Generally people get off of Propecia because they feel
like it's not doing anything. However,
if you take into account the Anagen Cycle (growth phase) of any particular hair
on your head, it could last up to 2-3 years.
So...
Let's say you have a hair on your head that is in its
growth phase...
Year 1
Let's also say that hair is on its last leg...it's super
thin and fine and when it falls out in 1-2 years, it will probably not grow
back. Note: A healthy hair doesn't just fall out one day and never comes
back. Healthy hairs become finer vellus
hairs over time and cycles/phases (a.k.a. miniaturization) until one day they
don't grow back at all.
You start Propecia.
That thin hair will continue to grow. When it's cycle is over, it goes into a
Telogen Cycle (resting phase 5-6 weeks). There's another cycle in-between but
we're getting into TMI.
When a new hair grows back, it will come back slightly
healthier than the previous hair. That
hair will then grow for 2-3 years and go back into the resting phase and the
new one comes back stronger than the previous one. And so on and so on.
This is why people don't notice a drastic change in the
first year or two when they start Propecia.
Propecia helps you maintain what you have and slow down
further loss.
Now let's say you stop Propecia.
When you stop...it reverts back into the miniaturization
process. So when some of your hairs fall out, they may come back
finer.
ALSO - Hairloss does not have a pattern. It may get really aggressive one year and
slow down for 2 years and then start back up.
Keep in mind Propecia doesn't work very well on the hairs
in the hairline. It works better with
the hairs in the crown and back of your head (donor area if you were to have
hair transplants in the future).
Getting on Propceia is good, you
just have to commit and forget about instant gratification.
Just know that it's doing it's thing in the background
like an antivirus on a computer...it's working you just don't see it or may not
notice it.
