Switching from Propecia to Rogaine....will I keep my hair?

[cobra2814]

I'm a 29 year old male who had started to see a receeding hairline develop around age 23-24. At age 26 I decided to start taking Propecia, and it worked quite well. I did not get any regrowth, but it did stop the hairloss in its tracks. I didn't have any loss on the crown of my head, just a hairline that had started to receed.

I want to make the switch to Rogaine from Propecia, due to a gradual but noticeable libido loss with the Propecia over time. I just want to make sure that using Rogaine (5% foam is what I bought) will keep the hair that I have that Propecia has allowed me to keep over the past few years.

Anyone has experience with this switch? Will I keep the hair I have? Grow any new hair? Lose some?

Any help and advice appreciated!

 

[OverMachoGrande]

They do not work the same way so NO you will not maintain. Propecia works by blocking DHT, Rogaine has no effect on DHT what so ever. Any hairs you kept or grew with Propecia will be lost if you quit.

 

[cobra2814]

I understand that Rogaine and Propecia work a different way, but I was hoping that the minoxodil in Rogaine would work to keep the hair Propecia allowed me to. Basically switching from finasteride to minoxodil to just maintain.

What's the point of Rogaine if it won't even let me keep the hair I have?

 

[OverMachoGrande]

Well I understand where you are coming from and I guess the only way to find out is to try it. I am not saying you won't grow new hair with minoxidil but I am just not sure if it would maintain Propecia grown hairs. The hairs you grew on Propecia were because you blocked DHT, when you quit, your DHT levels return to normal and those hair become vunerable again. They were lost originally because of DHT and minoxidil does nothing to lower DHT, again you may grow other new hairs going on minoxidil though. Just my thoughts on it but who knows, give it a shot.

 

[Cassin]

What's the point of Rogaine if it won't even let me keep the hair I have?

Unfortunately hair loss treatments individually are lacking....you must use a combo regimen.

 

[cobra2814]

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm going to use Nioxin along with the Rogaine and see how it goes. I never really grew back any hair when I started to take Propecia, it just stopped the receeding process. I am not a fan of how it affects body hormones, even though I know that's why it works so well.

I guess I'll give the Rogaine/Nioxin combo a try for a couple of months and see what happens.

 

[kento]

Like you get older the dht levels go up, that why lot of users report that rogaine "lose" it effect after 2-5 years of use. Even that happens to propecia thats why some people switch from propecia to avodat.