Massive Hair Loss After Stopping Propecia

I wrote to you a few months ago and unfortunately my situation has worsened.
I have suffered a massive TE since discontinuing Propecia six months ago after six months of use.
I suffered intolerable sexual side-effects while using the drug.

Recently, the shedding has slowed a great deal but I have lost at least 50% of the density via diffuse thinning. And most troubling, ALL of my hair has become fine and wispy even the back and sides. It appears that all the follicles have miniaturized as a result of a hormonal backlash after abruptly stopping Propecia.

I am terrified that I am going to lose all of my hair. I am 46 and a diffusely thinned NW 2.

I really don’t know what to do.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

My quality of life is deteriorating, and my anxiety and stress are off the charts.

I often see men like yourself very upset when they come to my office after stopping Propecia. I always tell my patients that if they stop taking Propecia, they need to plan for ‘catch-up hair loss’, meaning that the time of taking the drug is wiped clean and the hair loss accelerates to where it would have been without the drug. There are other ways to deal with the negative sexual side effect than just stop taking Propecia (taking 1/2 pill per day works for many people). But the die is cast and you have lost your hair. You can try to take it at 1/2 pill per day and see if the side effect is still there.

One part of your information that troubles me is that you categorize yourself as a Norwood Class 2. There is an inconsistancy here between your statement “massive TE” which certainly does not make sense in a Norwood Class 2 patient. See a hair doctor in your area (use the physician search at ISHRS.org) and have your hair mapped for miniaturization so that it can be determined your true classification of hair loss, and so that hopefully a Master Plan can be made to help you along the way.