You’re Losing Hair — What Do You Do Next?!

Im sure these are some basic questions you’ve answered before, so feel free to direct me to a previous answer. I’m 42, and my hair is starting to both thin and recede, It bothers me quite a bit.

1. you say very often get examined by a professional. where do i start? is this my regular doctor, or i need to go somewhere else.
2. What is the difference between rogaine and propecia, and who would be best to recommend what would make the most sense for me?

thanks very much for any help you can provide.

You should go to a good dermatologist with an interest in hair loss. Call his/her office to find out if they are the best one to treat you. Alternatively, you can see a hair transplant doctor (they have an obvious interest in hair), but don’t get yourself rushed into surgery. I see quite a number of men with problems like you describe.

There are huge differences between Rogaine (minoxidil) or Propecia (finasteride). For starters, Propecia is an oral prescription medication and Rogaine is a topical over-the-counter medication. They each have their own set of possible side effects and they both are currently the only FDA approved medications for treating hair loss. I usually recommend Propecia for early hair loss, but as it is a prescription medication, your doctor will be able to give you all the proper information about it. I wrote about this briefly before — “The two drugs work differently. Propecia is more predictable than minoxidil, but they could work together. I have seen hair come back with minoxidil, however I have seen more patients show great benefits from Propecia.”

For more, Wikipedia has good info about minoxidil and finasteride.

Please note: the above image is not an endorsement of child doctors.