My Doctor Prescribed Finasteride With Directions to Use for No Longer Than 9 Months

Dear sir,

I went to see a dermatologist yesterday about hair loss, and he prescribed Finasteride 1mg, Minoxidil, Nizoral shampoo and a vitamin called Betavite for six months, and asked to see him after 2 months for a review. When i asked about finasteride, he said that i will have to use it ONLY for 6 to 9 months and not longer than that. I was confused with all what i find in the internet that i have to use if forever. I asked him whether i have to use if forever, and he said NO.

I will go to him again to clarify, but in the mean time, appreciate if you could please give an opinion on this. Thanks.

When you get advice that you either don’t like or think is incorrect, then you should probe your doctor for more information. I don’t know where your doctor got the idea that finasteride shouldn’t be taken for more than 9 months.

Men that take finasteride shouldn’t stop taking it after X amount of months for any reason that I can imagine. Catch-up hair loss will occur sometime after stopping the medication — your hair loss will resume and catch up to the point where you would’ve been had you not taken the medication at all. In other words, finasteride should be a lifetime medication, or you’ll lose any benefits you saw (hair regrowth, hair loss halting). A member of my own family has been taking it now for 10 years without problems.