Propecia vs Rogaine for thinning hair

[espeed]

Hey guys

For overall thinning hair over your crown, have you guys tried both? and what results did you get?

I hear the side effects of Propecia are *ahem*, but not sure how many men they affect

[Gee]

Hey guys

For overall thinning hair over your crown, have you guys tried both? and what results did you get?

I hear the side effects of Propecia are *ahem*, but not sure how many men they affect

I don't use either product, but Propecia is taken internally. That is a bad sign, they also warn that pregnant women should not pick up any broken pills. That is DEFINITELY a bad sign.

Rogain is topical, so that is slightly better, but why risk it?

If your vanity is that over whelming, then I suggest hair club for men. Let them glue some hair on your head.

[sfu_lifer]

Rogaine was a part of a heart-attack drug.
Propecia was the essential ingredient in a prostate cancer medicine.
Both were found to have the side-effects of growing hair.
Even if you used both it's doubtful it'll regrow the receding hair all that much.

[Gee]

Rogaine was a part of a heart-attack drug.
Propecia was the essential ingredient in a prostate cancer medicine.
Both were found to have the side-effects of growing hair.
Even if you used both it's doubtful it'll regrow the receding hair all that much.

Another Vote for Hair Club For Men.

They really do glue hair on your head.

[cOmAtOaSt]

Another Vote for Hair Club For Men.

They really do glue hair on your head.
How does a hair transplant compare in cost to one of those hair pieces? They're not as bad as they were, are they (they don't come up in the wind)?

[eelfliw]

How does a hair transplant compare in cost to one of those hair pieces? They're not as bad as they were, are they (they don't come up in the wind)?
Have you seen Mel Lastman or Steve Gallagher's hair? It's about one step above comb over.

[trini]

These things dont work starboy!
Rogaine gets you impotent are you willing to risk it to begin with?
You'd be better off going on a raw food diet or something.

[Powderworker]

Shave your head, hit the gym. Women love the Vin Diesel look... :)

[fishcurry]

hmmm.. this thread is really old, but i'd like to revive it. i'm 23 and already having some seriously thinning hair... i'm wondering if anyone has actually tried using any of these products, if they have worked for you, and whether OHIP or any medical plan covers them? what side effects do you get from rogain?

[Buddhacris]

honestly, the best thing to combat thinning hair is confidence. women love that. Take a year to learn it. and learn it well. People will overlook your hair problems if you love yourself and display a high level of self esteem.

[ji2o0k]

hmmm.. this thread is really old, but i'd like to revive it. i'm 23 and already having some seriously thinning hair... i'm wondering if anyone has actually tried using any of these products, if they have worked for you, and whether OHIP or any medical plan covers them? what side effects do you get from rogain?
I haven't used any of the products but my friend has used Propecia for at least 10 years and he swears by it.

He started thinning in highschool and this really hurt his self-esteem and confidence. The guy is a good looking guy, athletic and pretty tall (about 6'2).

He took Propecia and hasn't looked back. His hair stopped thinning and if you look at him today, you wouldn't even know that he had a hair problem.

Yes there are side effects but he hasn't really noticed anything.

OHIP and medical plans do not cover Propecia or Rogaine. However, Propecia is actually a smaller dosage of Proscar, which is a prostate drug I think. Health plans might cover Proscar.

More info in this thread:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=432508&highlight=propecia

[robattoronto]

Just shave it right off. Make a statement that you don't need a crutch. People, especially women can see that you're balding anyways. Like Elaine in Seinfeld said, it shows confidence when men shaved their heads, why hang on to scraps.

Confidence comes from within and you know how the saying goes; nobody can make you feel small unless you give them permission to.

[cheeseshredder]

Just shave it right off. Make a statement that you don't need a crutch. People, especially women can see that you're balding anyways. Like Elaine in Seinfeld said, it shows confidence when men shaved their heads, why hang on to scraps.

Confidence comes from within and you know how the saying goes; nobody can make you feel small unless you give them permission to.

Well..doesn't shaving your head show the opposite of confidence?

[Ma_Jie]

They're not scraps -- they're remains of a once-great society of hair.

[fishcurry]

Just shave it right off. Make a statement that you don't need a crutch. People, especially women can see that you're balding anyways. Like Elaine in Seinfeld said, it shows confidence when men shaved their heads, why hang on to scraps.

Confidence comes from within and you know how the saying goes; nobody can make you feel small unless you give them permission to.

That's all very true, that it comes from within. But it's not like people are just going to stop bothering with their personal appearance because it's no one else's business... :| Anyways, i'll definitely consider just shaving it off and going bruce willis style when/if it gets really thin, but if it's as easy as putting on some lotion on your hair or taking a pill a day, i think i would try that first.

[i6s1]

Rogane makes my head ichy. I don't do it much, so I can't really tell if it's doing anything. I've been told I'm growing hair back, but I haven't noticed anything.

[onetruguju]

the thing with all those meds to grow back you hair...
is that, when you stop, all the growth that has happened, will turn around, and you'll be back where you started immediately.

