hello;

I am taking Propecia along with Rogain. I just bought a new product called doctor lewenberg’s formula. it is 2% minoxidil with 0.025% tretinoin (retin-a). Will this product work better than monoxidil alone? also, I am using propecia and would like to stop because I believe it is effecting my sex life. Low ejaculate folume is my proplem. Do you think that stopping the propcia will help with that problem and do you think that the new minoxidil formular is better than minoxidil alone/ thank you.

I receive questions like this almost everyday. I often find it amazing and humorous since people purchased these shampoos/formulas for treating their hair loss and yet then they ask me if the various products actually work. Sometimes these products are so overpriced and people are still hoping against hope that these will be the magical cure they are looking for.

I looked into pricing for Dr. Lewenberg’s Formula, and their site says, “You will not achieve regrowth unless you use 10 bottles over 3 month period.” The “original formula” will set you back $300 for 10 bottles, while their “new and improved” stuff costs $350 for 10 bottles. Yes, it is priced higher than Propecia (an FDA approved and proven medication), yet apparently some people still buy this.

Retin-A produces irritation of the skin, a sort of light burn which is thought to increases the circulation as the body tries to repair the burn. As a result, it is theorized that blood supply to the scalp increases and any medications such as minoxidil (which is in Lewenberg’s formula) gets better absorbed. There is no firm conclusion on burn effect / increased circulation with Retin-A and I would rather use a higher concentration of the generic minoxidil (5%) and even Rogaine Foam 5%, which also has better absorption.

If you are having side effects from Propecia, you need to discuss it with your doctor that prescribed you the medication. In my opinion, Propecia is the best medical option for men with androgenic alopecia.

As I’ve often said, “It is a buyer beware market“. Just remember, there is no proof that any of these products really work (besides minoxidil and finasteride). For more about Dr. Lewenberg’s Formula, see Hair Loss Help – User Reviews.

I recently saw an ad for “Revita” shampoo that claims to help regrow hair by blocking DHT. What is your opinion of shampoos like this that have supposed hair growing features? Can it be used together with Propecia (which I have been on for 8 months), or would that be overkill?

There are no topical products that block DHT for the treatment of male pattern hair loss in the same way something like finasteride or even dutasteride can. Propecia (finasteride) blocks DHT, but if you put that in a shampoo it will not work, because it will not get down to the growth center of the hair follicles which is at least 3mm below the skin surface. You can claim anything to sell a product and as stated many times here, “It is a buyer beware market”.

I was wondering if you have your hair dyed (darker shade), would minoxidil affect the hair coloring. I know some people say dandruff shampoos affect hair that has been dyed. I already use Propecia, but I was told that maybe a combination of Propecia and Rogaine (minoxidil) might help more. The problem was that the minoxidil generic liquid (i’ve seen you say the Rogaine foam may be less irritating), it seems to cause itching (have been losing some hair from it “shedding”, i guess, but hasn’t been a full two months, as you stated sometimes may last, ie. “shedding” from minox). I’ve already been on Propecia for over a year, but thought would try minoxidil again, but the itching makes wish to use anti-itch dandruff shampoos (but I swear they alter the dyed hair color, and tend to make it more orange, lol, like Brad Pitt’s),to be one of the largest databases and referrence sites, you’re a geni I thought maybe if I tried the minox again without the dandruff shampoo (since scalp already dry) and maybe a more oil-based conditioner might help dryness itching. Also besides whether the minox alters dyed hair color, I was wondering if the itching itself was bad (it is not severe itching and tolerable), would just having mild itching be enough irritation in itself to cause hair loss? Both me and Brad Pitt would like an answer to these questions if possible, lol, couldn’t find anywhere on internet mention of hair dye color affected by minoxidil.

Well thanks for any info or help, this site is great, you’re a saint, I’m sure eventually this is going us!

Your question is a bit confusing, so I’ll break my answer down into a few key points —

1. If minoxidil is causing your scalp to itch, then using dandruff shampoo will not solve the problem. Minoxidil can cause skin irritation in some people. Dandruff can be made worse if you have an allergy to minoxidil.
2. If you have irritation and itching of your scalp, perhaps you have a scalp/skin problem (such as psoriasis, head lice, ringworm, etc) or sensitive to chemicals (such as hair dye or minoxidil or any other products you put in your hair). You should see a dermatologist for this.
3. Minoxidil in combination with Propecia may have a slight advantage over using one product alone.
4. Dying your hair has nothing to do with the impact of either of these drugs (or vice versa).
5. Minoxidil should not affect the color of your hair or hair dye.

I am from Boston. I am 25 years old. I have been taking propecia for roughly 4 years. The side effects started bothering me so my doctor told me to get off of it. Everytime I try to get back on it my body does not tolerate it. Since being off of the drug my hairloss has rapidly begun again. Just sitting at work today there were tons of hairs all around me. It is very scary to start losing hair this fast. I can actually feel the hairs falling on my face. I have been doing some internet research and it looks spencer david kobren gave revivogen a thumbs up. I was also noticing procerin and provillus got excellent reviews. What are some alternatives to inhibit DHT besides propecia or to stop the hair loss for that matter. Now that I am not tolerating propecia am I destined to lose my hair quickly. I truly appreciate your help.

Reading reviews online is a good first step, but take everything you read with a grain of salt. It is good to be wary and to not just believe marketing hype and slick graphics that make claims to work without any scientific proof to back it up. Trusting your source is critical, as there are many fake reviews out there made by the sellers of various products to try to convince you to fork over your cash.

I only know for sure that finasteride, dutasteride, and minoxidil work (though only finasteride and minoxidil are FDA approved for treating hair loss — dutasteride is in clinical trials). Dutasteride may produce even more side effects than finasteride (Propecia), so I believe you do have a problem and an uncertain hair loss future. I, like many others, am awaiting the results of the FDA dutasteride trials for hair loss treatment.