finasteride ACCELERATING male pattern baldness - TRUE/FALSE

[MKP05]

Started finasteride 5 months ago to battle very sudden hair loss at the temples. In month 1-2 I thinned rapidly in the forelock. In the last 6 to 8 weeks it has spread to the mid scalp and vertex while my hairline has pretty rapidly retreated. Ive never had what I’d call a shed. It appears that this will progress to complete diffuse thinning. I can actually see the u shaped ring of thinning which is now uniform in decreased density across my entire scalp. I know some say it’s impossible but I’m convinced this is in response to the finasteride because there is zero chance that at age 45 I just lost all density all at once in a matter of a few months. I also have an identical twin brother who does not have any hair loss aside from the normal maturing hairline. I wish I could travel back in time because after reading all of the stories about RH i would never have taken this drug. Even if I would’ve lost this hair anyway it would’ve taken years to lose what this did to me in a few short months. I’m now stuck agonizing over whether I ride this out another six months or stop and hope for a miracle. I told my 11 year old son the other day that I may need to shave my head at some point. He cried.

 

[Julialosingthefight]

It seems very possible to me - I have two bald patches that appeared over each ear - very large - at six months into propecia/spironolactone regime. Patches look almost bald - like areata - but I never had areata in my life - only had thinning hair starting in my 20s and getting thinner into my mid 40s - but this is baldness - what should I do now?

 

[Armando Jose]

From 18 years old to 32, my hairline slowly creeped from NW1 to NW1.5 so I started the big 3 as a preventative. One year later, I'm 33 years old with a diffuse nearly NW3. Doctor said my hair loss became suddenly aggressive and nervously shrugged his shoulders. It's over.

SORRY FOR YOU,..., BUT

If fou use altering hair cycle meds in a no balding person you'll achieve a diffuse hairloss.
This meds are no preventive.

 

[Julialosingthefight]

Started finasteride 5 months ago to battle very sudden hair loss at the temples. In month 1-2 I thinned rapidly in the forelock. In the last 6 to 8 weeks it has spread to the mid scalp and vertex while my hairline has pretty rapidly retreated. Ive never had what I’d call a shed. It appears that this will progress to complete diffuse thinning. I can actually see the u shaped ring of thinning which is now uniform in decreased density across my entire scalp. I know some say it’s impossible but I’m convinced this is in response to the finasteride because there is zero chance that at age 45 I just lost all density all at once in a matter of a few months. I also have an identical twin brother who does not have any hair loss aside from the normal maturing hairline. I wish I could travel back in time because after reading all of the stories about RH i would never have taken this drug. Even if I would’ve lost this hair anyway it would’ve taken years to lose what this did to me in a few short months. I’m now stuck agonizing over whether I ride this out another six months or stop and hope for a miracle. I told my 11 year old son the other day that I may need to shave my head at some point. He cried.

 

[Julialosingthefight]

Thank you even though your story is very sad it is very similar to mine and it actually makes me even more sure that as well with me it is the Propecia that is making my hair fall out like this because if there’s one thing I know after dealing with it for 25 years actually more like 30 years is I know how my hair is thin and I know that this is a dramatic shift and I know it happened starting in the fifth month of taking Propecia so when I go see my dermatologist on Monday, provided I don’t end up punching her in the face and getting charged with assault, is I’m gonna ask her for a strategy to go off the Propecia overtime while increasing the dosage of Spironolactone and I will research other methods to mitigate what will happen when I go off it but I feel quite sure at this time that it’s the Propecia and like you I wish to God I could go back in time and never ever ever go on the drug

 

[scott999]

I'm 19 and started Finasteride 6 months ago with hopes of stopping my hair from thinning. I had a massive shed that took out like 50% of my hair. When I started I had miner thinning and very thick hair still. Now my hair has receded from a NW1 to a NW2.5 in 6 months and I have diffused thinning all over. I do not belive this is a shed because I believe that I should have stabilized by now, as I see many 19 year olds respond the same on these forums with no help from finasteride. I can 100% confirm that my hair loss accerlated after taking finasteride because I have an identical TWIN brother who had thinning hair too but has not lost any hair over this period of time. Since taking this drug I have also expericned extreme sides at 19. No sex drive, smaller dick, watery semen, minor gyno, and extreme brain fog. Also I got bad acne and a head itch that only started after I took the drug. I have since stopped the drug cold turkey and my hair loss and slowed down. I still have the head itch but my acne is getting better. I am also slowly recovering from the sides as well. And for those saying I might not even have male pattern baldness, my father went bald at 22 and so did my older brother at 21. I have aggressive male pattern baldness and would advise anyone young to stay away from the drug. I FIRMLY believe that finasteride can increase hair loss in those who have a strong family history of male pattern baldness and dht sensitivity.