1 month hair, next month-bald man..

i started to lose my hair at 22, thought of the options.
my doctor got mad at me for thinking of the meds, and told me that theres long term issues with them.

since then, i buzz cut my hair at #1, so it doesnt look too bad, and at this lenght, all the hair is short, cant tell...
but you need to do this bi-weekly, or else you look bald...

on a side note, i HATE the people who grow their hair super long when they are losing it up top.
like duh, everyone can see you're bald, this form of combover does not do you too well

[Squiggles]

On Oprah yesterday (yes I was watching Opah, let it go), Dr Oz (her medical expert guy) said that both Rogaine and Propecia were good for dealing with thinning hair. They DO NOT grow back hair, but keep the exisiting hair from falling out. Take that for what it's worth.

[PrinceMS]

I suggest give Herbal medicine a shot first.

- BioFen
- Shen Mui (?)


They both use different hebs, from different parts of the world. Dozage is different as well. Nonetheless, herbal and suppose to be side-effect free.
Readily available.

tip: Try one for 3 months and then try other for next 3, see which makes more difference. They effect differently to different people

[pkguy]

Propecia is geared more to halting hair loss not regrowing hair so if you're concerned now is the time to start using it.
Rogaine has been shown to re-grow hair on some, not all, men and particularly those losing hair on the crown area, not those with ever expanding forehead growth. It also can in some cases stop hair loss.

[careener]

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/8/8b/200px-Simpson_and_Delilah.gif

[fboybcb]

Well, I know another product that works.

It's called Bioscor and there's 3 locations in Canada as I recall. Anyways, my friend was thinning and his friend introduced Bioscor to him. In the first month, you can see he has baby hair coming out, and after 3 months, he had a much fuller hair. Of course he won't have the same look as before but it won't show that he is balding.

Anyways, if you guys got anymore questions just pm me. My buddy told me it's pricey but it's worth every cent.

[GangStarr]

On Oprah yesterday (yes I was watching Opah, let it go), Dr Oz (her medical expert guy) said that both Rogaine and Propecia were good for dealing with thinning hair. They DO NOT grow back hair, but keep the exisiting hair from falling out. Take that for what it's worth.

sponsored in part by the friends of the hair growth industry....

I wonder what brand power has to say about these products, you know "helping you buy better" :|

[gh05t]

I know someone who used Rogaine and it worked while I know someone else who used it and it did not.

I think in the advertisement for Rogaine they did say it does not work for everyone.

There have been stories where women mostly complained of increased hair growth in other areas of their body where they did not want increased hair growth when Rogaine accidentally came into contact with those areas.

Lots of people on those hairloss forums are using Proscar which is a cheaper form of Propecia and because it's the same active ingredient it may have the same "hmm" effect.

There are lots of stuff out there and some may not work for some people so I guess its a trial and error thing really.

Provillus is the latest rave in bald circles.

Interesting read:

http://www.trustedhairloss.com/scalpmed/

[frankeng2003]

If you go with bioscor, not only will you have a receding hairline, but a receding wallet as well. Its run by a bunch of scam artists. $1500 for 3 months treatment, But they didn't tell you you need it for several years. so you will be looking at 5000 per year. They will help you grow tiny hair, which i suspect is because they use minoxidal in their medicene. The new hair you grow will fall off if you stop treatment. so be prepared to shell $5000 a year for the rest of your life.

[andrew2good4u]

They're not scraps -- they're remains of a once-great society of hair.

lol

[blainehamilton]

Another vote for working out and shaving the head.

Mr Clean / Vin Diesel look never hurts...

[HSK]

The debate is about Propecia or Rogaine - not how sexy you think Vin Diesel is.

I use Propecia and I swear by it. Many people do! Propecia is not guaranteed to grow hair, but at the least it'll stop you from losing hair. That in itself means alot. If you're worried about how much it costs - take Proscar instead. It's the same medicine, different market. Most insurance companies will cover Proscar - they wont cover Propecia. Sideeffects are rare and minimal : impotence (woopdy doo) and tiredness.

Propecia is more effective than Rogaine. I've heard VERY FEW compliments for Rogaine. Lots of people try it, few continue to use it. From what I've seen/heard it does nothing.

You have to remember that anything you do to stop hair loss is temporary. You're only postponing hairloss for aslong as you pop pills/put on creme. It just buys time. It is not a long term solution. In my case, because I started thinning at a young age, I decided to use propecia simply to postpone my hair loss until I was older. When I'm older I'll inevitably stop taking the pill and will have to decide wether I should bald or get surgery. I'll make that decision when I'm comfortable enough. Till then I'll enjoy my hair, thank you very much.

[andrew2good4u]

The debate is about Propecia or Rogaine - not how sexy you think Vin Diesel is.

I use Propecia and I swear by it. Many people do! Propecia is not guaranteed to grow hair, but at the least it'll stop you from losing hair. That in itself means alot. If you're worried about how much it costs - take Proscar instead. It's the same medicine, different market. Most insurance companies will cover Proscar - they wont cover Propecia. Sideeffects are rare and minimal : impotence (woopdy doo) and tiredness.

Propecia is more effective than Rogaine. I've heard VERY FEW compliments for Rogaine. Lots of people try it, few continue to use it. From what I've seen/heard it does nothing.

