Taking Propecia for Non-MPB Hair Loss

I have a question about Propecia. In my country (China), a generic is available OTC without a prescription. While we do have clinics specializing in hair loss, virtually all the doctors just push clients to do expensive and dangerous grafts, even when it’s not needed. I have had considerably thinning at the front of my hairline the last three years, and really up onto the crown. My temples aren’t too affected, so I have a hard time seeing myself matching a Norwood too clearly, but my dad is mostly bald on top. I also have dense body hair, which I’ve read is usually caused by the same chemical causing hair loss.

It seems likely this is DHT-caused, and I would like to start taking Propecia. I just have one question: if I am wrong, my hair loss has another cause, and it’s not MPB, it will obviously continue regardless of Propecia. Would quitting Propecia if this turns out to be true cause any kind of “shock loss” that I may not have gone through otherwise? I know if Propecia is helping you out and you quit it, nature comes back to get you with a vengeance, but what if you’re taking it and your loss isn’t being caused by DHT?

Just something I’ve been curious about.

These are important questions. First of all, Propecia (finasteride) at the 1mg dose adequately slows down hair loss in all men undergoing genetic hair loss. I am firm about this opinion so if you are thinning, then finasteride is a critical correct step in the process. If you stop taking it, you develop what I call catch-up hair loss, which means that all of the benefits will be reverse from the day you started to take the drug. The drug must be maintained for your lifetime to hold any benefits that it brings. Even with the drug, it may not stop the hair loss, so hair transplants may be the right solution. In my opinion, it is wrong to undergo a hair transplant without taking finasteride if you are under the age of 35-40. For those people who are taking finasteride without balding of thinning, stopping it after they start it will have no effect on normal hair.