Thinking of trying Ru or eucipal next month hopefully with no sides. If anyone has any suggestions on what I should do, without harming my body let me know.

just a side note: Everyone on here has such a negative stigma of being bald, most notably older men. Just imagine being 19 and balding. Their arnt many out there and I feel for everyone who has to expereince hair loss in their early 20's. Its stressful, but hair is not the end all be all. I feel like people are always afraid of what baldness could do to them, when in reality you should just embrace it if no treatment works for you. There is no shame in going bald as you get older and giving it your best shot with treatment. But in the end we are all going to go bald, so why all the hate? Need more positivity on these forums or else people are just going to feel more insecure about their hair loss.

 

[Dextrofinasteride]

i've lurked in many hairloss forums before trying finasteride, talked to specialist etc. I'm 18, many believe that i'll get fcked for taking this at 18, others believe it to be a godsend with no sides. The truth of the matter is that about 2 weeks after I had started taking finasteride, my shedding nearly completely stopped, from about 150hairs a day to literally 15-30 a day and thats only when im using alot of force on my hair. didnt even look when i showered because it would actually make my heart hurt literally. The miniaturization on my left temple was stopped. It has only been 3 months, so others will say thats its not nealry enough time to see results of anything really while others claim the opposite. My side effects were simply none existent but I did have sides but only when i took into heart the 'horror stories' and then i started seeing them, i actually saw them, the mind is so damn powerful. then other posters said it was psychological and assured me to give it a chance. im passing down what they say now. I actaully thought my jawline was badly deteriorating, that i had weaker cheekbones, and that i lost lots of collagen under my eyes after 4 days only of finasteride, having baggier eyes, less agression, dead dick until i stopped looking at these forums and continued to live my life. Implemented exercise (150 pushups daily only), the 'sides' disappeared and i was my self except now not losing nearly as much hair. I was scared shitless of taking it but I did and i havent had this relief of stress and anxiety in years. My left temple has no longer receded. still the same now. No apparent regrowth. I may get sides from finasteride later on, i may not. In any case, for now, im not stressing about my hair (major part of appearance). Im not sure if ill get sides later on but its a chance im willing to take it for my mental health. ive been in shitty deppressed moods cause of family issues, uni, romances etc and ive also been in great moods too for the same, ive felt weak and anxious, deppressed some days and strong, bold and confident with morning wood harder than metal in other days. I was the same way before i started losing hair You cant look for sides because the 'sides' will start showing up, that i can guarantee. How you feel reflects how you appear and vice versa, looks matter and hair is a very large part of that, thats the truth.

Anyways, there is good and bad in every medication and the truth is that hair is important towards how you feel yourself, how you appear to others, how confident you feel. its up to you. You gotta decide what man you're gonna be, balding and feeling less confident day by day knowing that your hair is dying but you are not altering hormones or taking a risk that may possibly make you at peace with yourself and your appearence. Avoid those imbecile fear mongering and ignore the blind glorifiers as well. See for yourself as I did. I truly wish anyone with doubts to try. Prevention is easier than regrowth never forget that, there are those that wish they had taken finasteride sooner and those that wish they had never even heard of it. Forget that you even take the pill if you decide to start taking it, just carry on with your life. If you take it, leave these places for a while is my suggestion, its infected with fear and it will take hold of you when you're vunlerable like right now, like it took ahold of me at first for a bit.

I know it's just fricking finasteride and not something special but those who dare win and thats true in everything

 

[mannyFJ]

I have seen some guys on here responding to those who are experiencing worsening hairless, recession, shedding etc etc with the idea that finasteride is actually kicking their male pattern baldness into overdrive.

Surely to god this is not true, as it completely contradicts the purpose of taking finasteride in the first place?

Seems to be true for me. I always had mild thinning/diffusing but minoxidil helped fix n minimize that issue after being on finasteride my hair is destroyed and i dont have aggressive hairloss male pattern baldness in my fam on both sides.

