Strange propecia results?

[leverkusen]

I'm 22 y/o and started Propecia in December. My hair loss had mostly been at the temples (started to form island in front) and a thinning of the top island area itself. I always covered this up with a layered hair cut that looked fine

1st month- no noticeable change
2nd, 3rd- less hairs falling out, but temples seemed to have receded more and island more clearly defined
4th, 5th- back to continuous hair loss, thinning had gone back all the way to vertex, though vertex area itself remained thick
6th- ton of hair falling out from top, but feeling re-growth around temples. felt like a beard coming in, and now I can see a bunch of hairs


so my question is this- do I stay on the treatment? It sounds like if things are still shedding terribly from the top during month 6, I may not be responding. I had always been able to conceal my hair loss with a layered hair cut, but for the first time ever now I am using concealers because the island is so thin and the hair coming from the top has thinned out so much.

it seems like propecia has made my hair a lot worse, but at the same time I am JUST starting to get some re-growth around the temples. Should I expect this to follow on the top, or should I get off it? Help!

 

[setala]

Check 2 things

1. diameter of growing hair shaft on sheded region
(If they were thicker, follicular miniaturization is halting..)
2. simple pulling test.

If you got positive results from these tests, ..finasteride is definitely working for you.

 

[leverkusen]

It's hard to tell if the hairs are thicker in diameter. I am still losing a good amount of hairs when I pull from the front-mid region of my scalp, which always terrifies me. Lose a few from there anytime I even brush my hand through my hair, and lose a lot if I comb it.

Basically wondering if these results are abnormal or not. Is it possible that this temple growth will carry over to the front-mid center scalp? Is it possible to take 6+ months for it to actually work???

 

[leverkusen]

Anyone? Is it possible that it could really take 6+ months for things to start improving? Hoping someone has experienced this sort of progression with finasteride

 

[southerndrawl]

really? some people don't see results until after the first year....propecia 101 buddy. With propecia its not a sprint its a marathon.

 

[Spanishlad]

its normal I didnt see noticeable results untill 14 months just stick with it.

 

[leverkusen]

Woke up today with about 20 hairs on the pillow and then lost about another 10 more when combing :shakehead:

Is it really possible to still be SHEDDING this far into treatment???

 

[Kev123]

I am relieved to read this because I kinda had the same results with finasteride/minoxidil. I am 22 as well:

I am getting regrowth in my temples, but unlike you my vertex/top did not get worse, it has maintained.

I was thinking, since I started losing hair the first time in the temples, what if it's going to start growing n them temples and work it's way back to the top?


That's the only thing I can think of.

 

[Kev123]

Anyone? Is it possible that it could really take 6+ months for things to start improving? Hoping someone has experienced this sort of progression with finasteride

You need to be more patient than that. I am at 7 months and haven't seen much regrowth, if any. But I have maintained.


I have convinced myself to give it 12-18months before I can really judge what Finasteride has done for me.


It's a slow process, you have to give it more time than 6+ months.

 

[Kev123]

Woke up today with about 20 hairs on the pillow and then lost about another 10 more when combing :shakehead:

Is it really possible to still be SHEDDING this far into treatment???

How far in to finasteride are you?

My hair loss stop 1-2 months in to it.

But what you need to understand, even a doctor will tell you this. The first 2-4 months of using Finasteride, you will go through some bad shedding. I am serious, I read IHRS doctor saying this in the bald truth website. So for the first 4 months, expect shedding. But this is good, because that means the treatment is working. The treatment is working by shedding your old weak hairs and they will be replaced by new stronger ones. You just might be a very good responder and you don't even know it yet. I didn't go through my first shedding until 6 months in.

 

[leverkusen]

It has been 5 1/2 months on propecia. my hair is definitely worse than when I started, so I am hoping that it is still part of a 'shedding' phase

The noticeable loss has come from the middle of my scalp, on top. I used to have hairs here that I could layer over the front part and hide my hair loss. Now I need to use concealers (toppik)

Since the original shed on propecia was from temples (where there is now some re-growth), I am hoping this frontal/ top area regrows soon as well

This is depressing

 

[leverkusen]

I know it can take over a year to see growth results, but my hair is getting actively WORSE every day. This is still happening almost 6 months in. So much scalp now visible, I am applying boatloads of Toppik just to get through the day.

:dunno:

Starting to give up hope for Propecia