Well he'll need to see a doctor to get Propecia and 2% nizoral, and its never a bad idea to go and at least discuss things with him/her. You can start with 1% nizoral from your local drugstore though. I agree though, they are typically not as informed as most would like. I used to get my...
you probably wont see any direct benefits from it alone, but it could be helpful in conjunction with other products. It helps provide optimal conditions on the scalp to avoid irritation caused by products like minoxidil and nizoral. Likewise, some say it quickens the resting phase of the hair...
nizoral, minoxidil, and propecia are the three best bets. If I were you I'd start with some nizoral 1% and consult a doctor to see if propecia would be a good bet. Otherwise some minoxodil 2 or 5% could be helpful.