If Propecia Takes Months to Start Working, Why Did My Loss Stop After Only a Month?

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I’ve now been on Propecia for a little over a month and a half and it appears that I’ve noticed a slow down in shedding since before I started taking it. I know that on average we lose 50/150 hairs a day and I’m positive that I don’t notice all of the hairs that I lose over the course of the day (that would be impossible), but I am almost certain I’m not losing 100 a day, and it appears I’m shedding much less than before.

Is it pretty common for Propecia to start working noticeably a month and a half into treatment? I’ve read that it takes three months at least for it to start slowing down hair loss. I still have a pretty full head of hair (with some thinning at the crown and slight recession in the front. Not seeing as much hair shedding has me feeling really good that Propecia might work really well for me. Thank you, Dr!

Many people will report a reduction in shedding within the first month of taking the drug. I don’t know the hows or whys of it, but the medication doesn’t work exactly the same for everyone. In your case, it sounds like you’re seeing a positive result in a short amount of time. That’s good news!