Hair Transplant after minoxidil & finasteride use?

[softsoapjones]

Ok, I've been riding the finasteride/minoxidil wagon for about a month and a half now, and I'm thinking that there is only a realistic amount of hair that I could grow back at the maximum (obviously), so...

If eventually (say 1-2 years) my hair density, thickness, and loss itself all *stabilize*, then is it alright for me to get a hair transplant, and afterwards, will I need to keep on propecia AND minoxidil after the hair transplant to keep ALL the hair I've gotten back?

I'm asking because minoxidil makes my hair look like crap, and if I dropped $$$ on a hair transplant I don't know if it's worth having sh*tty looking hair after that as well. What's your verdit on all this?

TO CLARIFY: I mean, do I need to continue minoxidil/finasteride use to save the hair that I had stabilized from before the hair transplant (as in NOT the hair transplant hair)?

 

[try2beme22]

you don't need to take anything after u get a hair transplant... it won't falll out

 

[softsoapjones]

I think you misunderstood my question - I mean, do I need to continue minoxidil/finasteride use to save the hair that I had stabilized from before the hair transplant (as in NOT the hair transplant hair)?

 

[Guest]

Softsoapjones,

The answer is an emphatical YES. To my knowledge when taking finasteride beyond the inhibition period, the drug functions as a "specific hormone inhibitor". Many of us lay folks refer to it as a DHT blocker. Remember, you're losing your hair attributed to a genetic predisposition from conception. That will never change. So if you stop taking finasteride, you will again begin to lose the natural hair adversely affected by DHT.

The same goes for minoxidil which to my knowledge does not inhibit DHT, but can in fact prolong the anagen (growth) phase and shorten the telogen (resting) phase. If you quit applying it, you will undoubtedly lose any gain you had going. Both medications have the potential to re-grow some of the natural hair back but that is real hit and miss amoung those who use them.

So let's say you have a hair transplant procedure within a defined surface area surrounded by natural hair subject to DHT. If you stop your meds, the loss from male pattern baldness will continue and you will be left with islands of transplanted hair with nothing around them. :freaked: Hope this has been helpful. :wink:

 

[global]

Yup, what Gillenator said, if you really want to stop minoxidil stop it at least 6 months before going for a transplant then you can replace any minoxidil maintained hairs with transplanted hairs.