Whats the deal with these Propecia statistics?

[itsjustaphase]

Hey everyone,

I was hoping you could shed some light on this issue. Why are so many of us worried about the efficacy of propecia? With all these tests showing that 83% of men maintain or improve their hair in the crown and vertex and another study showing 70% have success with frontal hair loss (an article found somewhere on this site), and this was in a fairly large study, why do we not just accept that this drug will work just like other FDA approved drugs we take for other conditions?

Is it because the maintenance is not really all over the scalp but mostly in the areas they measured and thus we are still losing hair overall?

Is it because these statistics are flawed for some reason -- can't really imagine a scenario like that?

Or maybe its because people have unrealistic expectations and arent being objective about their progress?

I guess I am like everyone else. 3 Months on propecia and while I was told I would keep the hair I had from day 1 I am currently quite significantly worse off then when I started. I am tremendously optimistic and expect by year 1 to be at baseline at least, but I just dont understand what the story is with this drug and why these statistics just don't sit right.

Please share your opinions / views.

 

[itsjustaphase]

No thoughts on this?

Thanks.

 

[Fallout Boy]

im on month 6 and significantly worse off on the front of my hair then when i started ... but i dont think im going to get back to where i was when i started Propecia. if it even ends up working for me. i wouldnt be too optimistic .. not to bring you down or anything .. goodluck hope your propecia experience goes better than mine is !

 

[andy]

because the study id just bullshit i think,,look at this forum. many people isn't happy with propecia at all..i have just quit after six months, because my hair got so f*****g thin in just six months, and some other stuff the propecia did

 

[David77]

Well I'm coming up to a year and have only got worse. I suppose only people looking for answers will come to these sites, whilst those with success will get on with their lives, so the percentage of people with problems will be much higher. But it's still depressing.

 

[juststarting]

Well I'm coming up to a year and have only got worse. I suppose only people looking for answers will come to these sites, whilst those with success will get on with their lives, so the percentage of people with problems will be much higher. But it's still depressing.

Yep, you are 100% correct. A study population is the most important part of a study. This forum population is DEFINITELY not a proper population to ascertain true results. I read old posts of people who had success and they said they weren't coming around any more/that much since the treatments were working and they (as you said) "moved on to think about other things"

 

[mrlestat]

.
True and apart from those who've moved on there's the hundreds of thousands who buy these products - get a satisfactory result and get on with their lifes without ever visiting these forums..

If finasteride has a 20% failure rate for example it will be those 20% that search out sites like these looking for answers. That means theres thousands of people who never respond to these products as stated by the drug companies - the vocal minority...

Wishfull thinking maybe......................... or just logic..

 

[dylan00]

Propecia

I have been taking it for 2 years and I have noticed a HUGE change on the vertex, but for the frontal it has done nothing. I think all hope is lost when it comes to the frontal section unless you do surgery.