I Stopped Propecia and My Hair Fell Out — I Want It Back

Hello Dr. Rassman,
I have a question about using propecia. I am now 26 years old. I started noticing hair loss at about 22 years of age and started taking propecia at 23. I took propecia for about two years and it worked very well. My hair loss stopped completely and it appeared to me that I even experienced regrowth. I stopped taking propecia about one year ago. Since that time, I’ve lost a considerable amount of hair. I did not react well to my hair loss and so I have started taking the propecia again. I’m wondering how much, if any, of the hair I’ve lost in past year may return? Also, I’m interested in hanging on to every last hair in my forelock that I can. Is there any chance that adding minoxidil to my treatment could aid in maintaining my hairline while I wait for the propecia to take effect?

This is the classic thing I warn patients about. Propecia is a lifetime commitment, else balding is the consequence. You will most likely not regain all of what you lost since stopping the drug, though possibly some of it may come back. Holding on to what you have may be the thing you now need to focus on now. Any return of the hair will be a bonus. I hope that this message reaches anyone thinking about stopping their Propecia, even if they think it is not working (it most likely is working, at least in slowing or stopping the progressive loss).