Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

Hi, I am a 29 year old male and I lost most of my hair on top within 2 years.  I feel that I am way too young to be experiencing this much hair loss.  I took many medicines and hair loss treatments but none of them really worked.  What is the best way to regrow hair naturally?

Losing hair can be emotionally difficult, especially when it seems that hair is rapidly shedding and disappearing leaving us with a bald head.

Though “all-natural” hair loss products are appealing, the majority of the ingredients in them at best contain anecdotal evidence of any efficacy for treating baldness.  Common ingredients in these herbal hair loss treatments include saw palmetto, nettle root, Vitamin E, tea tree oil, azelaic acid, and PABA.  Though many of these claim to inhibit DHT (the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness), most have not been clinically tested, and those that have, only on a smaller scale. 

In my opinion, Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil), though they are not considered natural products, are superior and give balding men the greatest opportunity to stop hair loss and possibly stimulate hair regrowth. 

None of them however, are miracle cures and those with severe thinning hair or the completely bald will most likely not experience much new hair growth.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

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I am a 24 year old man and my scalp hair is miniaturizing in the middle.  I fear that I am going bald. How can I stop it?  What is the reason? How can I make my hair grow?  Please advise me?

You are most likely experiencing androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), the most common reason men and women lose their hair.  Treatment options such as Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are the best options for this type of hair loss and when used together, give you the best to treat baldness and more rarely stimulating hair regrowth.  They are not miracle cures so reasonable expectations need to be developed and maintained.

Consult with a physician about the benefits, limitations, and possible side effects with these medications.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: bald, hair grow, androgenic alopecia, male pattern baldness, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, hair loss, treat baldness, hair regrowth

If you are on Propecia (finasteride) to fight against hair loss, you may want to consider switching to Proscar. 

Though Proscar contains a higher dosage (5mg), both of these hair loss treatment options contain active ingredient finasteride.  Given that balding men should only take 1mg per day, how can one successfully use Proscar to treat baldness?  How do you split a Proscar pill to take 1mg per day?  Is there any benefit to switching to the 5 mg tablet when you are conveniently taking 1 mg a day?

Visit our hair restoration forum to interact with members who have made the switch from Propecia to Proscar, how to take it successfully, and how it has helped them save money.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair loss, Proscar, hair loss treatment, balding, treat baldness

You may have heard some controversy over the benefit of Propecia (finasteride) for the long term.  How effective is it after 1 year?  How about after 5 years?  Is Propecia only postponing the inevitable or does it have a long term benefit?  

Forum members and medical hair loss doctor and expert Dr. Beehner, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network share their opinions on this highly important topic.  Click here to read other and offer your own thoughts on this hot topic of discussion on our hair restoration forum.

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair loss, hair restoration

Many balding men want to find that “one” hair loss treatment option that will best treat baldness.  But in a world where no cure exists, perhaps a combination of proven treatment options can be of greater benefit.  Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil both work differently and have proven to fight against alopecia.  Which one works better?  Is there a benefit to using one over the other?  Will a combination treatment increase my chances of stimulating hair regrowth?

Click here to read how others have successfully used both medications and why a combination treatment may be superior to one over the other.  You are encouraged to contribute your thoughts and experiences on our hair restoration forum.

Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: balding, hair loss treatment, treat baldness, Propecia, finasteride, Rogaine, minoxidil, alopecia, hair regrowth, hair restoration

They say finasteride is for men between 18 to 41, so after 41 we should stop using it?

It would be a good idea to seek a physician’s advice on this however, many men well past 41 years of age use Propecia with great success to both stop hair loss and more rarely, regrow hair.  Balding men who start this treatment soon after they start losing hair have the best chance at success with this medication.

In addition, combining this treatment option with Rogaine (minoxidil) will give you the greatest chance to treat baldness and stimulate hair regrowth.

Don’t expect miracles as non-surgical hair loss treatment options rarely cause significant hair regrowth.  Surgical hair restoration is really the only proven treatment that will regrow hair in completel bald areas.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: finasteride, Propecia, hair loss, regrow hair, Balding, losing hair, Rogaine, minoxidil, treat baldness, hair regrowth, hair loss treatment, hair regrowth, hair restoration, bald

This insightful information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Paul Shapiro of Bloomington, MN who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians.

