Thu 5 Apr 2007
I am currently taking 1/4 tablet of proscar (generic Propecia) a day as well as the topical treatment rogaine. My hair is slowly thickening up. When it is back to an ideal level, will I be able to stop the rogaine and just continue the DHT proscar or something similar?
I’m glad to hear that the combination of Rogaine and proscar (finasteride marketed as Propecia) has been working for you. Since they both work in very different ways (the Rogaine applied directly to the scalp to stimulate hair growth, while the finasteride is taken as a pill to inhibit the development of DHT in the scalp) they can have a synergistic (2 + 2 = 7) effect.
However, if you stop using the Rogaine you will loose all the hair that it helped you retain or regrow during the whole time you used it. Often a person will quit using Rogaine because it didn’t grow new hair. Then they will shed the hair that they didn’t realize the Rogaine had actually helped them save. It’s a gamble to go off of Rogaine once you’ve been using it for a while.
As for Proscar (generic Propecia), if you quit using it your hair loss will resume again. But your hair loss will have been delayed.
Best wishes, Pat
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 our Hair Restoration Discussion Forum.
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2 Responses to “Discontinuing Rogaine”
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April 7th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I had a hair transplant last Summer in which I immediately followed up with regular use of Proscar for the first 4 months. Previous to the Xplant, I never used any type of Finasteride. I also added Minoxidil as well but wasn’t as consistent. During those months, I had some fast and impressive growth. I ended up discontinuing the use of Proscar after month 4. I just got lazy and put off renewing my prescription and stopped the Minoxidil use as well.
4 months after that, it looks like some hair loss has creeped up on me again, though not as thin as before my transplant. I’m wondering if I underestimated how much of my growth was attributed to the Proscar/Minoxidil. So the other day, I promptly got back on the program.
Given that, should it take another 3 or 4 months to recoup what I lost?
May 27th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
I am thinking of starting the 1/4 pill finasteride. I have been using rogaine. I think once I start the finasteride I will cut the rogaine back to once a day but continue to use it.