What to Do for a 21 Year Old Non-Responder to Propecia?

Hi Dr. Rassman, thanks again for your work here. I was wondering if you have ever encountered a young patient say, 21 years old, that did not respond to propecia. I have been on propecia for 8 months now and my thinning is becoming more evident. From my impression, you’ve held that propecia is most effective for the early stages I’m experiencing. Should I expect to see any difference between 8 months and a year (the full potential marker)?

I’m just really concerned propecia hasn’t slowed the process for me. Thanks for the help

I’ve been mentioning it a lot lately, but there is a genetic test that will determine just how good Propecia will be for you (see here). You can find a doctor in your area that carries the HairDX tests here.

I believe Propecia always works, but it could be a matter of degree. It should slow down the balding process, but the balding process could be aggressive. Generally you see the results in 1-2 years, but some indication of the benefits should be evident at this time. I would recommend getting baseline measurements for miniaturization and then get the genetic test. This combination of things should give you more insights with a good doctor at your side.