24 Yo, 1 Year On Finasteride... Lost A Lot Of Hair.

[hopeforhappiness]

Isn't it possible that it just gets worse before it gets better? I guess I just need a bit of hope (or cope).
I went to the endocrinologist and he said that blood DHT results are inconclusive as what matters is the DHT in the scalp. He recommended taking several other tests, including testosterone.

You don't need cope it will only hurt you. It's very possible that your'e only shedding from telogen brought on by new treatment however it depends on your timeline because past a certain point you should know that the medication is working.

 

[BalderBaldyBald]

Did you expect finasteride to get you back to NW0 ? Lmao...
Seems like a success story to me, don't expect much more from finasteride, at 1 year your hairloss should stabilize now, or you're fucked brother

 

[Credo]

Did you expect finasteride to get you back to NW0 ? Lmao...
Seems like a success story to me, don't expect much more from finasteride, at 1 year your hairloss should stabilize now, or you're fucked brother

I started off as a Norwood 1.5. After 16 months on finasteride I was a Norwood 2.5. That's not a success story in my book. And I switched to dutasteride BTW. Only thing I want is maintaining a Norwood 2.

You don't need cope it will only hurt you. It's very possible that your'e only shedding from telogen brought on by new treatment however it depends on your timeline because past a certain point you should know that the medication is working.

Everyone needs hope lol. Well I've been on dutasteride for 6 weeks, it felt stable until a few days ago.

 

[Cue Bald]

well i think some people have just very high sensitivity to DHT, so the hair is still being damaged while on finasteride, just a lot slower. = after 5 years, you reach Norwood 2.5 while on finasteride, instead of Norwood 6 if you weren't on it.

i have only really seen 2 types of people regrow more than a single norwood - the very lucky great responders to finasteride+min; or those who are transgender (on estrogen and spironolactone).
there is a MTF transgender here who has regrown a lot of hair from being a slick NW7 but even that person has to wear a wig as the regrown hair is just too thin to look female

 

[Credo]

after 5 years, you reach Norwood 2.5 while on finasteride, instead of Norwood 6 if you weren't on it.

Well I reached Norwood 2.5 after a year on finasteride, before that I was slowly creeping up to Norwood 1.5 or so throughout the years. Probably my hair loss accelerated and finasteride didn't do much. Unlikely I'd reach Norwood 6 though as my father is like a 5 and my 33 yo brother is a 3.5.

Anyways my entire head is thinning and I also have the dreaded male pattern baldness itch again. I feel like giving up. Looks like I wasn't meant to make it anyway.

 

[german89]

Well I reached Norwood 2.5 after a year on finasteride, before that I was slowly creeping up to Norwood 1.5 or so throughout the years. Probably my hair loss accelerated and finasteride didn't do much. Unlikely I'd reach Norwood 6 though as my father is like a 5 and my 33 yo brother is a 3.5.

Anyways my entire head is thinning and I also have the dreaded male pattern baldness itch again. I feel like giving up. Looks like I wasn't meant to make it anyway.

hi credo,

1. you seem to be tall, trained and having an attractive facial structure - so you already have an advantage!

2. where did you get your dutasteride prescription?

3. lightning in public bathrooms is the worst....

 

[Credo]

hi credo,

1. you seem to be tall, trained and having an attractive facial structure - so you already have an advantage!

2. where did you get your dutasteride prescription?

3. lightning in public bathrooms is the worst....

1) Well that is somewhat true but due to my face shape I look the best in med long hair combed up. Also I can't grow a beard and people told me I look like an androgynous alien with a buzz cut lol.

2) I got my prescription from a doctor and it is a legit dutasteride generic from the pharmacy, don't believe it is any worse than Avodart. I hope it's just a phase before it starts working. It's been about 2 months since I switched from finasteride cold turkey.

3) Oh yeah, and in the gym too! It hurts going there recently...

 

[german89]

1)Here in Germany, i had to go to many different docs just for finasteride...and then to get a 5mg prescription was on whole other level. every Doctor was talking about the permanent sides and the fact that merck etc are having big legal issues. In geman forums, the few who tried duda got it via india i think....no Doctor is gonna get you a dud prescription for hairloss in germany.... so....at least you have the possibility to max out your chances.


2) i think the most important thing is to stay consistent on meds, even when you are suffering sheddings...that is at least what im saying to myself when reading those great success stories threads where people are recovering from diffuse thinning nw3 to nw1 full thick head of hair

 

[Credo]

Yeah doctors here are cautious too I think, but I found one who agreed to prescribe it (he had to check it in the internet first, he was a dermatologist and dutasteride is usually prescribed for prostate problems so it's kind of understandable).

 

[Credo]

I swear my hair quality worsened over the past few weeks. Is it possible for miniaturisation to be that quick? This thinning patch on the right side of my scalp got pretty bad. It's also where I feel itching.

