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Propecia Hair Loss Treatment: Is it Safe?

Is Propecia (finasteride) still a safe drug to treat hair loss? Recently, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is requiring changes to the labels of drugs containing the active ingredient finasteride to include an expanded list of disorders and the risk of permanent sexual side effects. This ruling affects both the hair loss treatment Propecia (1mg finasteride) and the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatment Proscar (5mg finasteride).

Since receiving FDA approval for the treatment of male pattern baldness (MPB) in 1997, Merck & Co’s Propecia has enjoyed a reputation as the most effective non-surgical drug for treating the effects of thinning hair due to hereditary causes, followed closely by Rogaine (minoxidil). At the same time, persistent rumors of permanent sexual side effects associated with finasteride spurred heated debates among Propecia users and caused some men to avoid the popular hair growth drug altogether.

It’s long been known that taking finasteride may result in a variety of sexual side effects However, based on the original clinical trials, Merck had previously maintained that these conditions were temporary and would resolve themselves upon discontinuation of the drug.

In 2011 the warning label was first updated to include the possibility of persistent erectile dysfunction while the latest revisions have expanded the list of potential complications to include ongoing libido concerns, ejaculation problems, and orgasm disorders after discontinuation of the drug and male infertility and/or poor semen quality that normalized or improved after drug discontinuation.

I have been told that if the hair loss gene is too strong (dad loses hair at very young age) then medical hair loss treatments won’t work. Have you seen any evidence to suggest otherwise?

It’s important to remember that there are no guarantees with any non-surgical hair loss treatment. Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) work very well for some balding men and not at all for others. This is true for any hair loss pattern. However, medical treatments generally work best when started in the early stages of thinning hair.

It’s also important to note that there is no hair loss cure. Androgenic alopecia (genetic balding) will eventually overcome the effects of these drugs and hair loss will once again progress.

The only way to know what your experience will be is to use hair growth drugs as directed for up to one full year.

David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Get Proven Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new online hair loss treatment shop.

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Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair loss treatments, Rogaine, minoxidil, Propecia, finasteride, balding, thinning hair, hair loss cure, Androgenic alopecia, hair growth

This question, asked by a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Raymond Konior of Chicago, IL.

What is the consensus regarding a hair transplant patient’s decision to close the temples as in the example below? Is the hair behind it in the lateral region considered safe as it has receded so far?

I believe that the strategy of how a hair transplant surgeon approaches hairline design in terms of location and density is based on several key parameters – each of which must be factored into the final decision as to what should or should not be done with respect to designing the frontal hair restoration zone. Here are some of the key components that I factored into his plan.

A prediction as to the final hair loss pattern – Although there is no way to assess the definitive final pattern for many patients, an educated prognosis can often be made based on age, examination for presence or absence of miniaturization and family history. Analysis of these factors for this case suggested that his final pattern would support the long term aesthetic benefit of the restoration that was performed. Personally, I spend much more time trying to convince patients to be conservative with respect to hairline location and density as there seems to be more patients presenting to my office with the potential for progression to an advanced pattern on the Norwood Scale that would not support aggressive hairline restoration. Fortunately this patient appeared to have just the right combination of factors to allow for the restoration performed.

Since becoming FDA approved for the treatment of androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) in 1997, many millions of men around the world have successfully used Propecia (finasteride) to slow the progression of balding and regrow hair. A small percentage of these men experienced a range of sexual side effects from mild testicular pain to erectile dysfunction.

From the beginning, Merck (Propecia’s manufacturer) maintained that less than 2% of men would experience these side effects and that they would eventually subside upon discontinuation of the hair loss treatment. However, over the years, a small but vocal patient minority have been warning of prolonged and even permanent sexual dysfunction resulting from the use of Propecia.

Sometimes dismissed as a “placebo effect” or “psychological” in nature, new revisions by the FDA to Propecia’s warning label seem to confirm what some have known for a quite a while: Some men may experience permanent sexual side effects from Propecia.

For more on the changes to Propecia’s warning label see, FDA Forces Merck to Change Propecia Hair Loss Drug Label?

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Get Proven Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new online hair loss treatment shop.

Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube

I am experiencing hair loss of about 40-60 strands a day. I have lost lots at my temples. It’s gone really deep. My goals are:

1.   To prevent further balding.
2.   If somehow I can regrow hair at my temples (is this too much to ask for)

I read about platelet rich plasma (PRP) and ACell. I don’t know how effective they are. Can anyone explain if this is effective? I don’t know if I have thinning hair. I have undergone no hair loss treatment yet. My stylist told me that there is thinning of hair at the front. Please advise which doctor I should consider in the Los Angeles area.

There is currently no non-surgical hair loss treatment available that is likely to restore your receding hairline. However, your best bet to retain the hair you have and potentially add density to thinning hair is using Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride). These are the only two clinically proven and FDA approved drugs for the treatment of androgenic alopecia.

In addition to these drugs, you may also wish to add Nizoral Shampoo to your hair growth regimen. Nizoral contains the active ingredient Ketoconazole which may be a mild DHT blocker. Used in combination, Rogaine, Propecia and Nizoral are known affectionately as “The Big Three”.

To restore your hairline, you may require hair transplant surgery. To learn more about your options I suggest consulting with one or more of the prescreened, quality hair restoration physicians recommended by the Hair Transplant Network. You can also click here for a list of recommended doctors in California.

