Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

Hundreds of hair loss questions are answered on our discussion forum and received in our inbox on a weekly basis. Below, we’ve collected some of these hot topic questions of the week and posted responses by veteran hair transplant patients and leading hair restoration physicians.

You can also ask your own questions and get answers on our hair restoration forum or privately by using the contact form.

Is Finpecia (Generic Finasteride) as Effective as Propecia?

Can Doctors Predict Future Hair Loss?

Dealing with Hair Restoration Complications (Dr. James Vogel)

What is the Difference between Rogaine and Minoxidil?

How Many Grafts are Needed to Restore a Balding Crown?

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair transplant, hair restoration

I’ve been taking finasteride for about 6 months.  For the first few months, I was taking 1/4 tablet of Proscar daily however, due to severe dryness of the skin on my face after taking finasteride for only a few months, I now take it every 3 days.  can you please let me know whether taking 1/4 tablet of Proscar every 3 days is still effective to stop hair loss?

According to the Propecia website, dry skin is not a reported side effect of finasteride.  However, you are the second person I’ve heard claim this in the last 2 months.

The recommended FDA approved dosage of finasteride is 1mg daily.  However, in the event side effects occur, many leading hair restoration physicians have suggested their hair loss patients try taking 1mg every other day.  In my opinion, consult with a qualified hair loss doctor and get their recommendation on an appropriate dosage for you.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: finasteride, Proscar, hair loss, Propecia, hair restoration, hair loss doctor

I am using Rogaine for my hair loss but want to stop using it.  Can I stop using it and take Propecia instead? How long does it take before you can tell a difference? I am 47 years old.  How often should I take it?  Will my hair regrow with this medication?

Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are both proven and FDA approved to treat baldness, but operate entirely different one from another.  Propecia works by inhibiting the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for genetic male pattern baldness.  Rogaine works by stimulating the hair follicle, potentially causing hair regrowth.  In combination one with another, you have the most effective non-surgical hair loss treatment regime available, even more so than either one separately.

If you choose to stop Rogaine, you may lose any hair regrowth you’ve acquired, even if you start taking Propecia.   In my opinion, if you don’t want to lose any hair growth you’ve obtained by using Rogaine, continue using it and simply add Propecia to your regime. 

Propecia comes in 1mg tablets of finasteride and should be taken daily.  Consult with your doctor to learn more about the benefits, limitations, and possible side effects of this drug.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: Rogaine, hair loss, Propecia, finasteride, minoxidil, treat baldness, dihydrotestosterone, DHT, male pattern baldness, hair regrowth, hair loss treatment, hair growth

Many balding men and women waste time using hair restoration products that promise hair regrowth but seldom deliver. Get past the hype and learn what really works to stop hair loss.

Recently, we asked several of the world’s leading hair restoration physicians to answer a number of frequently asked hair loss questions. Below, we share what the medical experts have to say about hair loss and today’s available treatments.

Is Propecia (Finasteride) Effective When Applied Topically (Dr. Tim Carman)? Read this Q&A blog and learn if finasteride can be an effective DHT blocker when applied topically.

Compare Today’s Non-surgical Hair Loss Treatments to Surgical Hair Restoration (Dr. Mike Meshkin): Learn about today’s non-surgical treatments and how they compare with today’s revolutionary hair transplant procedures.

How Do You Properly Care for Your Hair Transplant Right After Surgery (Dr. Paul Shapiro)? Immediately following hair replacement surgery, it’s important to apply tender care to newly transplanted grafts. Read this article to learn how to prevent damage and optimize hair regrowth.

What are the Risks Involved in Surgical Hair Restoration (Dr. Mike Beehner): Read this article to learn about some of the risks involved with hair transplant surgery.

Why Won’t My Doctor Prescribe Proscar for Hair Loss (Dr. Ricardo Mejia)? Proscar and Propecia both contain the same active ingredient finasteride. But some doctors won’t prescribe Proscar. Read this article to find out why.

My dermatologist couldn’t answer this question and I couldn’t find an explanation on the internet.  If DHT is the main culprit of hair loss, then why doesn’t Propecia protect minoxidil dependent hair upon stopping minoxidil regardless of its different mechanism of action.  If Propecia is reducing DHT, then why would stopping minoxidil cause hair loss?

I’d suggest that it’s possible for Propecia to maintain hair regrowth from minoxidil.  

Remember that Propecia only really inhibits about 60% of DHT, leaving 40% to attack hair follicles.  Minoxidil adds extra stimulation to your hair causing hair regrowth.  Removing it from the equation will lessen your chance of keeping some of this hair.

I suppose the phrase “minoxidil dependent” should be explained a bit further.  Healthy hair not affected by DHT won’t become dependent on minoxidil.  Only miniaturizing hair that’s been successfully sustained or rejuvenated by minoxidil is.  If a patient uses minoxidil only, most likely these hairs would fall out upon stopping its use.  However, if Propecia is added to the hair loss regime later, some of these hairs may survive due to Propecia successfully inhibiting DHT. 