You have to remember that anything you do to stop hair loss is temporary. You're only postponing hairloss for aslong as you pop pills/put on creme. It just buys time. It is not a long term solution. In my case, because I started thinning at a young age, I decided to use propecia simply to postpone my hair loss until I was older. When I'm older I'll inevitably stop taking the pill and will have to decide wether I should bald or get surgery. I'll make that decision when I'm comfortable enough. Till then I'll enjoy my hair, thank you very much.

Woopdy doo? Im pretty sure that impotence is important to any guy unless he has a great relationship with either hand.

[HSK]

Woopdy doo? Im pretty sure that impotence is important to any guy unless he has a great relationship with either hand.
:lol:

Still a non-issue if you're young. Might be an issue if you're 40 though.

[vanilla123]

I am going to bump this thread because I think it may help alot of people. In 1996 I started to lose my hair at the age of 18. I was pretty devastated and all the guys on both sides of my family suffered from hair loss. My dad lost his completely by the age of 30. I was possessed to find a solution. I researched what I could and figured propecia would be my best bet. It was not available in Canada until around 1998 which is when I started taking it. I also started using rogaine around the year 2000.

So after 11 years of propecia I have had none of the side effects that are talked about here. No side effects from rogaine either.

Now it has been 14 years since I started losing my hair. Guess what, nobody knows because I still have almost all of it. It is a little thinner on the top then when I was 18 but it is not noticeable to anyone but myself. I am 99% sure that if I had not used these products I would be a bald man today. Yes it is expensive but would you really say no to someone who offered you your full head of hair for a mere $100 a month? I know I would not.

[Moot]

shave your head

+1

[Moot]

Yes it is expensive but would you really say no to someone who offered you your full head of hair for a mere $100 a month?

:rolleyes:Tool.

[vanilla123]

:rolleyes:Tool.

Oh Really? You are calling me a tool because I think it is worth $100 a month to keep my hair? You obviously do not know what it feels like to lose yours so maybe you should go back to your basement and surf 4chan all day or just stfu.

Oh wait I know.. You have already lost all yours and its too late so now you are just bitter. Yes thats its.

[UncleSteve]

Oh Really? You are calling me a tool because I think it is worth $100 a month to keep my hair? You obviously do not know what it feels like to lose yours so maybe you should go back to your basement and surf 4chan all day or just stfu.

Oh wait I know.. You have already lost all yours and its too late so now you are just bitter. Yes thats its.

Only your first day and second post, and already you're flinging insults around like a monkey in the zoo flinging poo at visitors.....

Oh, and I'm sure the guys at Big Pharma (slogan - A Pill for Every Ill) love your monthly contribution to their bonuses, just so you can engage in a little vanity.

[pitz]

$100/month for 1mg Propecia (finasteride)? I got a little secret for you: Proscar (finasteride) costs roughly the same, and comes as a 5mg tablet. If you take a razor blade, you can cut them into 1/8th chunks, so roughly speaking, you can turn a 1-month prescription of Proscar (finasteride) into an 8-month prescription of 1mg Propecia (finasteride). A months supply of Proscar is ~$70 ($60 + $10 dispensing fee), so your costs fall to ~$10/month to be on the same medication.

Just ask your doctor to write a prescription for the 5mg Proscar tablets, and tell him/her that you're going to cut them. Data published by Merck as part of the FDA approval process found that finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) was effective in doses of 0.2mg.

One word of caution, do not, under any circumstances, let a female who is either pregnant, or may become pregnant, handle Propecia/Proscar/finasteride tablets, or any fragments thereof. Very bad birth defects can result.

[vanilla123]

$100/month for 1mg Propecia (finasteride)? I got a little secret for you: Proscar (finasteride) costs roughly the same, and comes as a 5mg tablet. If you take a razor blade, you can cut them into 1/8th chunks, so roughly speaking, you can turn a 1-month prescription of Proscar (finasteride) into an 8-month prescription of 1mg Propecia (finasteride). A months supply of Proscar is ~$70 ($60 + $10 dispensing fee), so your costs fall to ~$10/month to be on the same medication.

Just ask your doctor to write a prescription for the 5mg Proscar tablets, and tell him/her that you're going to cut them. Data published by Merck as part of the FDA approval process found that finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) was effective in doses of 0.2mg.

One word of caution, do not, under any circumstances, let a female who is either pregnant, or may become pregnant, handle Propecia/Proscar/finasteride tablets, or any fragments thereof. Very bad birth defects can result.

Yes I was adding the cost of rogaine as well. If you buy generic it is about $40 and about $30 for proscar so with tax almost $80 I was a bit high on the $100.

[vanilla123]

Only your first day and second post, and already you're flinging insults around like a monkey in the zoo flinging poo at visitors.....

Oh, and I'm sure the guys at Big Pharma (slogan - A Pill for Every Ill) love your monthly contribution to their bonuses, just so you can engage in a little vanity.

Look I never said anything until I was called a Tool. I do not think that was deserved in the first place.

[pitz]

Yes I was adding the cost of rogaine as well. If you buy generic it is about $40 and about $30 for proscar so with tax almost $80 I was a bit high on the $100.

There's a Canadian-licensed generic for finasteride?

Who makes it? Or do you import it from India or somewhere like that where Merck doesn't have patent protection?

