On Propecia for a little over 7 years...losing effectiveness

[receder21]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post but I have been surfing on this website for over a few months now and have found this website to be very helpful and informative. I am currently 27 and starting this year it seems that Propecia for me has started to lose its effectiveness. My hairline and temples are starting to recede again at a much faster pace. As of last year my hairline and vertex were still going strong as I can remember. I have shedded so much thick natural hair recently. So I have a few questions:

1.How many years of use before Propecia tends to lose its effectiveness?
2.If I start on Minoxidil would it help my situation with keeping my hairline and temples from receding more?
3.What else can I do to help my situation?

Thank you forum!

 

[PartTimeNinja]

Mate, same situation here - you are most likely going through a shed again. I asked a similar question in this thread:

http://www.gourmetstylewellness.com/discussions ... hp?t=12049

 

[receder21]

I thought shedding was only suppose to happen when you begin to use it or this first year. I have been on Propecia for a very long time. However my front is really thinning also and I can kind of tell that my hairline and vertex is not going to grow back this time. I still have over a year supply of Propecia left and I was wondering if I use Propecia and Avodart at the same time would that do more help than if I just use Avodart exclusively.

 

[PartTimeNinja]

I thought shedding was only suppose to happen when you begin to use it or this first year. I have been on Propecia for a very long time.

Did you even read the link I gave you?

 

[receder21]

Thanks ParttimeNinja earlier. I read the link you gave me. I just thought my situation was different since I have been on Propecia for a long time, but I guess it applies to me also. Thanks again.

 

[PartTimeNinja]

Mate - You're right! My mistake - didn't even notice that you wrote 7 years just assumed that it would have been 7 months. It's very rare that long time users post anything in this forum.

7 years? Dude that's a long time! There has been alot of posts about wether finasteride is loosing it's efectiveness and I think there is some evidence that your body will slowly adjust to the medicine and then make finasteride ineffective. I doubt anybody can answer your question about finasteride being ineffective here - simply because most people have only been on finasteride less than two years.

If I was in your situation I would consider applying spironolactone/Revivogen on your hairline & frontal hair if this is your main concern. If you are looking for regrowth I would go for minoxidil & spironolactone. This is really just guess work from me since I have not used any of these. Maybe, if you're up for it, you could try dutasteride?

As you maybe read in my post I have been on finasteride for 8 1/2 month and I'm shedding again. Did you shed during your treatment on finasteride? When did you start maintaining? I'm getting worried that this is not working out for me. Any input you could give me would be great!

Again thanks, and apologies for the misunderstanding before.

 

[receder21]

No I dont recall any shedding when I first began. However I probably did shed but did not notice it since it has been so long. When I first started only my temples were receding (very marginal) and up until sometime this year my hairline was still going strong with maybe a little regression. Some of my friends who were starting to bald at the same time as me and who didnt go on Propecia are really bald now.

 

[GourmetStyleWellness]

receder -

Propecia ... according to the trial data... did start to fade in effectiveness at the 7 year mark for some people. I would give it until you have seen no reversal in shedding for 4 months ... before you do something.

At that time, I would suggest starting Rogaine 5% twice a day application. Rogaine has a shedding period associated with it during the first few months but you should recouperate and be back on your way to maintaining and even seeing some new regrowth in about 6 months.

Good choice that you only used Propecia by itself for so long!!!!!! You just bought yourself 7 years and now you can start Minoxidil and extend Propecia's effectiveness ..... and likely buy yourself at least another 5 years.

gourmetstylewellness.com

 

[receder21]

Thanks gourmetstylewellness.com,

If Propecia stops being effective...do you think Dutasteride would help if I decided to switch over. I would definitely prefer to use Dutasteride over topical solutions just for the convenience.