 

[centurie]

Try dermastamping 3 times a week before minoxidil application. It really helped me out when I started losing ground again.

Also only reasses your situation when you’ve been on both minoxidil and finasteride in conjunction for a year straight. I wouldn’t of jumped onto dutasetide just yet. Minoxidil has the tendency of inducing your hair to get into a cycle of growth where some months your hair is looking good whereas others it’s just a constant shed and looks like sh1t.

I don’t think dropping monxodil helped your situation, it could have potentially shocked your hair into telogen phase and then restarting it would again do the same. Hopefully you will see a turn around brother. Goodluck!

 

[Credo]

I think I'm getting gyno from dutasteride. Just lol.

 

[Retinoid]

I think I'm getting gyno from dutasteride. Just lol.

So Credo, you are at the point where a lot of people get to where they switch and add and substract and then they have no idea what to do. Your emotional imbalance about the situation is not helpful.

Please post a time line of treatments including stopping and adding so people can give you advice.

 

[Credo]

Please post a time line of treatments including stopping and adding so people can give you advice.

Sure:
November 2016 - minoxidil on scalp + hairline, I think once a day, finasteride 1 mg
End of March 2017 - stopped minoxidil due to bloating
November 2017 - restarted minoxidil, but only on hairline, using less, once a day
March 2018 - switched from finasteride 1 mg to dutasteride 0.5 mg

 

[Retinoid]

Sure:
November 2016 - minoxidil on scalp + hairline, I think once a day, finasteride 1 mg
End of March 2017 - stopped minoxidil due to bloating
November 2017 - restarted minoxidil, but only on hairline, using less, once a day
March 2018 - switched from finasteride 1 mg to dutasteride 0.5 mg

I would take .5mg/day every other day of you are getting sides, it has a long half life.

You can add Raloxifene to block breast estrogen receptors if it gets too bad.

Use Nizoral shampoo 3x per week.

Apply a mixture of rosemary and peppermint oil once a day, helps stimulate growth and reduce inflammation and incorporate massage into your routine (at least 10 minutes).

 

[hopeforhappiness]

I would take .5mg/day every other day of you are getting sides, it has a long half life.

You can add Raloxifene to block breast estrogen receptors if it gets too bad.

Use Nizoral shampoo 3x per week.

Apply a mixture of rosemary and peppermint oil once a day, helps stimulate growth and reduce inflammation and incorporate massage into your routine (at least 10 minutes).

My regime includes fina and minoxidil with ru and keto shampoo but my inflammation is still AWFUL. Do you think rosemary/peppermint oil is the best way to address this ?

 

[Retinoid]

My regime includes fina and minoxidil with ru and keto shampoo but my inflammation is still AWFUL. Do you think rosemary/peppermint oil is the best way to address this ?

Are you using minoxidil liquid? If it is the liquid it is probably caused by that or the ingredients in the RU topical. I had severe dandruff, itchiness and burning and when I switched to Rogaine foam my scalp was fine.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

Are you using minoxidil liquid? If it is the liquid it is probably caused by that or the ingredients in the RU topical. I had severe dandruff, itchiness and burning and when I switched to Rogaine foam my scalp was fine.

I wish it were this simple but the inflammation predated any of my treatments and I’ve experimented with both the foam and liquid and have tried dropping the ru.

I don’t get any flakes and there isn’t any redness or irritation that the human eye can see. I get the itch every now and then but what I mostly get is a consistent sensation of burning and ‘tightness.’ The latter being almost like my skull is too big for my scalp. Whenever I bend over or sneeze or do anything to cause pressure in my head I get a sharp pain like my scalp is literally being pinched.

None of this is psychological I experience it everyday no matter what treatments I stack. I’ve also tried cetirizine. Nothing has worked and I saw 3 derms at the end of last year and can’t afford any doctors atm.

 

[Retinoid]

I wish it were this simple but the inflammation predated any of my treatments and I’ve experimented with both the foam and liquid and have tried dropping the ru.

I don’t get any flakes and there isn’t any redness or irritation that the human eye can see. I get the itch every now and then but what I mostly get is a consistent sensation of burning and ‘tightness.’ The latter being almost like my skull is too big for my scalp. Whenever I bend over or sneeze or do anything to cause pressure in my head I get a sharp pain like my scalp is literally being pinched.

None of this is psychological I experience it everyday no matter what treatments I stack. I’ve also tried cetirizine. Nothing has worked and I saw 3 derms at the end of last year and can’t afford any doctors atm.

Have you looked into head massage? Like 20mins using the essential oils? Intense pressing, stretching the skin, kneading, pinching.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

Have you looked into head massage? Like 20mins using the essential oils? Intense pressing, stretching the skin, kneading, pinching.

The oils being rosemary and peppermint ? I am interested in them. I’ve done intense massage.

How has your experience been ?