Any Considerations for an 18 Year Old That Wants to Start Propecia?

My son has shown signs of balding from the age of 14/15. We have very successfully been using minoxidil, and he has just turned 18. We are about to start propecia and I would like to confirm that there are no additional considerations I need to take into account because of his age.

Many Thanks

Yes, you should have him visit a doctor who uses the HairCheck device, which is a bulk measurement tool for the hair. I believe that this is important, because it tells us where he started from, then in a year when the measurement is repeated it will tell us where he is going with his hair loss.

I have recently had two patients who had their hair bulk measured with us when they were 16 and 17 years old. One was stabilized on Propecia (finasteride) and the other showed a downhill course on his hair loss. That meant some important counseling needs to be considered if he has emotional problems resulting from balding before he turns 20.

In the case of your son, he is 18 years old and has completed puberty. If a young man was to start the drug at say 14 years old, I don’t know what the growth effects might be. I don’t believe that clear documentation is available to answer that question.