Am I Just Wasting Time with Hair Loss Medications in My 50s?

Doctor

What do you suggest for a man in his 50’s with thinning in the crown, but otherwise a good head of hair? I can cover the thinning with a small amount of toppix. I started propecia a few months ago and noticed less hair in the sink but much increased shedding in the crown in the last month. At my age am I wasting my time with medication and just get a transplant or wait it out and see what happens with propecia?

Though I don’t have a frontal receding problem now I assume I may have one in a few years following my brother and father. Will a crown transplant limit my donor area for future transplants if I need them?

I know hair loss in your 50’s is unusual, but its in the family. I’m just a late bloomer. Thanks

At this point it in order to see the benefits of Propecia you have to be patient and wait at least 8 months to see if it is helping or if it is at least keeping you from losing more hair. I would not stop the medication after only a few months treatment. I would recommend you get a miniaturization study and then before you do stop the medication, follow up to see if there are clinically evident positive results from the finasteride. Remember, everyone has a limited supply of permanent (donor) hair. If you have a transplant to the crown area you will limit any donor hair that you have for future transplants. Although I would suspect if you have not had any frontal hair loss at your age, you maybe a Norwood Class vertex variant.

A good friend of mine (age 77) went on finasteride for his prostate, and his crown area (which was almost completely bald) regrew a good amount of hair. We see late balders as well, so someone of your age could start balding late in life and still get a great benefit from this drug.