Started retaking finasteride and minoxidil 2 weeks ago but I'm still shedding. Why am I still losing hair?

Question

I stopped finasteride and minoxidil for three months in order to bank sperm. The results on the sperm were great (volume went up and the fragmentation went down) but the hair loss was imminent. I then restarted finasteride and minoxidil two weeks ago, but to my surprise, I'm still shedding hair--and lots of it! What can I do? Please help. I seriously don't want to go bald and want to regain what I lost. Should I switch medication or amp up the dosage? Please advise.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

The stoppage of hair loss in someone who restarts finasteride or minoxidil again (after using before) is something I call recapture. What happens after restarting is highly variable from patient to patient. Some stop their hair loss fast and others slow. Some people get alot of hair back and some do not. It takes a good 6-9 months to regain what you will regain. In other words, you will know in 6-9 months what density you will get back.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

There is no guarantee that once your stopped the drug finasteride and lost hair as a result of stopping it, that the benefits you had will return. Most people don't see a full return of the benefits after stopping it even if they go back on it

Started retaking finasteride and minoxidil 2 weeks ago but I'm still shedding. Why am I still losing hair?

Answers (2)