Finasteride Was Great for the First Few Months, Then I Started Shedding

Hi,

Dr. Rassman, i am on Finasteride treatment since 1 year. However im not happy with the result. Firstly, i saw that my hairs were darking so quickly in the first 3-4 months. i was happy and i was getting results from Finasteride. My hairs was really good and i was feeling that it gets better day by day. Then i had a shedding phase, i was shedding like crazy, then my hairs was less thicker after this shedding phase.

Then, My hairs came back until 8th month. yet i had another shedding phase during 8th month and i lost my hair density again. Then my hairs come back later but i shedded crazy again. i had my hairs shedding during shower,on my pillow, on my laptop. (1 cm or less length hairs)

i just finished my 12th month, with the shedding phase, (or shedding period) My hairs are worse than ever, after the last shedding phase which occured 1 month ago.

Should i give up on treatment or will my hairs will come back? or when they will come back? Thanks in advance Dr. Rassman.

You need to follow up with the doctor who prescribed you the medication. What you describe is very strange and I would hope the doctor you saw has some good objective notes, measurements, or photographs that he/she can use to validate your complaints.

The decision to stop or start Propecia (other any other medication) should be between you and your doctor.

In general, Propecia (finasteride) does not work the way you are describing. It usually takes 6 months to a year before you notice any effects. It does not “darken” your hair. The medication should not start and stop the shedding of hair in cycles like you’re describing. Many patients continue to lose some hair while taking Propecia, but the key point is that they lose a lot less hair than if they were not taking the medication at all.