Very Little Hair Loss By Age 40 — Is It Likely I’ll Be Safe from Further Hair Loss?

Dr Rassman,
In your clinical experience if a male is slightly less than a NW2 by his early 40’s and takes Propecia, would it be highly unlikely that he will become a NW3 or NW 4 by the time he reaches his early 50’s. In other words could he have late onset acceleration of balding like a young person in their early 20’s even if he is taking Propecia. My father started balding at 18 years old, yet his brother who is in his 70’s still has a full head of hair. I am just wondering if it is likely I will have a late onset acceleration of balding since I am noticing more diffuse thinning in the past few years which is the same time I started Propecia.

I do not recommend Propecia to men who are not losing hair, nor do I recommend Propecia to men who are worried that they may lose hair. I need to make a diagnosis of genetic male pattern balding before I consider recommending Propecia to my patients. So despite your family history and worries, I really do not know if you will bald or not as I have not examined you and made a diagnosis. Hair loss can start as early as puberty, but it can also start later in life well past your current age. If you are worried that this may happen to you, get your hair mapped out for miniaturization yearly.