How Long Before I Know if Propecia (finasteride) for Hair Loss isn’t Working?

This question comes from a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums:

I’ve been on Propecia (finasteride) for 10 months now, and I’m not seeing any improvement with regard to my hair loss. How long should I take the medication before I know it isn’t working? Should I keep using it? Could I still be experiencing some sort of shedding phase?

Although everyone is different, it’s usually recommended that you try Propecia/finasteride for approximately 1 year before determining whether or not the medication is working. The first few months (3-4) are usually associated with an increased shedding phase , and it can technically take up to 6-12 months for the drug to take “effect” and produce visible results.

Frankly, the most common piece of advice I’ve heard is to try Propecia for one full year before determining whether or not it’s effective, and, although Propecia is a proven, preventive hair restoration therapy, it seems like your particular physiology may not be responding as expected.

Altogether, you should probably undergo a thorough examination with a dermatologist or hair restoration physician, and wait the full 12 months before making an assessment and determining whether or not to discontinue the Propecia.

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Blake Bloxham – formerly “Future_HT_Doc”

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

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