Managing Native Hair Loss

Its been over a year since my hair transplant, and since then my hair loss has been non-existent until recently.     Now i’m starting to shed again.   Why is this happening?   What should I do?   I’m considering taking Proscar but I’m worried about side effects and I don’t want to experience additional shedding.   Help!

As you may well know, a hair transplant is not a cure for hair loss.   Because hair loss is a progressive condition and entirely unpredictable, hair loss medication is the best line of defense we have to help keep the remaining native hair we have.

If you are considering Proscar, be sure to split the pill into quarters with a pill splitter.   Each Proscar pill contains 5mg of finasteride as opposed to Propecia which contains 1mg.   Finasteride and minoxodil marketed as Rogaine are the two most effective and only FDA approved hair loss medications out there.

The possibility of side effects is something serious to consider.   There are some people who experience them, and some who don’t. These side effects, however, are reported as rare on Propecia’s website.   It is also said that if  you experience side effects, that they are reversible upon stopping the medication.   However, it is best to consult with a medical doctor before taking Propecia or Proscar.  

Keep in mind however, that if you do  use Proscar that  it’s a commitment.     Stopping the medication at any point  means losing anything you’ve gained while taking it.

If you experience additional shedding  while on the medication for the first few months, this is a sign that the medication working.   The shedding is only temporary and the hair will come back in thicker.     Give Proscar at least  a year to evaluate as it takes time to notice any positive effect.

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

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