AR upregulation from finasteride/dutasteride - does anyone know about this/experienced this?

[Feelsbadman]

There's a theory going around that by lowering the androgens reaching the scalp, the androgens receptors get upregulated. Once you stop finasteride (for whatever reason), then the surge in DHT coupled with the AR upregulation completely destroys your hair, faster than if you had never taken finasteride in the first place. I found some studies confirming upregulation in prostate and foreskin tissues, even years after stopping the medication (which is worrisome cause it makes me believe the theory is real), but I can't find ANYTHING about the scalp AR.

I took finasteride for a short time then stopped and my hair got way worse think maybe because up regulation?

 

[Haaribol]

Could be, but it could also be the acceleration of your male pattern baldness. Who knows..

In early 2019 I was off finasteride for a couple of weeks/ months (trying to conceive a child). Since then, my hair has gone downhill, even though my break was rather short. Then again, I turned 40 that year, so it is definitely a possibility that my follicles are becoming more DHT sensitive anyway.

 

[Feelsbadman]

bump

 

[Isneezedsohard]

I’d be curious about this too. I’m on 0.5 dutasteride, topical finasteride, and RU. My DHT is crushed (I took tests) and my testosterone is right in the middle of average. My free test is crushed too tho! Yet still seemingly balding (granted much much MUCH slower). I can’t chalk it up to anything else but upregulatuon, or some other pathway.

 

[Feelsbadman]

I’d be curious about this too. I’m on 0.5 dutasteride, topical finasteride, and RU. My DHT is crushed (I took tests) and my testosterone is right in the middle of average. My free test is crushed too tho! Yet still seemingly balding (granted much much MUCH slower). I can’t chalk it up to anything else but upregulatuon, or some other pathway.

dam that sucks man

 

[Isneezedsohard]

dam that sucks man

Balding is a b**ch man... We starting to colonize the f*****g moon, yet we still haven't really come close to figuring this sh*t out. Fate is a cruel mistress indeed

 

[JohnSmith21]

Zero proof of this. finasteride never makes you worse off then you otherwise would have been. Your hair is getting worse cuz you stopped finasteride and your male pattern baldness is continuing

 

[Feelsbadman]

Zero proof of this. finasteride never makes you worse off then you otherwise would have been. Your hair is getting worse cuz you stopped finasteride and your male pattern baldness is continuing

but it upregulates AR

 

[BetaBoy]

Pretty sure in the studies I've seen, when concerning AAs, the body is only able to reflexively upregulate the AR for a week at most before returning to baseline.

 

[jazz1]

The up-regulation happens because most guys only target internally and not topically hence the scalp serum DHT and androgens are not fully removed. When you target both especially the scalp direct than you keep everything going with the flow. So your body balances internally and topically, I been saving my hair 10 plus years and the reasons I saved my hair because I use pre cleansers and shampoos twice per day plus scrub my scalp. I also apply Topical Finasteride/Anti Androgen mixture.

Thats the key and also do not switch medication brands down the line, as the inconsistency in medication from generic brands and original is a big factor.

Topical Finasteride or Dutasteride

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/topical-minoxidil-finasteride-mixture-check-here.126633/

 

[BetaBoy]

The up-regulation happens because most guys only target internally and not topically hence the scalp serum DHT and androgens are not fully removed. When you target both especially the scalp direct than you keep everything going with the flow. So your body balances internally and topically, I been saving my hair 10 plus years and the reasons I saved my hair because I use pre cleansers and shampoos twice per day plus scrub my scalp. I also apply Topical Finasteride/Anti Androgen mixture.

Thats the key and also do not switch medication brands down the line, as the inconsistency in medication from generic brands and original is a big factor.

Topical Finasteride or Dutasteride

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/topical-minoxidil-finasteride-mixture-check-here.126633/

I'd highly doubt that topical is more effective at reducing scalp DHT vs oral

 

[jazz1]

I'd highly doubt that topical is more effective at reducing scalp DHT vs oral

I read somewhere that oral was 50% range and topical was 90%, a combination of both is more effective especially using topical anti androgen blockers.