Does Propecia stop working over time?

[g k]

Question:

What is the likely hood that propecia will stop working over time? Anyone have any info on this?

Thanks

[heynow1234]

ive read in a ton of places it does, but some people have it last for over 10 years. Im hoping it just starts working for me!

[follicallychallengedkid]

I've only been on Propecia for about 10 months so I cannot say from experience, but I have done a lot research and read many accounts about effectiveness of Propecia.

Most have said that they've realize the full effect of Propecia within a year of taking it (whether it be new growth or simply a stabilized loss), and then a few years of stabilized state (I have seen this to be anywhere between 3 years to even 10 years as heynow1234 has mentioned). Many have reported that the drug then wears off afterwards, as they experience new wave of shedding even when they are taking Propecia everyday.

But of course, there are exceptional cases. Some have seen absolutely no result from Propecia, while for some people, it helped them recover a lot of their hair.

Some of the people that observed the "wearing off" effect of Propecia have switched to Avodart with varying degree of success. Avodart (dutasteride) has been reported to be even more effective at combatting hairloss than Propecia (finasteride), but it is not FDA approved to be sold as a hairloss treatment unlike Propecia and no one is certain about the longterm implication of taking Avodart. Many HT doctors, however, are already prescribing Avodart to patients who have responded poorly to Propecia.

You may want to have a read at a report done by Bernstein Medical which compares dutaseride to finasteride in the following link:

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/resources/Dutasteride-Finasteride.php

-FCK (Follically Challenged Kid)

[KevinNalts]

I've only been on Propecia for about 10 months so I cannot say from experience, but I have done a lot research and read many accounts about effectiveness of Propecia.

Most have said that they've realize the full effect of Propecia within a year of taking it (whether it be new growth or simply a stabilized loss), and then a few years of stabilized state (I have seen this to be anywhere between 3 years to even 10 years as heynow1234 has mentioned). Many have reported that the drug then wears off afterwards, as they experience new wave of shedding even when they are taking Propecia everyday.

But of course, there are exceptional cases. Some have seen absolutely no result from Propecia, while for some people, it helped them recover a lot of their hair.

Some of the people that observed the "wearing off" effect of Propecia have switched to Avodart with varying degree of success. Avodart (dutasteride) has been reported to be even more effective at combatting hairloss than Propecia (finasteride), but it is not FDA approved to be sold as a hairloss treatment unlike Propecia and no one is certain about the longterm implication of taking Avodart. Many HT doctors, however, are already prescribing Avodart to patients who have responded poorly to Propecia.

You may want to have a read at a report done by Bernstein Medical which compares dutaseride to finasteride in the following link:

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/resources/Dutasteride-Finasteride.php

-FCK (Follically Challenged Kid)

3 years I worked on Propecia and never considered "wear off." If you check the clinical studies on the website, there's a graph and photos of long-term studies (but nothing 10 years that I recall). Are you trying to grow hair off, or just "freeze time"? Because I was always under the impression finasteride kinda stopped the clock (and maybe grew a bit more initially). Gotta go check bernstein's dutasteride vs finast article now!

[Spex]

Propecia effects will plateau over time but we all respond differently to meds and it depends where the individual plateaus. There is a 5 year survey chart somewhere - i will try find it and post.

[g k]

Spex:

That would be very useful. Thanks.

So is the drug expected to plateau and remain stable, or is there always an instance of the plateau descending into wearing off?

Thanks

[Coligion]

I don't believe it's that the drug wears off, but rather the hair loss progression speeds up. The meds can only do so much to keep up with aggressive hair loss.

[Winston]

I think it depends on the individual, but Propecia does seem to work most of it’s magic within the first 5 years. I assume that it continues to work but there might be other factors involved in MPB besides DHT..

[Spex]

The guys above have replied better than i could Its all about the individual and how aggressive their individual DHT is. I will look for that chart mate

[Jon]

Can lose its effectiveness after years

I lost around 30% of my hair, mostly in the front of the scalp/temples when I was 20 (back in 2001). The back was thick but what was in the front near the temples was very thin and my temple area had receded. It happened really fast for a hereditary loss-- within maybe 3 or 4 months. I got on Propecia within a few months and it stabilized right away, and I experienced some thickening within 6-12 months, and total stabilization for 6 years after that. The back has stayed full and thick. I'm 30 now, and over the last couple of years, I've experienced a small amount of recession/thinning at the temples. It could be from stress (I've been going back to school while working full time) but I'm not sure. I've noticed it because when it used to be that I'd have one or two bad hair days, most days are bad hair days now. This of course is because even a small amount of frontal loss has a big impact on facial appearance. Frontal loss is also the area on which Propecia and Rogaine treatments are least effective.

Anyone else experience something similar?

[TheDude]

waning effects

Hay guys im new on the forum..

i've been using propecia for about 4 yrs in combination with 9% minoxidil and i've started noticing a serious thinning in the right temple region..

I was jst wondering if anyone had a possible answer to stop the the effects im now seeing.. such as maybe increasing the propecia dosage?

So in other words does propecia stop working? Well from my own evidence yes..

This cld however be a result of taking concerta during exam time but i have as such discontinued the concerta but the hair-loss has continued

any information on this would be much appreciated