Q: I know that Propecia works in only about half of patients. Are younger people more likely to be helped by this medication?

A: The main studies by Merck looked at men between the ages of 18 and 41. The five year data (which, in my view, is most important) showed that 48% of men had an increase in hair growth and 42% had no change over baseline. Thus a full 90% held on to their hair or had more over a 5-year period. This compares very favorably to the placebo group where 75% lost hair over the 5-year period.

Q: I heard that Rogaine only works on the crown and not on the front or top of the scalp. Is this true? A: Rogaine (Minoxidil) has the potential to work where ever there is miniaturized hair, either the front, top or crown (however, it will not work in areas that are completely devoid of [...]

Q: A friend of mine is taking Finpecia, is this the same as Propecia? A: Both Propecia and Finpecia contain the active ingredient Finasteride 1mg. Finpecia is manufactured in India by the company Cipla. It comes in packets of 10. Finpecia contains the same chemical ingredient as Propecia, i.e. 1mg of Finasteride, but it is [...]

Q: I heard that Propecia was being used originally for shrinking the prostate, is this true? A: Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is not a prostate medication that was serendipitously noted to have a side effect of re-growing hair, it is a medication that was known all along that it might be able to slow hair loss [...]

Q: I am not yet ready for a hair transplant but am considering Propecia. What is your opinion on the “optimal dose”? I know Merck recommends 1 mg, but could I get away with taking less? Or would I get a better result by taking more (2-3 mgs)? A: You may get away with 0.5 [...]