I have fine hair and wondering if Propecia will help thicken it? I have a receding hairline but am not balding.

Question

My hair is not thinning badly....a tiny bit along the edge of my hairline but no crowning. My bigger issue is how fine and thin my hair is and if not propecia is there anything that will thicken it

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Propecia can work to thicken hair but it probably will not work on the hair line. See a doctor for an exam before starting any medication.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

If you have thinning hair you really need an evaluation to see if it is genetic or from another cause like stress or autoimmune.  If it is determined to be genetic there are many options and traditional treatments like rogaine foam and propecia pills can be used.  I have great success in my practice using injectable progesterone and prp to the scalp.  Postmenopausal women also benefit from spironolactone.  I suggest seeing a dermatologist with expertise in hair loss.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

Hairline changes can come from genetic hair loss and also from hairline maturation. Your dermatologist can help you figure out which one you have (or if you have both).If it turns out you have genetic hair loss, treatments are finasteride, minoxidil (both FDA approved) as well as low level laser and PRP.Finasteride is by far most effective. Speak to your dermatologist about options and how they compare.

Ryan Welter, MD · Answer

The double blinded trials which led to FDA approval of finasteride for use in hair loss used hair counts as a primary end point, but not hair thickness.  A later study did find an increase in hair weight for men using finasteride which might imply thicker hair.   I have included a web reference to this study below.

R. Stephen Mulholland, MD (retired) · Answer

Dear moveoverkenny,

Thank you for your clinical post.  This is a common complaint amongst male
patients of fine hair, which is thinning and some degree of recession.  In general, for males with this condition the
use of Finasteride also known as Propecia combined with vasodilatation in the
form of Minoxidil and low-level light therapy and plasma rich protein
injections with topical nutrient hair serums can provide some increased hair
density as well as moderate thickening of the hair.  If patients who are female and suffering from
diffuse thinning then the use of Minoxidil, Spironolactone and search for
non-genetic causes of thinning may be of some benefit.

It is extremely important that you seek out the expertise of
a hair loss physician most likely a dermatologist and in Toronto an excellent
source would be Dr. Donovan to ensure that you’re not a non-surgical candidate
for some of these non-surgical hair optimization techniques.

Diffuse thinning, recession and loss will ultimately result
in candidacy for hair transplantation and we have one of the largest
experiences of follicular unit extraction transplantation in Canada.  One of the advantages of this technique is
the absence of a linear scar at the back of the scalp with the use of robotic
and automated harvest techniques the donor site can be excellent.  However, you may never come to this point as
you may not recede or thin extensively enough and non-surgical techniques at
this point seem to be your best option.

I hope this information has been of some assistance and best
of luck.

For more information, please review the link below.

R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville, Toronto

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

Propecia will not make hair that is fine naturally, more coarse. If you have a receding hairline and you are a male, then you might be a candidate for a hair transplant if your hairline is moving higher than the normal mature hairline.

I have fine hair and wondering if Propecia will help thicken it? I have a receding hairline but am not balding.

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