BTW: http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/nda/97/20788_PROPECIA%20TABLETS,%201MG_BIOPHARMR.PDF <-- Merck submission to the FDA during the licensing process for Propecia that indicates, (page 20), that even 0.05mg/day of the active ingredient in Propecia is still effective.

[vedia]

Like Elaine in Seinfeld said, it shows confidence when men shaved their heads, why hang on to scraps.


oh please, its just a TV show, so don't go believing everything the writers put in. pathetic.

[vanilla123]

There's a Canadian-licensed generic for finasteride?

Who makes it? Or do you import it from India or somewhere like that where Merck doesn't have patent protection?

BTW: http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/nda/97/20788_PROPECIA%20TABLETS,%201MG_BIOPHARMR.PDF <-- Merck submission to the FDA during the licensing process for Propecia that indicates, (page 20), that even 0.05mg/day of the active ingredient in Propecia is still effective.

No that is name brand right from local pharmacy. Costs me $100 for 3 months worth.

[gretzky99]

I am going to bump this thread because I think it may help alot of people. In 1996 I started to lose my hair at the age of 18. I was pretty devastated and all the guys on both sides of my family suffered from hair loss. My dad lost his completely by the age of 30. I was possessed to find a solution. I researched what I could and figured propecia would be my best bet. It was not available in Canada until around 1998 which is when I started taking it. I also started using rogaine around the year 2000.

So after 11 years of propecia I have had none of the side effects that are talked about here. No side effects from rogaine either.

Now it has been 14 years since I started losing my hair. Guess what, nobody knows because I still have almost all of it. It is a little thinner on the top then when I was 18 but it is not noticeable to anyone but myself. I am 99% sure that if I had not used these products I would be a bald man today. Yes it is expensive but would you really say no to someone who offered you your full head of hair for a mere $100 a month? I know I would not.

Show us pics of hair your hair when you were 18 and current.

[masterhapposai]

I am going to bump this thread because I think it may help alot of people. In 1996 I started to lose my hair at the age of 18. I was pretty devastated and all the guys on both sides of my family suffered from hair loss. My dad lost his completely by the age of 30. I was possessed to find a solution. I researched what I could and figured propecia would be my best bet. It was not available in Canada until around 1998 which is when I started taking it. I also started using rogaine around the year 2000.

So after 11 years of propecia I have had none of the side effects that are talked about here. No side effects from rogaine either.

Now it has been 14 years since I started losing my hair. Guess what, nobody knows because I still have almost all of it. It is a little thinner on the top then when I was 18 but it is not noticeable to anyone but myself. I am 99% sure that if I had not used these products I would be a bald man today. Yes it is expensive but would you really say no to someone who offered you your full head of hair for a mere $100 a month? I know I would not.

only 5 posts and you have to bump this thread?

People are dying out there from this crap, I see it all the time.

And you think regulating their hormones later will work to save them? NOPE.

Look at this:

http://www.google.com/search?q=propecia++side+effects&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

It's not a joke.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finasteride


In December 2008, the Swedish Medical Products agency concluded a safety investigation of Propecia and advise that use of Propecia may result in persistent sexual side effects. The Agency's updated safety information lists difficulty in obtaining an erection that persists even after discontinuing Propecia as a possible side effect.[4]



Here's an experience I've seen on many message boards:
http://forum.mesomorphosis.com/mens-health-forum/help-me-please-finasteride-134248317.html

I am 27 years old, 5'10, 150lbs. I took Finasteride (Proscar) quartered 1.25mg/day for 11 months when I was 25-26 for hairloss. It has now been 14 months since I quit (cold turkey) and I have still not recovered from the side effects I experienced. This was after I was told by my doctor and MERCK's literature that any side effects would resolve upon discontinuation of the drug.

Prior to Finasteride I was a perfectly healthy 25 yr old guy, I loved to have sex, could get hard at the drop of a hat, was always horny and mentally sharp. Now a year and a half later I'm a shell of my former self, and am STILL experiencing side effects that manifested while on the drug, including

That's a thread full of guys pretty sure it's the cause.

I hope you can sleep at night knowing the damage you may cause for promoting it, and if you're using this crap AND promoting it, you may soon be sleeping alone with it as retribution.

[pitz]

only 5 posts and you have to bump this thread?

People are dying out there from this crap, I see it all the time.


Dying? Are you silly? Some of the latest studies even indicate that finasteride, by suppressing the 5aR enzyme, can reduce the incidence of certain types of dihydrotestestrone-attenuated cancers.

Are you a medical doctor by any chance? If people, under your care, are dying or being adversely affected from taking low, therapeutic doses of finasteride, you have an obligation to file an ADR report.

I don't mind people thinking that drugs are 'bad', but your post does nothing but exxagerate the extremely minor risks of a medication that has worked extremely well for its FDA-licensed indications; benign prostate enlargement, and androgenic alopecia.



And you think regulating their hormones later will work to save them? NOPE.
Look at this:
http://www.google.com/search?q=propecia++side+effects&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1


Okay, so a man may have weaker erections. Big deal, is that the end of the world? That's really the only statistically significant side effect that comes with use of finasteride in approved doses.



