My Son Saw Total Regrowth After a Few Months on Propecia, So Was it the Drug?

Dear Dr. Rassman,
My eighteen year old son has been on propecia since march 2011 and has been using rogaine 5% since April 2011. He has had just about total regrowth starting with the month of June, his hairline is restored. The dermatologist was pretty sure it was MPB but left a stress issue on the table. My son had been through alot the past year. The Dr. never did any mapping etc. My question maybe he does not need the propecia, I don”t want to put him at any risk.

What do you recommend and is it unusual to have this success so quickly with these meds. Thank-you You are a voice of reason in all this confusion

I just answered a very similar question last week.

I have seen total regrowth (particularly in the hairline) on rare occasions, and when it occurs it usually happens in men under 22 years old or so. It’s been 5 months since he started on the medication, and although that does seem pretty quick to see so much success, it’s not improbable. Results can be seen anywhere from 3-12 months after starting Propecia. As this is a prescription drug, I’ll defer to the prescribing doctor as to whether or not your son needs the medication. He can always get a second opinion, of course.

Ideally, he will want to have a doctor who can check for miniaturization and hair bulk in a number of areas of the scalp to determine if he is balding. Hair transplant doctors know hair, so that would be a good place to start — not for surgery, but for the consultation. You can look for local doctors by using the physician search at ISHRS.org or if you’re planning to be in the Los Angeles area, he can see us.