Propecia and Minoxidil Combo Questions

I am a 26 year old male who is experiencing early signs of balding on the crown and around the vertex. I have been to a trichologist who suggests that I use a combination of propecia and minoxidil to try to stabilse and hopefully regrow some hair. My question is; if I stop using one of these hair loss treatments would my hair loss accelerate quicker than if I never took them? Would you recommend a combination of the two drugs? Does stopping one have more of an effect that the other? And finally, what can I expect from this sort of treatment and if it is successful how long can I maintain my hair at its current stage? Many thanks

For a 26 year old, I do not recommend the use of both Propecia (finasteride) and minoxidil for the following reasons:

1. Propecia goes to the root of the problem (assuming genetic hair loss is present).
2. Minoxidil confuses the situation and does build dependence if there are benefits from it.
3. If you stop taking minoxidil and there is dependence, you only know by stopping it (bad way to find out).
4. In most young men, minoxidil is of little help.
5. I recommend minoxidil only after Propecia fails to work to meet the expectations of the patient. The incremental value of minoxidil will be seen 8 months after starting it, so at the least you will know if it is working.

If you stop minoxidil or Propecia, you will not lose more hair that you would have normally lost without having taken it in the first place. Lastly, I can not tell you what will happen to you from an email inquiry like this.