I’m a 61 year old male and began using Provillus treatment about two years ago. The results were encouraging and after about four months, I felt lots of new hair growth all over my scalp, about 3/4″ long. Some if this fell out but enough continued to grow to make a real difference and I was happy with the result.

I continued using the product for about a year with no problems. Then I re-ordered the product gave me severe rash all over my scalp and hair in some of the really aggravated areas fell out or at least has stopped to grow. I queried the supplier about the product because of the rash and also because the viscosity of latest shipment was decidedly higher than the original. The advice was there was an improvement to the product which brought about the change in fluidity. Obviously this was the end for me using a scalp treatment (I experienced the same effect later with Rogaine)

Not wanting to take defeat just yet, I’m thinking about trying a laser comb. Do you have any advice for me? Thank you

It sounds like you have developed a skin allergy to the product. This can happen. Perhaps you’re allergic to an ingredient in the Provillus, particularly if you say they changed the product before you ordered another shipment. I really don’t have any way of knowing. You can try using regular minoxidil, which is the active ingredient in Provillus. Then again, minoxidil itself is known to cause skin irritation in some people (see side effects). It’s worth a shot, I suppose.

With respect to the LaserComb, it is our feeling that it does not work. We’ve written extensively on this subject. See those posts here.

After a year on Propecia, my hair loss has slowed to the point that its virtually noticeable. My hope is that my hair loss will incur very slowly over time, thus losing my hair on a more age appropriate time-line. Losing my hair now, at such a young age, will probably bother me more than losing hair 10 years from now.

The only side effect I experience is increased tear production. When I am having an emotional dialog, my tear ducts are more active. This has been a very strange experience! Even so, my Doctor is unsure whether or not Propecia is the cause. The problem is not nearly severe enough for me to consider stopping the medication. Overall, Propecia has been working great!

I would challenge your first paragraph, as men of all ages are impacted by hair loss… and no one likes to look older because of balding.

I am not familiar with tearing problems from Propecia. I don’t recall ever reading any report of this or having any patient mention it. I’d check with an eye doctor.

I would like to share my experience with latisse. I am 27. I am prone to balding as we have the genes in our family (father, uncle, and grandfather are bald!). However, I have not experienced any balding since I use propecia regularly (only a half a pill every day or every other day) and also use latisse on my scalp every other 2 days. My hair is thick, dark, youthful, and excellent. My hairline is still practically a juvenile hairline and rests at the upper crest of my brow. These combo of meds (propecia + latisse) seem to be protecting my juvenile hairline even into my late 20s.

Most people in their late 20s are unable to retain a youthful hairline. I started using propecia at only 22, and have added bimatoprost in at 27 years of age. I also use the latisse on my eyebrows every once in a while for the heck of it and my eyebrows are thick and dark as well. I have had absolutely no side effects from the latisse other than my hair becoming darker. It may be a cure/preventative measure to gray hair possibly.

Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you started on Propecia as a preventive treatment not for obvious balding (which I don’t generally recommend) and then added Latisse just for kicks years later. Since there are two medications in use, it would be difficult to pinpoint which of them (or perhaps both) are keeping your hairline intact. It could be possible that the MPB gene skipped you altogether, as it can skip generations. I’m not sure why you’d think Latisse could cure of prevent gray hair, as you’re not likely to see a lot of gray hairs anyway at 27 years old…

But this is interesting, and I do appreciate your 2 cents. If these treatments are working for you and the costs can be afforded, it is tempting to ponder a more extensive study, which I hope is already underway. I am happy that you’re not seeing any side effects. I hope you’re meeting with your prescribing doctor to keep track of your progress, particularly with using Latisse on your scalp, which I’d classify as experimental at this point.

Hello Doctor,

Firstly I’d like to thank you very much for maintaining such a very informative blog.

I have read that in cases where 1mg finasteride has lost its “effectiveness” in patients over the years you have prescribed 2mg instead of avodart. In the majority of these cases do you see a halt to hair loss, or no change from 1mg. Thanks for your time.

I haven’t seen much difference in results for those men that take 2mg finasteride from the start compared to those that take the recommended 1mg. I’m still not clear if it helps to take 2mg when 1mg seems to not be as effective as it once was (generally after years of taking it). I occasionally do advocate the double dose for those situations, but there isn’t actual evidence that this helps. There’s been only a small handful of patients that I’ve recommended this to within the past year, too soon to get a follow-up. In other words, there is no objective data on the results of changing the dose.

Snippet from the article:

On May 25, 2007, Kevin Xu logged into his Gmail account and found a startling message from a man who could have been his biggest client.

From an office suite on the 28th floor of the Plaza Royale in Beijing, the baby-faced businessman had gone from selling shark cartilage and penicillin to Chinese hospitals and clinics to cashing in on the high-profit margins of the European and—he hoped—US pharmaceutical markets. Xu kept a list of 29 brand-name drugs he could deliver at cut-rate prices, from the baldness remedy Propecia to lifesavers like the antileukemia drug Gleevec.

Read the full article — TheScientist.com – The Counterfeiter

The article goes on to show how Kevin Xu was ultimately caught and convicted, but also delves into the fake pharmaceutical business. The rate of drug counterfeiting has gone up substantially in the past few years, and just goes to show how this stuff is more widespread than most believe. A fascinating read! Thanks to the reader that sent me the link!