Here's an experience I've seen on many message boards:
http://forum.mesomorphosis.com/mens-health-forum/help-me-please-finasteride-134248317.html
That's a thread full of guys pretty sure it's the cause.


What you have there is a thread of men suffering from clinical depression and anxiety, which is quite natural for a significant portion of the population. One could easily argue that men that are so self-conscious as to be seeking treatment for alopecia, would be naturally more prone to depression. Seriously, look at the language in that thread. Not to take pleasure in the misfortune of those men, but the comments are friggin hilarious. "Small balls". "limp dick". "Some penis curvature and rotation on axis to left". "Semen volume/shooting distance decrease". lol.




I hope you can sleep at night knowing the damage you may cause for promoting it, and if you're using this crap AND promoting it, you may soon be sleeping alone with it as retribution.

That thread is friggin hilarious. An anxiolytic would be indicated for most of the posters there (but I suppose the hyperchondria would manifest itself as the same people would exxagerate symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal too!).

[Moot]

You obviously do not know what it feels like to lose yours

Actually, I shave my head and it feels great.:lol:

[masterhapposai]

Dying? Are you silly? Some of the latest studies even indicate that finasteride, by suppressing the 5aR enzyme, can reduce the incidence of certain types of dihydrotestestrone-attenuated cancers.

Are you a medical doctor by any chance? If people, under your care, are dying or being adversely affected from taking low, therapeutic doses of finasteride, you have an obligation to file an ADR report.

I don't mind people thinking that drugs are 'bad', but your post does nothing but exxagerate the extremely minor risks of a medication that has worked extremely well for its FDA-licensed indications; benign prostate enlargement, and androgenic alopecia.



Okay, so a man may have weaker erections. Big deal, is that the end of the world? That's really the only statistically significant side effect that comes with use of finasteride in approved doses.



What you have there is a thread of men suffering from clinical depression and anxiety, which is quite natural for a significant portion of the population. One could easily argue that men that are so self-conscious as to be seeking treatment for alopecia, would be naturally more prone to depression. Seriously, look at the language in that thread. Not to take pleasure in the misfortune of those men, but the comments are friggin hilarious. "Small balls". "limp dick". "Some penis curvature and rotation on axis to left". "Semen volume/shooting distance decrease". lol.




That thread is friggin hilarious. An anxiolytic would be indicated for most of the posters there (but I suppose the hyperchondria would manifest itself as the same people would exxagerate symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal too!).


The only thing that's hilarious is your post.

Do you know anything about hormones? You clearly don't.

Death from osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.. isn't laughable. If you could even read wikipedia, let alone a simple blood test you'd know from the blood labs posted AFTER taking things like this "medication" (if you want to call it that), that these guys are in serious trouble. And they have support groups across the net in various forums dedicated to dealing with just this ONE "medication".

I haven't taken it, I don't cure these guys, but I recalled learning about it because I think every person should be informed about their hormones.

What manifests now as the visual symptoms betray what comes out in their blood tests later, which tends to be totally skewed hormones.

If you even knew what HPTA was, you'd at least have the wikipedia links to (maybe) understand based on the labs these guys have drawn out, that many of them... :
-Are at an extreme risk for cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and worse due to low testosterone and high estrogen
-Based on labs, are infertile

They've honestly cut about 10-20 years off their lifespan if not more.

That's not a joke. You mentioning to take some anti-anxiety drug..., you sound like a modern age quack, the ones they tend to stick in the offices in Toronto for whatever reason. You should see these guys when they try to find a Doctor locally, it's near impossible. Not sure why Canadians(especially the Doctors) are so dumb when it comes to health.

Funny, last time I checked anti-anxieties or psychotics don't make you fertile, reduce insulin resistance, heal your body, or anything like that.

This link alone owns you and I hope will encourage you to apologize for anyone harmed by taking this hormone disruptive "medicine" due to your uneducated comments:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15983313


CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that low serum testosterone levels are associated with an adverse metabolic profile and suggest a novel unifying mechanism for the previously independent observations that low testosterone levels and impaired mitochondrial function promote insulin resistance in men.


Testosterone isn't only about keeping an erection, in fact it's far from it. You can have top level T score and have a limp dick. T keeps the rest of your body alive. And the reason why their balls are small is because their brain is now ****ed and not sending signals to their balls to promote Testosterone. But, if you know knew anything, you'd have replied "oh maybe yah it jacks up their LH".

These guys are likely stuck now on HCG treatment for life, if not also TRT.

Wake up.

[masterhapposai]

:lol:

Still a non-issue if you're young. Might be an issue if you're 40 though.

How is impotence a non-issue for anyone? What's the point of avoiding balding if at best, you pickup more girls, but yet can't do anything with them?

If you're talking being fertile or not, many of the guys with side effects were in their 20's. some people like to have kids before they hit their 40's.

I'm not sure where you get the idea that young men can' t be affected or how this wouldn't be a problem. A brain is a brain, and they all work the same. Get the HPTA off balance you'll eventually encounter a real nasty effect, and then have a clueless doctor prescribe you anti-anxieties and laugh at you.

[pitz]

Do you know anything about hormones? You clearly don't.


The theory of finasteride is that it inhibits one type of 5-alpha-reductase, which is one of the enzymes which regulates the conversion of testesterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is believed to be responsible for alopecia, and prostate enlargement.


This link alone owns you and I hope will encourage you to apologize for anyone harmed by taking this hormone disruptive "medicine" due to your uneducated comments:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15983313

That study is only with respect to testosterone levels, and not DHT which is a testesterone derivative. T is merely an intermediate of DHT, and at least I'm not aware of any evidence that finasteride directly modulates T production. Do you have any references to any evidence that finasteride agonizes or antagonizes the production of T directly, as opposed to the documented enzymatic inhibition of the hydrogenation process?



Death from osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.. isn't laughable. If you could even read wikipedia, let alone a simple blood test you'd know from the blood labs posted AFTER taking things like this "medication" (if you want to call it that), that these guys are in serious trouble. And they have support groups across the net in various forums dedicated to dealing with just this ONE "medication".


All I see on that thread is people complaining of symptoms of clinical depression. That's the problem with accepting random stuff posted on Internet forums as gospel, instead of looking at the statistically controlled studies which have not found an elevated risk of any of the side effects (to wit: depression) that are the subject of the complaints of those men. You will find similar websites and threads for practically any and every drug on the market.




I haven't taken it, I don't cure these guys, but I recalled learning about it because I think every person should be informed about their hormones.

What manifests now as the visual symptoms betray what comes out in their blood tests later, which tends to be totally skewed hormones.


Skewed? Most of the numbers being thrown about that thread, in terms of blood tests, aren't even significant within measurement error for the particular tests in question. Other variation is easily attributable to natural aging; male hormones change with age, just like female ones do. There's valid physiological reasons why teenage boys are called 'horny', and middle aged men are not.



If you even knew what HPTA was, you'd at least have the wikipedia links to (maybe) understand based on the labs these guys have drawn out, that many of them... :
-Are at an extreme risk for cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and worse due to low testosterone and high estrogen
-Based on labs, are infertile


Yet there is a body of published research that has not shown an elevation in overall cancer rates in finasteride treated patients (versus placebo), and if, indeed, finasteride rendered patients infertile, wouldn't Merck be selling it as male birth control?




Testosterone isn't only about keeping an erection, in fact it's far from it. You can have top level T score and have a limp dick. T keeps the rest of your body alive. And the reason why their balls are small is because their brain is now ****ed and not sending signals to their balls to promote Testosterone. But, if you know knew anything, you'd have replied "oh maybe yah it jacks up their LH".


Yet millions of men use the product, as prescribed, don't experience any of the problems that are described, don't experience shrinkage of anything, and heaven forbid, actually are able to avoid debilitating, risky, and expensive prostate or hair loss surgery.

Ask yourself, how much impotence has been saved because men have been able to have their BPH treated with finasteride instead of having prostate surgery? I suspect there's quite a lot more cases of that, than some random, clinically depressed, metabolically unbalanced nutcases on an Internet forum blaming all their ills and their aging on a medication that has a safety record that's almost unrivalled amongst modern prescription drugs.

[pitz]

BTW, those propeciahelp.com forums are pretty sad.

Easily 80% of the people on there suffer from some sort of anxiety disorder. The sort of anxiety that drove them to a hair loss treatment in the first place. When you're dealing with that sort of mentally insecure crowd, of course certain side effects are going to be exxagerated.

I bet you'd find a greater incidence of hypersexuality or nymphomania amongst female oral contraceptive users too. Does that imply a causal relationship between such pills and being a nympho, or is that just a matter of females at particular risk for pregnancy wanting to take the according precautions?

[cheeseshredder]

I am an advocate of people making their own choices. It's a shame that most people don't have access to clinical studies/scientific research articles. (Then again, some people will just misinterpret them, but the benefits are worth it).

I haven't read literature about Propecia, but I think that more evidence of side effects is starting to come out. But if I recall correctly there was also a study that showed decreased prostate cancer rates.

Also keep in mind that no matter how safe a drug is determined to be, there will be those who are affected by side effects. A study draws its conclusion based on group data, but when you're the one having side effects, all that data is irrelevant because it's a personal/individual issue.

Just via the internet, you can end up with large communities on the internet with the same drug issues. These communities are good for understanding what could potentially happen on the individual level. It's easy enough to say that a drug may cause impotency, but that's a vague description at best. At the same time, it's very important to note that the community is NOT a representation of how common side effects are.

There needs to be a better way for patients to get drug study results. IMO, the health care community is a piss poor way to be informed about pharmaceuticals.

[vanilla123]

Ok I have been taking this stuff for around 10 years and I have never noticed any decrease in sex drive nor have I had any problems with erections.

Some of this stuff does scare me a bit I did not know some stuff being mentioned here. I have not tried to have kids yet so dunno if I am affected. I do not have man boobs either by the way :razz:

[Codegen]

I just turned 18, and noticed a couple of months ago that my hairline was already starting to recede (Between hanging with other teenagers, and with the parents I have, someone is bound to point it out :P). The weird thing is, is that baldness does not run in the family. My brother has also started losing his, too.

It kinda bothered me a bit at first, but I figure nobody seems to give a damn, so why should I?

[Loomy]

Wake up.

you are crazy

[murdoc2k]

I know someone who used Rogaine and it worked while I know someone else who used it and it did not.

