If Propecia Stops Working, Should I Stop Taking It?

Hello Dr. Rassman,

I am replying to the Aug 25 post about Propecia. If data suggests that after 5 years of usage, that patients return to where they were when the drug was started, am I wasting my $50+ a month on Propecia? I have been taking it since Spring 1998. I had 2000 grafts at NHI in Feb. 2004, but have been continuing Propecia to help keep what’s left on the top of my head. If Propecia stops working after 5 years, should I stop taking it? Thanks a lot! Love your Blog!!

No, no, no. Propecia (finasteride) does not just stop working after 5 years. Somehow I am not getting that message over to my readers. If you see no benefit from it and you stop it and lose your hair, then you will know that it was working. Unfortunately, Propecia is a drug that you must believe is working for you, if you use it. I believe that it always works on men, if not in retaining hair, at least in slowing the loss down. Stopping it brings you back to where you would have been had you never taken it. There is no guarantee that it will keep being as effective as it was the day you started it but some hair is better than no hair.