Taking propecia but dont really NEED to. Opinions?

[wendal]

I am 32 years old and I have always had a full head of hair. Although I started receding a little on the sides. Most would probably call it a 'mature hairline'. Even though I have never suffered male pattern baldness, I have always been paranoid that one day I may start losing my hair. Ever since my early twenties I worried about this. So about a year ago I saw my dermatologist for an examination. She said she saw no signs of thinning at all. I told her I wanted to get on propecia to "ease the worrying". She said I did not necessarily need it, but she'd write me a prescription if I really wanted it.

A year later, I can honestly say I am now stress free. No more putting my scalp underneath a microscope or hour long examinations looking into the mirror every day. I simply take my pill once a day and dont really think about it any longer.

Do you think I have made the right choice? I suffer no side effects at all. Still have no problem masturbating twice a day. It's a little costly, but to me it's simply insurance on keeping my hair. Just like monthly insurance on a car.

Good investment or waste of my hard earned?

 

[Hammer87]

I'm no expert so this is just a layman's opinion. But I'd say it's a definate waste, here's why.

-Expensive
-You're not balding yet, and balding is not over night, it would probably be noticeable to you years before it's noticeable to others which would be when you could start treatment when if you wanted.
-Possible side effects.
-You're already at an age where it's socially 'acceptable' to be balding, by the time you are balding, possibly 10-20 years in the future you may not even care about hairloss.

BUT also

From what I've read, Propecia only has affectiveness for up to and around 10 years, often less. If you take it now when you don't need it, it may have no affect on you if you do need it in the future (I have no medical knowledge or this, just logic so anyone feel free to tell me different).


Money may be better spent on treating your atrichophobia :mrgreen:

 

[die_hard]

I disagree with hammer. Finasteride is more a maintenence drug than a regrowth drug and if the hariline is maturing ar 32 then it likely could be male pattern baldness starting. With those two basic points I would say it's well worth it...I mean, my wait until it starts to get noticeable when the idea of the drug is to keep your hair?

 

[Hammer87]

Well....yeh if he is balding he can take it. I was working on the presumption that he wasn't. finasteride really isn't a drug you want to take unnecessarily in my opinion. - I wouldn't treat it like 'insurance'. If you were to do that, there are far better drugs to take as 'insurance', ones that may save your life one day.

My worry be be that by the time he actually needs it, it won't work.