I think in the advertisement for Rogaine they did say it does not work for everyone.

There have been stories where women mostly complained of increased hair growth in other areas of their body where they did not want increased hair growth when Rogaine accidentally came into contact with those areas.

Lots of people on those hairloss forums are using Proscar which is a cheaper form of Propecia and because it's the same active ingredient it may have the same "hmm" effect.

There are lots of stuff out there and some may not work for some people so I guess its a trial and error thing really.

Provillus is the latest rave in bald circles.

Interesting read:

http://www.trustedhairloss.com/scalpmed/

I realized this thread is a really old one, but I would like to bring it back up again just because of this post. It inspired me to dig deeper into the problem as I start to see this hapen to myself as well. I'm in the middle of a transition phase so if anyone has a solution to my problem, I would appreciate the feedback.

I did a quick search on Provillus online especially with the term "scam" mainly because there are a lot of scams out there (I started being aware since there was the "adding urls for google" scam widely known on the net now) and the last thing I want was my hard earned money landing in a fraudsters' pocket.

Indeed, after comparing some of the statements people debated across the forums, I've noticed similar patterns that exhibit a scam.

1) It always claims to be advertised by ABC,CBC, MSN.etc it sounds like they're just throwing a bunch of reputable abbreviations out there that if you think twice makes no f-ing sense.

2) This product has many many review sites but what they say is inconsistent. Some say the ingredients is FDA approved, others say the product itself is FDA approved. I did a check anyways on the official american FDA website, Provillus was not listed as one of their approved drugs even though the product may contain an FDA approved ingredient.

3) On the official ordering page on Provillus website, the bottom of the website reads "These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." Spells likes scam to me.

4) Most scam sites always seem to have some "special offer". Some sites, in order to get your attention, will even have "limited time offers" that demand your immediate action sounding like the offer will slip away if you don't order right that second (as seen with google url scams).

I spent 30 mins digging through 12-13 pages of google search results paying heavy attention to the URLs to see if what some forums say about a marketing scam is in effect. Essentially the marketing company floods the web with multiple domain names relating to the product and optimizing all of their webpages to be prioritized by google search such that their scam sites will be listed on top priority.

In deed you will see a lot of sites that say "whyamilosinghair.com/..." or "provlliusreview.us" or sites that contain the product name ending in ".info" which make you wonder the legitimacy of their product.

The issue with these scam sites is that if you look close enough you will realize the minor flaws just as any criminal will leave behind traces of evidence for the forensics to pick up on.

I conclude that this product is an official scam and that only the other 3 mentioned "rogaine", "proscar", and "Propecia" are the only possible viable options on the market today that MAY slow down hairloss and only effective for some individuals.

What most of the comments made above is quite true. There really isn't much of a cure when you start losing hair. It is only treatable if you find out early and start taking things like rogaine that hopefully will not cause heavy side effects and will be effective enough to slow your hairloss significantly.

My problem right now is that when forced to shave my head, I end up with 2 skin tones my scalp has little contact with sunlight and therefore is significantly lighter than the rest of my face, which causes a glaring negative visual effect. I'm wondering if anyone has encountered such a problem and how they went about solving this? What did you folks do when you first shaved your head for the first time having to deal with this split skin tone effect?

[Mark77]

Finasteride (aka Propecia) went generic in Canada last year.

If you buy the 5mg pills, and cut them into 1/10ths (an effective dose according to the literature), one can buy a years worth of hair loss treatment for $45. $38 if you use Costco's pharmacy. Basically 50% less than the treatment cost a year ago, and potentially 95% less than the cost of brand-name "Propecia" treatment.

There's really no reason why any man who wants hair loss treatment, to not try that stuff. The earlier a balding man gets started on the medication, the better.

[Beradon]

Finasteride (aka Propecia) went generic in Canada last year.

If you buy the 5mg pills, and cut them into 1/10ths (an effective dose according to the literature), one can buy a years worth of hair loss treatment for $45. $38 if you use Costco's pharmacy. Basically 50% less than the treatment cost a year ago, and potentially 95% less than the cost of brand-name "Propecia" treatment.

There's really no reason why any man who wants hair loss treatment, to not try that stuff. The earlier a balding man gets started on the medication, the better.Cut them into 1/10ths? Have you ever tried splitting a pill in half? That alone is difficult and you usually end up either losing one half or get and uneven cut.

[dazz]

I just bought minoxidil solution that I suppose to apply on the affected area. Hopefully it will work. Should not have any side effects since these are not pills

[murdoc2k]

I just bought minoxidil solution that I suppose to apply on the affected area. Hopefully it will work. Should not have any side effects since these are not pills

It should be safe since it's an ingredient approved by FDA, but do take into account that just because something is applied to your skin instead of ingested, doesn't mean you won't have side effects. It gets absorbed into your skin and down into your bloodstream. It's just a less direct way of doing so.

I'm considering that as well, let me know if it works for you a few weeks to months down the road.

[Mark77]

Cut them into 1/10ths? Have you ever tried splitting a pill in half? That alone is difficult and you usually end up either losing one half or get and uneven cut.

