Propecia how long does it take?

I've been Propecia (Along with Rogaine and Ketoconazole shampoo) for 5 months now. How long does it take for Propecia to work? Before treatment I only had a thinning right temple. Now I have a left temple that is also thinning and the frontal region of my hair is slightly thinning also. So if anything it's now worse.

It takes a full 12 months before you will know if Propecia (or generic Finasteride) will be able to arrest or slow down your hair loss. It takes longer before you will know if you can regrow anything back.

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Originally Posted by Tracy C

It takes a full 12 months before you will know if Propecia (or generic Finasteride) will be able to arrest or slow down your hair loss. It takes longer before you will know if you can regrow anything back.

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Tracy how do you know it takes longer than 12 months for any regrowth (if any)?

This is actually good news for me, been on Finasteride for 8months, I think the hair loss has slowed, but no regrowth as yet.
I thought after 12months, the best you can do, is not look any worse than you did at the 12th month mark.

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Originally Posted by khan

Tracy how do you know it takes longer than 12 months for any regrowth (if any)?

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I don't "know". I draw a conclusion from the information that is available. The information from Merck states that you need to use the medication for at least 12 full months to determine if it will stop your hair loss. It only makes sense that if any regrowth were going to happen, it could take longer than 12 months for it to happen.

It is important to note that Propecia itself is not a growth stimulant. It is a growth enabler. It enables hair follicles that can still grow hair to grow hair by blocking the hormone that is preventing them from growing hair.

Rogaine on the other hand is a growth stimulant. It stimulates hair follicles that can still grow hair to start growing hair again.

These two medications, Propecia and Rogaine, do two different things that compliment each other.

The laser comb increases the caliber and quality of the hair that you have, including hair that has regrown from using medications. This effect makes your hair look fuller and more youthful.

None of these treatments will grow hair in areas that are completely void of hair and have been that way for a long time. In males, those areas are usually the temples, hair line and vertex. Only hair transplant surgery can fill in areas that are completely void of hair.

I just hope I gain back the hair I lost during the first 5 months of using Finasteride. That was a crazy peroid.

Anyways, even if I don't, I am happy if I can just maitain. Thanks for the info Tracy.

Hair that was lost during the shedding period should grow back over time as long as you continue treatment. Treating hair loss is a painfully slow process.