Propecia/Finasteride - After 5 years

[Guest]

Does any one know for sure that the gains made through Finasteride go downhill after 5 years ? Or does anybody know of any pharma Comp conducting a 7 or 10 year study on Finasteride ? Will Merck be doing one ?

Here is what I got from a website... Dunno how true it is...

Excerpt from a Website :

Propecia (Finasteride) has been available since 1997 and is the first oral medication to ever be approved by the F.D.A. specifically for the prevention of hair loss. A physician’s prescription is required. The overwhelming majority of men using this drug experience some benefit from its use, sometimes dramatically. It takes a full year before the full benefits can be fully seen and appreciated. The recent 5-year research studies show that, for most patients, there is a substantial increase in the number and quality of hairs growing on the patient’s scalp for around 4 years. After that, the patient’s overall hair mass on top very gradually starts dropping ever so slightly each year, so that at the end of around 10 years, the patient is back to where he started 10 years earlier. So, in effect, for most patients it holds off the hereditary expression of hair loss for around 10 years. There also are many clinicians and investigators who believe that finasteride works nearly as well when administered in dosage amounts substantially lower (and cheaper) than that recommended by Merck.

 

[Bryan]

Excerpt from a Website : "The recent 5-year research studies show that, for most patients, there is a substantial increase in the number and quality of hairs growing on the patient’s scalp for around 4 years."

That's not quite correct; or at least, it's misleading. Haircounts reached a peak after the very FIRST year, after which they began a slow decline.

"After that, the patient’s overall hair mass on top very gradually starts dropping ever so slightly each year, so that at the end of around 10 years, the patient is back to where he started 10 years earlier. So, in effect, for most patients it holds off the hereditary expression of hair loss for around 10 years."

Another misleading statement, at least depending on exactly what they mean by "holds off". Propecia "holds off" the balding process for as long as you take, in the sense that it at least greatly SLOWS IT DOWN. As the years go by, the difference in haircounts between groups who take the active drug (finasteride) and groups who get the placebo continues to INCREASE, it doesn't DECREASE.

Bryan

 

[michael barry]

Helpmegrow,
Propecia inhibits the activity of the type II alpha 5 enzyme. By doing this youre stopping about 65%-70% of blood serum levels, but only about 38% of scalp levels of DHT.

This is why there is so much interest on various forums looking for a topical DHT inhibitor that lowers scalp DHT production of both types of the enzymes in hopes of lessening the amount getting into the follicle. This is also why treatments that block androgen receptors like spironolactone are popular.

A doctor emailed me one time with similar info that you stated. He said that year 12-14 most patients were back to where they started on propecia and that this had been lectured on by Washenik. Its definitely better than nothing. The philosophy behind takin' the pill (or half a one) is that if we can just hold onto what we have for maybe another 5-10 years, something may come along that REALLY works super-well. But for eggshells with fibrosis......proboably nothing short of cloning is going to restore their heads of hair. Good luck

 

[Guest]

Helpmegrow,
Propecia inhibits the activity of the type II alpha 5 enzyme. By doing this youre stopping about 65%-70% of blood serum levels, but only about 38% of scalp levels of DHT.

This is why there is so much interest on various forums looking for a topical DHT inhibitor that lowers scalp DHT production of both types of the enzymes in hopes of lessening the amount getting into the follicle. This is also why treatments that block androgen receptors like spironolactone are popular.

A doctor emailed me one time with similar info that you stated. He said that year 12-14 most patients were back to where they started on propecia and that this had been lectured on by Washenik. Its definitely better than nothing. The philosophy behind takin' the pill (or half a one) is that if we can just hold onto what we have for maybe another 5-10 years, something may come along that REALLY works super-well. But for eggshells with fibrosis......proboably nothing short of cloning is going to restore their heads of hair. Good luck

Well even if it were to help me maintain the SAME amount of hair for the next 12-14 years I would say it is worth it.....except if i develop a major form of side effect.... hopefully HM or cloning could possibly out by then... or maybe I wont be concerned bout hairloss anymore at 40.....here is hoping for the best

PS: Can you paste a link which says at year 12-14 patients were back to where they started ?

 

[michael barry]

Wish I could link that, but it was a personal email response from a Doctor......


If I were just starting to lose my hair, Id cut it short and pursue treatments......that way If I lost more, it wouldnt be as big of a deal. Half a propecia tablet is almost as good as a whole one, minoxidil is really cheap now, nizoral shampoo a couple of times a week is cheap too. Folligen, used every other day, wouldnt run you much money either. Thats what Im currently using. I proboably only spend a bit over 30 bucks a month on hair. Try to get a decent amount of the vitamin b complex. Oatmeal is great for this and attempt to have a lower fat diet. Thats about the best advice I can give.

 

[Guest]

Wish I could link that, but it was a personal email response from a Doctor......


If I were just starting to lose my hair, Id cut it short and pursue treatments......that way If I lost more, it wouldnt be as big of a deal. Half a propecia tablet is almost as good as a whole one, minoxidil is really cheap now, nizoral shampoo a couple of times a week is cheap too. Folligen, used every other day, wouldnt run you much money either. Thats what Im currently using. I proboably only spend a bit over 30 bucks a month on hair. Try to get a decent amount of the vitamin b complex. Oatmeal is great for this and attempt to have a lower fat diet. Thats about the best advice I can give.

I am already doing all that stuff you mentioned... AND hoping for the best !
personally i attribute some of the hairloss to the bad hygiene (never washed hair after a work out for 2+ years) :cry: