I'm beautiful. Not sure if I'm ready to be bald and beautiful yet though.

[SBG Math Guy]

I can't remember where exactly I found this, in Europe it was finally concluded recently that some side effects of propecia are PERMANENT (like impotence).  You might fool yourself into believing that once you stop taking such sh*t your body will go back to normal.  Sorry, it's not that easy my friend.  A powerful drug like that has irreversable side effects.  One day when enough men have been ......by that drug permanently then the FDA and blablabla will come out saying side effects are permanent.  Remember, that's how it works with drugs. 

If you think the people on propeciasideeffects have unreliable stories, I challenge you to find a forum or a group of individiuals who are enjoying life while taking propecia for at least 5 years.  Please do,  find me some guys who are happy with it after 5 to 10 years and then we will talk. 

Guess what? You won't!!! 

Well, I wouldn't consider Wikipedia and an internet forum the most trustworthy sources of information on propecia.  And with regards to propeciasideeffects.com, I due believe that some men have problems with propecia, but that is a very small percent of men.  And even then, almost all men who have side effects and then stop taking it, the side effects go away.

I would bet a majority of the men on propeciasideefeffect.com suffer from the placebo effect and are freaking out. Millions of men take propecia, it works, and they are healthy.  Again, taking any drug has its risks and propecia is no different.   

The last thing I will say about this issue is this: you can trust science or you can trust anecdotal stories and internet pseudo-scientists.  Your call.     

[Jack21]

I took that crap for 4 years It did nothing for my hair loss. Maybe it slowed it my a few nanoseconds idk. I was perfectly normal as a man for that time period, though. If I remember correctly I was actually taking a drug that promotes prostate health - finesteride? My father is a physician and he is generally ridiculously cautious about medications. He HATES medications unless absolutely necessary. He was the one who wrote me the prescription - a few years ago that was still OK. Now writing scripts for family members is a huge legal no-no. I am not holding my father up as a paragon of medical wisdom, but it would be very unusual for him to ok a drug that worried him in the least. I mean he gets on my case if I take 3 tylenol tabs rather than two.

[Jack21]

OK. I checked with my father. Apparently the prostate undergoes a phase of growth in the mid 20's. Finesteride inhibits the conversion of Testosterone to DHT. Many studies point to DHT as a cause of prostate growth both in males in their mid 20's and in their 50's (the next phase of prostate growth). DHT of course also plays a central role in androgenic alopecia. Anyone taking prostate medication is taking a drug either very similar or identical in chemical composition to propecia.

[RyanJP]

Propecia is not "poison" anymore that ibuprofen, birth control or any other drug.  All drugs alter your blood chemistry to some degree and all drugs have side effects.  Propecia is a heavily researched drug and multiple studies show it is an effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia with minimal side effects in the MAJORITY of people.  Multiple randomized double blind, placebo controlled trials (i.e., the "gold standard" in science) have been carried out on propecia, and time after time, 98% of men who take it experience no side effects.

I call Bull$!@#, is this anecdotal or are you citing studies.

[Stormin Norm]

Horse potions and pills cost a bundle and don't work.  Save the money to spend on chics or whatever.  False hope given by greedy companies.

I know that have MPB at an early age isn't fun but go sly and see how you like it.  Sure, people will take notice and make comments initially but these will cease.  Good people will accept you for who you are, not for your hair.  Those that don't............................screw em.

[Jack21]

To my mind it doesn't really matter whether the side effects of propecia are minimal, slight, or terrible. The point is that it is just another way of wrestling with the inevitable. It can slow balding in some men. It does not reverse hair loss. Like plugs or rugs it is just another part of the multi-million dollar "hair restoration" industry, an industry that preys on the insecurities of balding men and tells them that in order to be "normal" or attractive they must do x, y, and z and pay top dollar for the products and services.

The basic drug is designed to slow prostate enlargement which is a real medical condition that many men in their 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond have to contend with and from what I understand can be anything from an inconvenience to a serious, painful medical condition. They designed a drug to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT (without which the process of prostate growth cannot take place). It just so happens that the drug also slows balding in some men.

Propecia is not "poison" anymore that ibuprofen, birth control or any other drug.  All drugs alter your blood chemistry to some degree and all drugs have side effects.  Propecia is a heavily researched drug and multiple studies show it is an effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia with minimal side effects in the MAJORITY of people.  Multiple randomized double blind, placebo controlled trials (i.e., the "gold standard" in science) have been carried out on propecia, and time after time, 98% of men who take it experience no side effects.

