If I restart taking Propecia after a 5-month gap, will it affect my transplanted hair? Will it cause any shedding?

If you stop taking finasteride you will lose its benefits over 3 to 6 months. This is called "catch up hair loss". Restarting finateride will not bring you up to your initial state.  It is best to discuss these issues with your doctor.

Vasiliskrin21,Starting propecia should stabilize the hair in the pattern that you inherited from continuing to undergo progressive thinning. This is usually apparent within about 2 months, then after 6 months there is the potential re-growth of the finer miniaturized hairs especially in the crown area. Most patients, 9/10 slow or stop the progression.Sincerely,Bernardino Arocha, MD

While there are reports of some shedding with starting Propecia, this is not something that I have seen in my patients. Overall, Propecia should at its worst have no effect on hair loss, and this may explain those patients that notice an initial shedding effect (they are simply continuing to lose hair that would have fallen out anyway). At best, patients will notice a cessation of hair loss or even an increase in hair mass while on Propecia consistently for 6-12 months. As always, a visit with a fellowship-trained hair restoration surgeon is recommended.Best,

If you had initial shedding the first time you started using it I would expect you to again have some initial shedding- however, you may be lucky and not have any this time around. Just like how Propecia primarily helps areas with natural hair from losing any more hair, any initial shedding would also only happen in those areas.

Restarting Propecia will not cause any problems or shedding.  In fact you should start to see less shedding of your non transplanted hair after a month or two.  Your transplants are not affected.  Also, look into Costco for your Propecia/finasteride.  The cost is much lower there.

Finasteride never impacts normal hair or transplanted hair as this hair is immune from balding and DHT