Rogaine is growing old hair line back but only on one side. Other side is still receding and thinning more. Why is this? Been on rogaine consistantly for 5 1/2 months and propecia for a year. Should I continue rogaine or stop? Do not want to lose anymore hair on that one side. Thanks

How are you sure it was the Rogaine (minoxidil) and not the Propecia (finasteride) that caused the regrowth? If you stop either treatment, you will probably lose what you gained, even if the benefits were only visible on the one side. It’s up to you whether you’re willing to risk it.

If you end up using both medications for at least 12 months and still don’t see a similar regrowth on the other side of your hairline, then a hair transplant may be the only solution for you.

Snippet from the article:

Whether you are young or old, man or woman, very healthy or quite sick, it is almost a certainty that you are going to use a prescription drug in the next year or two. These medicines are crucial for preventing diseases and treating all sorts of ailments and problems.

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Prescription drugs cost Americans far more than they do people living in many other parts of the world. The drug companies say it is because they have to pay back the R&D costs which is largely put on Americans. Many think that this is because drug companies spend a fortune on direct-to-consumer sales and marketing (which they don’t do in other countries) and because other nations negotiate better deals for drugs than private insurers do in the United States.

Read the rest at CNN — How Big Pharma rips you off on drugs

Hi Dr.Rassman,

What is your opinion on oral minoxidil (Loniten) regarding hair-regrowth and are you able to provide any information from your practice or any other doctor’s experience?

The original use of this drug in the 1960s was for hypertension (high blood pressure) and some patients may still take it for treating that. The side effect was the growth of hair on the body (everywhere and anywhere). For women, mustaches and chest hair would appear.

There may be dangerous side effects of dropping of blood pressure when taken in a non-clinically controlled or indicated circumstance. This is not a good drug for oral use to regrow hair. Stick to the topical.

Great blog! I frequent it periodically and have been following some useful advice you’ve given to your readers. It has helped me, so I thought I’d share my success story (thus far).

I’m 25, and began to notice thinning according to a Norwood 4 pattern around the age 22. No doubt it would progress further seeing my father and brother are a Norwood 6 – 7. I was in denial initially, but after reading your blog I came to terms with my fate and recognized treating the issue sooner would allow me to keep my current hair longer.

After talking with my doctor, I began finasteride 1mg. I didn’t notice any significant changes for quite some time. In fact, I continued to lose hair… for a while too. After about 9 months my hair began to look healthier but I never grew new hairs. Nevertheless, my hair appeared to improve according to my girlfriend and close friends.

I can confidently say my balding had drastically reduced, if not stopped for the time being. After 1.5 years on finasteride, I decided to throw Rogaine in the mix. I’ve been using Rogaine at my hairline now for 4 months (in conjunction with finasteride). Although not perfect, my hairline is much improved. Even with wet hair, you can only detect traces of my balding. I only hope the results continue to improve.

Good luck to everyone with the fight!

This is not an atypical story. The full value of finasteride may take up to two years to see… and adding minoxidil does work in some men, as you have clearly stated here.

Thanks for sending in your story and I hope you have continued success!

Hello. Has Merck’s drug patent on Propecia expired yet? If so, where is the competition and why the medication price hasn’t dropped?

All the best

There’s a 6 month exclusivity window for Dr Reddy’s to sell their generic (starting in January 2013). After that, I believe other generics can be sold in US pharmacies and you’ll possibly see prices come down.