Occasional Propecia breaks helpful?

[phlip]

Just wondering whether anyone can advise me on whether having an occasional break from Propecia can help to maintain its effectiveness. Or would that be counter-productive? Would a break help to 're-sensitize' the DHT receptors, or whatever they're called?

 

[Bryan]

I see no rationale for taking breaks from Propecia. I think it's a bad idea.

Bryan

 

[Subliminal]

I see no rationale either.

 

[phlip]

Ok, thanks for the opinions. I just wondered if maybe the DHT receptors on the hair follicles become more sensitive through diminished exposure, and if that was the case whether giving them an occasional big dose (by stopping Propecia) would avoid the issue. What is the mechanism by which finasteride becomes less effective with time? Or isn't that an established fact?

 

[Bryan]

Ok, thanks for the opinions. I just wondered if maybe the DHT receptors on the hair follicles become more sensitive through diminished exposure, and if that was the case whether giving them an occasional big dose (by stopping Propecia) would avoid the issue.

I don't have any PROOF of what I'm about to say, but there's little doubt in my mind that the upregulation of androgen receptors that you get with finasteride (which is what you're referring to) and the downregulation that you'd get after stopping are processes that occur rapidly and automatically. You START taking finasteride, they rapidly go up. You STOP taking finasteride, they rapidly go down. You RE-START taking finasteride again, they go back up again rapidly. So what's the point in "cycling" finasteride? None at all, in my humble opinion.

What is the mechanism by which finasteride becomes less effective with time? Or isn't that an established fact?

The difference in haircounts between finasteride users and placebo users INCREASES with time, it doesn't DECREASE. So in that specific sense, it doesn't become "less effective" at all.

As for why the absolute effects appear to slowly decline over a period of several years...well, that's a matter of conjecture. One pet theory of my own is that at least part of the slow decline in haircounts is due to the ageing process itself, not male pattern baldness. Another factor might be that the fundamental balding process itself is slowly getting worse, and the 85%-90% inhibition of the type 2 enzyme that you get with Propecia isn't quite able to hold the line against further balding.

Bryan

 

[phlip]

Bryan

Many thanks for the informative reply. You've obviously done your homework.

Phlip