Treating hair loss is a multibillion dollar industry. Unfortunately for the millions of balding men and women across the globe, sorting out effective non-surgical hair loss treatments from the multitude of hair growth scams out there can be tough.

Those suffering from androgenic alopecia (pattern baldness) have a veritable cornucopia of herbal and drug-based topicals, tablets, shampoos and even mechanical devices to choose from. Many of these products make lofty claims to turn back the clock and restore bald heads to luscious, flowing locks. But buyer beware! Currently there is no hair loss cure. However, there are a few select products that are clinically proven and FDA approved or simply offer compelling evidence to support their claims to regrow hair.

To learn more about which treatments are really effective for thinning hair read the article:

Which Hair Loss Treatments Really Work?

To purchase credible treatments for balding at extremely low prices, visit our online hair loss treatments store.

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Get Proven Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new online hair loss treatment shop.

Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube

Follow us on: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Technorati Tags: hair loss, balding, hair loss treatments, hair growth, androgenic alopecia, baldness, bald, hair loss cure, regrow hair

Hair restoration surgery is becoming an increasingly popular solution for hair loss suffering men and women around the world. However, many of the world’s leading hair restoration experts advise their patients to consider non-surgical treatments as a complement to surgery.

Currently, there are only two clinically proven and FDA approved medical hair loss treatments. These are Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride).  While the risk of side effects are very low with each of these drugs, some patients prefer to undergo hair surgery without the added benefits of hair loss drugs.  But is this really a good idea?

While hair transplant surgery has the potential to restore the appearance of a full head of hair, it does nothing to curb the progression of future hair loss. Only proven non-surgical hair loss treatments like Propecia and Rogaine can help to slow its progression and even possibly produce new hair growth.

To learn more about the risks of hair transplant surgery without the medical stabilization of balding as well as natural alternative to drug-based non-surgical treatments, read the below article:

Are Non-Surgical Hair Loss Treatments Required for Hair Transplant Surgery?

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Get Proven Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new online hair loss treatment shop.

To date, Propecia is still the only FDA approved antiandrogen (DHT blocker) and proven hair loss treatment taken orally.  Since Propecia stops hair loss at its core, failure to include this drug in one’s treatment regimen increases the liklihood that hair loss will continue.  However, given the recent news in the media surrounding Propecia, lawsuits and the alleged possibility of “permanent” sexual side effects, men suffering from androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss) are more reluctant to add Propecia to their hair loss treatment regimen.

However, while the possibility of experiencing sexual and other side effects from this drug is a very real possibility, many leading hair restoration physician experts feel that these concerns have been blown out of proportion.  Furthermore, most world renowned hair surgeons still prescribe and recommend Propecia to their patients on a regular basis as a complement to their hair transplant procedure.

We recently polled several expert hair loss doctors to garner their professinal opinion on the recent news and alleged risks of Propecia’s “permanent” side effects and class action lawsuits against Merck.

To read what the experts are saying, visit the HubPages article “Propecia for Treating Hair Loss: Is it Worth the Risk?  What the Experts are Saying“.

Best wishes,

Bill Seemiller
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit the hair loss forum and social community

Get Proven Treatments at the Best Prices by visiting our new online hair loss treatment shop.

I’m 22 and have had receding temples since I was 18. The rest of my head however is full of hair and has always been thick. I’ve recently finished using Rogaine for four months but there isn’t really any difference. This problem has always been frustrating, mainly because I don’t want to stay male forever. I have started going to a gender clinic and will be starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) a bit later this spring.

I have just started using a hair stimulant from my gender clinic website which contains both minoxidil and female hormones. I spray and rub this formula well into my scalp every night before going to bed for three months.

Would using Propecia in conjunction with this hair stimulant be a good idea and do you know if HRT and the hair stimulant I now use, or HRT alone, would be enough to potentially get my original hairline back?

Unfortunately, today’s medical hair loss treatments are not particularly effective for restoring a receding hairline. Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are known to be more effective on a thinning crown and, even then, they are much more effective at retaining existing hair than regrowing hair on a completely bald area. HRT may reduce the likelihood of future hair loss but will not restore what you’ve already lost.

The most effective means of restoring a hairline is hair transplant surgery. In fact, transgender patients often undergo surgical hair restoration to restore and even create a more feminine hairline.

While only hair transplant surgery is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas, it does nothing to stop the progression of male pattern baldness. This is why hair restoration physicians recommend Propecia (finasteride) to many of their patients. But is it possible to undergo hair restoration surgery without taking proven medical hair loss treatments? Will the transplanted hair survive without Propecia? What are the risks involved in proceeding with hair transplantation without taking hair loss drugs?

In the discussion topic “Is Getting a Hair Transplant without Propecia Bad?“, forum and social community members discuss when it may and may not be appropriate for hair loss sufferers to undergo surgery without Propecia. You are encouraged to read and participate in this discussion.

Bill Seemiller
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Loss Forum and social community

Follow our community on Twitter and Facebook
Watch hair transplant videos  on YouTube

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, grow hair, bald, hair restoration physicians, hair restoration, hair loss treatments, transplanted hair, Propecia, hair transplantation, hair loss drugs, hair loss, Bill Seemiller