I am using propecia for hairloss: how long should i use it minimum to reach a stable level?
and do i have to continue the treatment for the rest of life? ( i mean after 1 year if i stop the medication the results will be reveresed and i will lose all the regrown hair if any?)
The best person to ask is your doctor who has seen the type and extent of your hair loss.Can’t use Propecia for the rest of your life. It is kind of toxic to the liver if used for life-long. Not everyone loses their regrown hair.
Try lasercomb and rogaine as well. Rogaine helps to maintain the new hairs and so does the laser comb.
Get your hormones and liver function tests checked by the doctor.
The best person to ask is your doctor who has seen the type and extent of your hair loss.Can’t use Propecia for the rest of your life. It is kind of toxic to the liver if used for life-long. Not everyone loses their regrown hair.
Try lasercomb and rogaine as well. Rogaine helps to maintain the new hairs and so does the laser comb.
Get your hormones and liver function tests checked by the doctor.
References :
I am a dr.
First your question: a "stable level" will be when your hair start to grow as before the hair loss started… so it depends of your level and type of Alopecia. You cannot use this medicine "for the rest of your life". After stopping the treatment you will experience hair loss again. (Finasteride is effective as long as the treatment is on) Anyway this reversion is not immediately. Normally takes between 10 to 12 months. The ideal is to replace this drug when you reach your "stable level" with a treatment to conserve your hair. Be always under supervision of your doctor!
A little bit about Finasteride:
In its origins Finasteride (Propecia) was used in 5-milligram tablets to treat patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. Beyond the good results, patients had a side effect: arrest of the fall and grow new hair…
They began to experiment with younger people using 1 milligram instead of 5 and the results were more than encouraging.
In general it is necessary to use daily for six to eight months to get results. If you stop your treatment, your scalp will get back to its original state after ten or twelve months. Anyway, there are other treatments to help you conserve your new hair.
Finasteride cannot be used as a life-long treatment. Anyway best result are seen using this drug for several years.
Finasteride is generally well tolerated, but if you suffer any side effects, you must consult a doctor to see whether you can continue the treatment or not.
Over 3200 men where evaluated in clinical studies with finasteride, always with the method using a double-blind placebo. Side effects using Finasteride or placebo were similar. Treatment was stopped in 1.7% of men who took finasteride and 2.1% of those treated with placebo.
Adverse Reactions:
* Decreased libido in 1.8% of patients treated with finasteride and 1.3% of those using the placebo.
* Erectile dysfunction in 1.3% of those who used finasteride and 0.7% of those treated with placebo.
* Volume decreased 0.8% in eyaculation taking Finasteride and 0.4% with placebo.
Side effects disappeared in men who discontinued therapy and in many who continued. Excluding double-blind studies, reported adverse reactions usually have been mild and did not require discontinuation of therapy.
Usually when you stop using finasteride your doctor will give you something else. (like minoxidil… post rest period)
PS: I don’t know about the laserComb… I read a lot of funny things in a forum I’m subscribe too about this product… But I heard comments from people who was using it to recover the hair and not to maintain it… it’s expensive and I read is good to play with your cat
(cause his following the lasers all over)
How this helps!
References :
Finasteride: http://recoveryourhair.com/hair-loss-treatments/finasteride.php
Finasteride vs Minoxidil: http://recoveryourhair.com/posts/minoxidil-finasteride.php