Last Updated on August 18, 2023 by Robert Price
So I recently received several Propecia-related questions and comments.
One reader, Kaan from Turkey, was puzzled by my ever “evolving” opinions on the medication. I can’t say that I necessarily blame him!
I’ll post his email and my response which will hopefully clarify my current thoughts on Propecia. The million dollar question (Is Propecia Worth the Risk?) is still an unknown at this juncture, in my view — and a question you’ll ultimately have to answer for yourself.
I wrote my op-eds in an attempt to illuminate my own struggles and conflicts as I’ve thoroughly researched Propecia, and I believe chronicling my journey and personal viewpoints may be helpful to others who are weighing the potential risks and rewards of taking Propecia as we speak.
Maybe you’re on a similar journey as me! And perhaps I can expedite your decision-making process and help you sleep a little better at night — that’s sort of the goal here.
Some men (countless men, actually) wait for years to start Propecia and end up regretting it later. Others regret getting started on it in the first place and feel stuck, knowing they’ll need to take it forever essentially if they want to keep their hair.
For what it’s worth, I’ve spent probably close to 80 hours reviewing this drug, its side effects, studies, and benefits. I’ve looked at plenty of horror stories, too. Hopefully this will help you on your quest for knowledge, perspective, and peace of mind as you consider adding Propecia to your own treatment regimen. Anyway, here’s the exchange.
Original Email
Hi there , I am Kaan from Turkey. I used Propecia for almost 7 years. I didn’t face any side effects during this period and also I gained my hair back. What I am wondering is this: I read your 2 different op-ed articles published in October and December 2016, respectively, and I am little bit confused about your point of view.
Personally, I stopped using Propecia last year and finasteride free more than 1.5 years and I realized my hair loss getting back again. I am planning to start again, but as you mentioned, I guess I am under the influence of internet reviews and nocebo effects. In the article “A Long, Hard and Honest Look at Propecia, ” I got the impression that using Propecia would be ok, but on the other hand, you highlighted complete different point of view about Propecia in your post entitled, “Why I Changed My Position on Propecia.” Thanks for your attention.
My Response
Hi Kaan,
Thanks for your question. I will almost certainly address this in a more extended blog post in the near future, so stay tuned. You’re right, I’ve shifted my position on Propecia multiple times for multiple reasons. Evaluating whether or not it’s “worth the risk” has been my biggest challenge thus far with this blog.
Currently, my own position is that it’s a highly effective drug for hair loss, but that it can also cause some undesirable side effects. I personally don’t like the idea of needing to take it for the rest of my life, potentially, in order to maintain my hair, nor do I like the idea of ‘blocking’ DHT indefinitely.
All that said, I believe the majority of men tolerate the drug just fine, and the most thorough research and studies indicate that it’s a safe medication. Nocebo is a big reason many men stop taking the drug and a big reason why so many patients are reporting side effects these days, I don’t think there’s any question about that.
Essentially, “A Long, Hard, and Honest Look at Propecia – Is it Worth the Risk?” is me being as objective as I can be. The other op-ed articles are more subjective and highlight my own, admittedly shifting positions based on my own research, past experiences, general skepticism, personal preferences and issues with being “dependent” on a medication, etc.
I encourage you to make the best decision for you though, and if hopping on fin is what you wanna do, go for it. I think the side effects of Propecia are generally overblown, so do your research, talk to a good doctor, go in with an open mind, and you’ll probably be fine, especially considering the fact that you were on it for 7 years, presumably without issues or major side effects. All the best,
Robert
Robert Price is a writer, consumer advocate, and hair loss researcher with thousands of hours of experience in the field. His goal is to keep you out of the hair loss rabbit hole, underworld, or whatever you want to call it. He founded Hair Loss Daily, the unbiased hair loss blog, in 2016. You can learn more about Robert in the my story section of this website.