I call Bull$!@#, is this anecdotal or are you citing studies.

[xnewyawka]

Propecia is not "poison" anymore that ibuprofen, birth control or any other drug.  All drugs alter your blood chemistry to some degree and all drugs have side effects.  Propecia is a heavily researched drug and multiple studies show it is an effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia with minimal side effects in the MAJORITY of people.  Multiple randomized double blind, placebo controlled trials (i.e., the "gold standard" in science) have been carried out on propecia, and time after time, 98% of men who take it experience no side effects.

I call Bull$!@#

I second that, are you kidding me?!

[MikeBrke]

Propecia is not "poison" anymore that ibuprofen, birth control or any other drug.  All drugs alter your blood chemistry to some degree and all drugs have side effects.  Propecia is a heavily researched drug and multiple studies show it is an effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia with minimal side effects in the MAJORITY of people.  Multiple randomized double blind, placebo controlled trials (i.e., the "gold standard" in science) have been carried out on propecia, and time after time, 98% of men who take it experience no side effects.

I call Bull$!@#, is this anecdotal or are you citing studies.

You can "call" bullshit all you want, but the science on finasteride is thorough.  So a person can trust your non-falsifiable claims (because they are based on nothing more than internet forums and gut feelings) that finasterdie is bullshit or a person can trust scientifically peer reviewed gold standard research studies (which are falsifiable).  I am going with science.

It is not difficult to type "finasteride" into google scholar and read a few of the key articles. Review them for yourself and make your own conclusions.  But I have a strong feeling no matter what science says, you will still say it is "bullshit" and it is a conspiracy by the drug companies.  Because drug companies are headed by evil people who could care less about people's health, are unregulated by the government and only want to make money.....I hope you picked up on my sarcasm.

Again, finasteride does cause side effects, but according to all available research that has been done on the drug through highly regarded research designs, only about 2% of men experience side effects.

On a side note: besides hair loss, millions of men take finasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia and are greatly benefited by the drug.  Also, emerging research suggests that finasteride may help prevent some types of prostate cancer.  But finasteride is bullshit and no one should take that poison...

[xnewyawka]

If it helps with BPH and other prostate troubles, then that's great and I'm all for it.
As far as growing hair on your head: Bull$%@#! 

[Jack21]

I think it was designed for BPH. The hair thing they just stumbled on. idk. As far as growing hair on your head, I can tell you first hand that it is bullshit. Hey maybe it kept my prostate healthy, but other than that nada.

If it helps with BPH and other prostate troubles, then that's great and I'm all for it.
As far as growing hair on your head: Bull$%@#! 

[jj999]

Ok, I took the drugs propecia, avodart...
Just do some reading on what DHT does. It is important. Very Important. If you can face your fears at your age and skip the drugs you are ahead of the game.

I remember I chased this beautiful girl for so long. I thought my hair loss had something to do with it. Next tihng I know shes with a sly bald guy. Coolest guy ever, always smiling, joking around, cool job as a firefighter...he's been sly since highschool.

Im young too. I know how it feels. My honest advice is to stay off the drugs... Work and focus on other things in your life (SCHOOL) and good things will come. I've been trying to take my own advice.

[Noodles]

Ok, I took the drugs propecia, avodart...
Just do some reading on what DHT does. It is important. Very Important. If you can face your fears at your age and skip the drugs you are ahead of the game.

I remember I chased this beautiful girl for so long. I thought my hair loss had something to do with it. Next tihng I know shes with a sly bald guy. Coolest guy ever, always smiling, joking around, cool job as a firefighter...he's been sly since highschool.

Im young too. I know how it feels. My honest advice is to stay off the drugs... Work and focus on other things in your life (SCHOOL) and good things will come. I've been trying to take my own advice.

Life is funny that way. Sometimes the things we strive to fight against and interupt the cycle as best as we can (like hair loss) is the one thing that the object of our desires may find to be very "desirable" in their own object of desires (guy going sly)!!  Goes to show ya' that ya' just never know....

That's why they call it "LIFE" because POOP HAPPENS!!

BEST ADVICE is as mentioned - to stay away from the drugs. IMO, that can only lead to worse problems.. maybe not at first, but possibly down the road. Hair loss could then become the LEAST of your problems!!

Why take chances with your health??   Look how many RECALLS there are are products that first hit the market as being "TOTALLY SAFE with NO SIDE EFFECTS".... 

- Cap'n Noodles -