Unfortunately, there’s really no way to know for sure what hair you’ll keep and which you’ll lose if you stop minoxidil.

I hope this helps explain things further.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

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Hello.  I wanted to ask you if Finpecia, the generic version of Propecia is just as effective for hair loss as the brand name.  How can I be sure?

Assuming you are buying Finpecia from a legitimate resource and it contains the same quantity of the active ingredient finasteride in Propecia, it will be just as effective in stopping hair loss.  Be careful of buying medication online.  Whereas several online pharmacies may be legit, there are horror stories of patients buying what they thought was finasteride and ended up being something entirely different.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: Finpecia, Propecia, hair loss, finasteride

I have noticed my hair looks thinner.  I  can notice this when I’m under a light and and when my regular hairstyle does not look the same.  Am I going bald?

This could very well be the start of a genetic hair loss known as androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness.   Hereditary alopecia is initiated when the hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone) binds to the receptor sites of hair follicles causing them to shrink and eventually, the follicles will no longer produce new hair.

 You may want to look into medical treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) which can help slow down, stop, or even reverse hair loss.  These non-surgical solutions are typically pretty effective in early stages of loss, and are virtually non-effective in completely bald areas.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: bald, hair loss, androgenic alopecia, male pattern baldness, alopecia, DHT, dihydrotestosterone, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil

Getting your hair loss questions answered quickly and accurately is what draws members and guests to our hair restoration discussion forum. Thankfully, we have a great multitude of knowledgeable hair transplant patients and quality physicians regularly contributing their experience and expertise.

Below you will find answers to 5 of this week’s top topic hair loss related questions provided by real hair loss sufferers and physician experts.

Experiencing Dizziness using Rogaine for Hair Loss (Dr. Paul Shapiro)

Can Propecia and Rogaine Prevent Frontal Hair Loss?

How Soon After a Hair Transplant Can You Return to Work? (Dr. William Lindsey)

Can Other Treatments Maintain Hair Regrowth from Minoxidil?

Is Laser Therapy Worth the Cost of $6000 to Treat My Hair Loss?

Additionally, hair loss and transplant related questions are answered daily on our news and blog sites including the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, the Hair Transplant Network, and the Hair Loss Learning Center.

Have a question that hasn’t been answered? Post it on our hair restoration forum publicly or contact us privately using our free online contact form.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair restoration, hair transplant

It can be hard looking in the mirror and realizing for the first time, that you are going bald. And while some just accept hair loss as a part of life, it can often be the source of anxiety and depression in both men and women. Thankfully with today’s evolved hair loss treatment methods, going bald isn’t the only choice.

Discovering what’s causing you to lose your hair is the first step to working out an appropriate treatment plan. Though the most common cause of hair loss is genetic, there are many other causes worth evaluating. Consulting with a qualified hair restoration physician can help you understand your balding condition and treat it.

Today, Propecia and Rogaine, two FDA approved hair loss treatments can help slow down or stop the progression of male pattern baldness. Other treatments like low level laser therapy and a multitude of alternative treatments may be effective, but are controversial and some lack the compelling evidence that Propecia and Rogaine have. Unfortunately for those who’ve already experienced extensive hair loss, even the proven non-surgical treatments can’t bring back hair once it’s gone.

Today’s hair replacement systems and strand techniques give severely balding men and women an instant solution to their hair loss problem. Ongoing cost and maintenance is typically the biggest concern for those who are considering this solution.

The internet is rich with hair loss information almost to a fault. How will you handle the contradictory information on what causes hair loss and available and effective treatments?

Thankfully, our hair loss community is designed for balding men and women to review, critique, and challenge marketing hype and learn the most effective ways to restore your hair.

Below we’ve listed answers to some of the “hot topic” hair loss related questions asked this week through our forum, blogs, and email. Follow the links below to a topic that you find interesting and read what our Associate Publisher and Physician experts have to say about each topic.

How to Stop Hair Loss without Surgery: Men and women with minimal hair loss may be more interested in stopping its progression than restoring hair through surgery. Read this blog to learn how to stop baldness with legitimate treatments.

HairMax LaserComb Makers Warned by the FDA about Illegal Sales of Non-FDA Cleared Devices: Great controversy centers around whether or not laser therapy is an effective hair loss treatment, especially after the recent FDA clearance. Read this blog to learn why HairMax was warned by the FDA about selling Non-FDA Cleared devices and what this means for HairMax LaserComb consumers.

Can I Take Propecia Every Other Day with the Same Effectiveness? Read Dr. Jerry Cooley’s thoughts on the most effective dosage of finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia)

Technorati Tags: hair loss, what causes hair loss, balding, baldness, hair loss treatment, HairMax, HairMax LaserComb, finasteride, Propecia