr. Rassman,

Thank you for maintaining this blog, its great to have a free trustworthy resource in a world full of scammers and misinformation.

I’m a 24 year old man and have been experiencing loss since age 18. I started on Propecia at 20 and was able to maintain my hair and score some regrowth. Unfortunately I stopped taking the drug for 10 months starting about two years ago. I started back on Propecia last May(2009).

My problem is that in the past 10 months, while back on Fin, I have experienced significant loss. My hair has gone from a solid norwood 2.5 with full density in the mid scalp and mild thinning in the crown to a norwood 3v with profound diffuse thinning all through the pattern. I have added Nizoral shampoo and some multivitamins to my regimen a few months ago. Still, my hair is getting progressively thinner. Do you think my situation is attributed to the catch-up loss phenomenon or could it be that my body has stopped responding to Propecia…or something else?

Thanks for your advice.

Thank you for following the site, but unfortunately, I really cannot give you a definitive answer.

You are likely losing hair due to genetics, but the degree of your balding is yet to be determined. Maybe you are destined to be a Norwood Class 3V and will stop there. Maybe it’ll get worse. I really couldn’t say. The key point I want you to understand is that there is nothing to stop your genetic fate at this point. Propecia will only slow things down, but I don’t believe your body stopped responding to it nor do I believe it necessarily stopped working. In fact, you may have experienced “catch-up” hair loss after stopping Propecia for 10 months. You could’ve experienced a shedding after restarting the medication or it could just be coincidental timing as the progression of your hair loss was in full swing.

In the end, I would suggest you follow up with your prescribing doctor and continue on with the treatment plan (Propecia).