The split doesn't have to be precise. You could even crush them up and use the powder in a solution (with a little bit of vodka as a solvent and an eyedropper to measure the liquid). Finasteride is so concentrated that even a 1/20th dose is just as effective as a 1mg dose in most cases.

[i6s1]

Hair transplant is the only way I'd do it at this point. I'm too worried about medication. I've heard it's like $10k or something, but at least it's a one-time cost.

[RedLightSpecial]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1394183/Wayne-Rooneys-hair-transplant-visit-Harley-Street-baldness-clinic.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[Sazafraz]

I've heard that Propecia has caused some men to permanently have sexual dysfunction. I wouldn't trust any of these products and think it's better to just get a hair transplant.

[PrinceMS]

It was in the news that they had a class action suit running for that. It causes permanent damage to health sometimes that is irreversible.

Also linked to kidney failure.

Law suit was in Europe I believe. google it. Stick to natural remedy's - if u really want to try something.

[dazz]

It should be safe since it's an ingredient approved by FDA, but do take into account that just because something is applied to your skin instead of ingested, doesn't mean you won't have side effects. It gets absorbed into your skin and down into your bloodstream. It's just a less direct way of doing so.

I'm considering that as well, let me know if it works for you a few weeks to months down the road.


Well, spot application is different than ingesting a table that will affect the whole body. The application I use(1ml) is applied to affected area only and suppose to only work there.

I've only been taking for a week and I am actually thinking about stopping it...
I just don't know if I can continue applying the solution twice a day or once a day(after half a year) for the rest of my life. My hair aren't bad, just a little thin at the front with a high hair line of a typical English man...:D

I think I may just wait 3-4 years and will see then. It doesn't bother me much just yet.


i am not sure if it's true,but when I google it, some guy said that if you stop application, the hair will fall off within 1-3 months INCLUDING the healthy hair that this solution was applied to. That's scary :(

[Mark77]

I've heard that Propecia has caused some men to permanently have sexual dysfunction. I wouldn't trust any of these products and think it's better to just get a hair transplant.

a) Extremely rare, and probably not statistically significant compared to the number of men who suffer a significant level of permanent sexual dysfunction without medication.;

b) Even if you get a hair transplant (which cost $$$$), all competent transplant surgeons will prescribe Propecia (finasteride) to maintain the viability of the remaining hair that has not yet fallen out. In fact an ethical hair transplant surgeon will not even do surgery without starting a man on Propecia and observing results after 6-12 months.

There are plenty of stories (including that of myself) where taking Propecia (finasteride) had miraculous results because it is the only (licensed) medication that attacks the root cause of male hair loss. My only regret is not starting on the medication a couple years earlier as the results would have been superior.

[Mark77]

Hair transplant is the only way I'd do it at this point. I'm too worried about medication. I've heard it's like $10k or something, but at least it's a one-time cost.

No it's not. Transplant doctor will still stick you on Propecia for maintenance of the rest of your hair that will eventually fall out if left 'untreated' by Propecia. Unless, of course, you want to return for additional surgeries every few years. But even then, you will likely reach a point where surgery is inneffective because of a lack of 'donor' hair. Then your head will be a mess, you'll be left with quite a visible surgery scar (since the surgery literally involves chopping a section of your scalp out for 'donor' hair), and there will be uneven patches of transplanted and non-transplanted hair.

So either way, you're stuck on the medications if you desire any treatment for hair loss. There's no way out of it.

[mbg]

Shave your head, hit the gym. Women love the Vin Diesel look... :)

You can tell this is an old post by the Vin Diesel reference.

But... what if you shave your head like Vin Diesel but the rest of you looks like Screech from Saved By The Bell?

[mbg]

I've heard that Propecia has caused some men to permanently have sexual dysfunction. I wouldn't trust any of these products and think it's better to just get a hair transplant.

But if, in your mind, you won't be getting women with a bald head anyway, what's the difference whether your sex is functional or dysfunctional?

[murdoc2k]

LOL!!

@MBG: you made my day.

@Mark: I'm going to the doctors on Tuesday to see what options are available although by reading this thread I have a general idea for what I'm probably going to hear. My worry being what are the chances of actually hair regrowth? What if I pair up Propecia with hair strengthening supplements?

[Mark77]

@Mark: I'm going to the doctors on Tuesday to see what options are available although by reading this thread I have a general idea for what I'm probably going to hear. My worry being what are the chances of actually hair regrowth? What if I pair up Propecia with hair strengthening supplements?

Depends on the person, and the severity of their hair loss.

You have to stick with Propecia (finasteride) for a year to see if there are any results. For the first few months, it will probably make your hair loss even worse. If the drug is effective, for most, they will see results in 6 months with full results in a year.

Increasing the dose of finasteride is rarely of value. Decreasing the dose often saves money with the same results.

[Mykester]

you're either born with superior aryan genetics, or you're not

[DiploDocus]

Male breast cancer alert for baldness drug

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/08/04/finasteride-breast.html

Male breast cancer has been reported in a small number of patients worldwide taking the prescription drug finasteride for male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate, Health Canada says.

Finasteride is a prescription drug sold in Canada under two brand names: Propecia, a one-milligram dose, is used to treat male-pattern hair loss, while Proscar, a five-milligram pill, is for benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH — a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. Generic versions of both are also sold.