How Long Can Propecia Realistically Maintain My Hair?

Dear Dr Rassman

It is clear from many of your posts that you believe that although Propecia slows down hair loss in most men with male pattern baldness, it does not stop it and the balding will continue, albeit at a slower rate. I understand that no published data is available which would elucidate this matter and confirm that this is indeed the case. As you will appreciate, many young men with male pattern baldness (in their early twenties, say) would obviously like to know how long they can expect to retain/regrow hair in practice.

Since Propecia hasn’t been available for long enough it seems clear that this question cannot be answered conclusively (the same is, of course, true of any long-term side effects that may be associated with Propecia), but I was wondering if you had access to any figures or data of your own which would support the idea that Propecia only slows down the hair loss rather than stops it for as long as the drug is taken.

Yours sincerely

Your question is like asking how long you will live. Everyone is different. Some die young, some die old. So does hair.

I am a physician, not a fortune teller. Male pattern hair loss is a genetic issue and there is only so much medications can do for each and every individual. I don’t have actual statistical numbers of my own patients, but I have seen some patients hold on to their hair since the drug was introduced over a dozen years ago.