The studies on Propecia, (finasteride 1mg pill) for hair loss treatment were done at the 1mg dose so we do not have any good medical studies to suggest the .5mg will or will not work. I always suggest that anyone taking finasteride for the first time do it as suggested: at the 1mg dose and keep constant for 1 year. Then after you and your physician have a good idea of how effective Propecia has been you can start to adjust the dose if need be.

If you start on the .5mg dose and do not have a good response how will you be able to tell if the poor response was due to the low dose or you are just one of the few (10%) of men it does not work for?

As for the side effects: They are so rare at the 1mg dose I don’t think there would be a statistically significant difference between the 1mg and the .5mg dose.

Prior to doing hair transplants I worked as a Family Doctor until 2000. In my practice we used Proscar, (finasteride 5mg) and it was rare to see side effects even at the higher 5 mg dose.

Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, hair loss treatment, hair transplants, Proscar

I’ve been on Propecia and Rogaine for about 5 months.  I was always pretty chunky, weight wise. However, without changing diet or exercise routines, I have noticed that my weight has seemed to increase by about 22 pounds.  I’ve been promising myself to begin an intensive exercise routine however, is it possible that Propecia has caused me to gain weight?

I guess I could see a correlation somewhere since Propecia plays with hormones and inhibits DHT to stop hair loss. Can finasteride result in some changes in the way my body processes and stores food?

Weight gain is not listed as a potential side effect on Propecia’s website.

In my opinion, even if there was a correlation between Propecia and androgenic alopecia, nothing beats good old fashioned diet and exercise to lose weight. I’ve been on Propecia for hair loss for 3.5 years and have maintained my weight by eating right and regularly going to the gym.

 Be sure to consult with a physician and research Propecia in order to learn about the benefits and potential side effects of using this hair loss treatment. 

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

Technorati Tags: Propecia, Rogaine, DHT, stop hair loss, finasteride, androgenic alopecia, hair loss, hair loss treatment

How long does Propecia work for hair loss? I have seen that it works for 90% of males after 5 years. How long after does it work after that?  I am sure your body will become immune to it and ignore eventually.

This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer on our hair loss forum and answered by Dr. Michael Beehner of Saratoga Springs, NY who is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.

You are still much better off staying on Propecia (finasteride). The great majority of men taking finasteride realize an increase in “hair mass” during the first 4-5 years; then there is a very gradual loss of hair, but not nearly at the steep curve and rate as if you weren’t taking this hair loss treatment.

At one conference I attended a couple of years ago, the speaker said that after 5 years, 30% of men look better than when they started, 50% look about the same and hold their own, and 20% look thinner. My gut feeling is that the last group would still look far worse had they not been taking Propecia. My own personal experience is that 80% of the men I give it to have a positive result and look better when seen back in 2-3 years. When pinned down on exactly how long a given man will have to take finasteride, my reply is “until the next wonderful thing comes along!.”

Mike Beehner, M.D.

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Technorati Tags: Propecia, hair loss, finasteride, hair mass, loss of hair, hair loss treatment

I have very find hair and although I am told by hair stylists that I have a lot of it, it appears very thin on top.  I don’t think hair transplant surgery is the right procedure for me.  Do you know of any hair loss treatment that will give me more hair to cover the wide part of my scalp showing through the hair?  I have tried Rogaine which worked temporarily despite continued use.  I spent a lot of money on a hair piece alopecia wig that is not comfortable and I believe looks obvious.  It is very difficult to hide the wide part with anything and I do not like the short and spiky hair with bands that are the mainstay of hair pieces.  I hope you can help and please be specific if you have any hair loss solutions.

You have mentioned a number of possibilities already however, there are a few more.  Sadly, none of them are miracle cures or perfect solutions, but are worth considering.

Non-Surgical Hair Loss Treatments

Propecia for men only (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are FDA approved hair growth drugs and when used together, they may boost your chances of hair regrowth. 

Ketoconazole hair loss shampoo such as Nizoral and Revita may be helpful adjunct treatments given the “weak” DHT blocking properties of ketoconazole. 

Laser hair treatment has been FDA “cleared” however, in my opinion, not enough evidence publicly exists for me to recommend it. 

Technorati Tags: hair transplant, hair loss treatment, Rogaine, hair piece, alopecia wig, hair loss solutions, Hair Loss Treatments, Propecia, finasteride, minoxidil, hair growth, hair regrowth, Ketoconazole, hair loss shampoo, Nizoral, Revita, DHT, Laser hair treatment