 

[mannyFJ]

Started finasteride 5 months ago to battle very sudden hair loss at the temples. In month 1-2 I thinned rapidly in the forelock. In the last 6 to 8 weeks it has spread to the mid scalp and vertex while my hairline has pretty rapidly retreated. Ive never had what I’d call a shed. It appears that this will progress to complete diffuse thinning. I can actually see the u shaped ring of thinning which is now uniform in decreased density across my entire scalp. I know some say it’s impossible but I’m convinced this is in response to the finasteride because there is zero chance that at age 45 I just lost all density all at once in a matter of a few months. I also have an identical twin brother who does not have any hair loss aside from the normal maturing hairline. I wish I could travel back in time because after reading all of the stories about RH i would never have taken this drug. Even if I would’ve lost this hair anyway it would’ve taken years to lose what this did to me in a few short months. I’m now stuck agonizing over whether I ride this out another six months or stop and hope for a miracle. I told my 11 year old son the other day that I may need to shave my head at some point. He cried.

Dude im sorry to hear about this. Im going thru same thing. Im tapering off finasteride as being on it 10 months

 

[MKP05]

Dude im sorry to hear about this. Im going thru same thing. Im tapering off finasteride as being on it 10 months

So I’m at 6.5 months now. Month 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 there were noticeable drastic changes to density and hair shaft thickness all over. The last 4-5 weeks I haven’t noticed a drastic change. Still receding at the hairline though. But again it feels slower than previous months. I’m hoping that I’ve hit a plateau.

So in 10 months it just continued to get worse for you? Aren’t you worried that tapering will lead to a big shed? I feel like I’m stuck on this dumb drug forever now. You should check out the big thread on microneedling. There’s some hope in that. My detminator came yesterday and I may start needling the hairline and temples to see if I can get them back.

 

[abcdefg]

I think its definately possible. Not a single person can explain what happens to ARs everywhere in your scalp, or what the different hormone changes really translates into. Does a spike in T cause hair loss in certain men? No one knows these answers how is it not possible? Its certainly very rare if it does happen, but is PFS real? Id say it is, but no one can explain why it happens. Its just in the realm of unknowns right now maybe one day they figure it out. Until then we all just guess

 

[mannyFJ]

I think its definately possible. Not a single person can explain what happens to ARs everywhere in your scalp, or what the different hormone changes really translates into. Does a spike in T cause hair loss in certain men? No one knows these answers how is it not possible? Its certainly very rare if it does happen, but is PFS real? Id say it is, but no one can explain why it happens. Its just in the realm of unknowns right now maybe one day they figure it out. Until then we all just guess

Excuse my ignorance as im new on here. What’s AR and PFS? T i assume is testosterone

 

[mannyFJ]

So I’m at 6.5 months now. Month 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 there were noticeable drastic changes to density and hair shaft thickness all over. The last 4-5 weeks I haven’t noticed a drastic change. Still receding at the hairline though. But again it feels slower than previous months. I’m hoping that I’ve hit a plateau.

So in 10 months it just continued to get worse for you? Aren’t you worried that tapering will lead to a big shed? I feel like I’m stuck on this dumb drug forever now. You should check out the big thread on microneedling. There’s some hope in that. My detminator came yesterday and I may start needling the hairline and temples to see if I can get them back.

Im shedding now and tapering to .25 finasteride if the shedding subside i might stick to it if not then im off it. I tried microneedling myself with prp

 

[MKP05]

Im shedding now and tapering to .25 finasteride if the shedding subside i might stick to it if not then im off it. I tried microneedling myself with prp

Every dermatologist I’ve been to is pushing PRP. Did you get any results? I think the trick with needling is the right depth 1.5mm or more plus combining with a topical like minoxidil. More than a few guys on this forum are seeing cosmetic results in a fairly short time. Not that this will work for everyone but it’s cheap and there is some science behind it to go along with the anecdotal evidence.

 

[neddy2016]

Finasteride gave me a scalp itch that I had never had previously and a more sped up receding hairline.

I dunno why it gave me a scalp itch. It could be many reasons from testosterone, to an immune response, to up regulation

 

[Julialosingthefight]

But the thing is most of the people who say their hair got worse on finasteride are ones who had minimal hair loss before starting (e.g slight recession) and then experienced quick hair loss while on the drug. It can't be a coincidence that all these people were hit with "aggressive hair loss" right after starting finasteride. A possible cause of this that I've seen mentioned many times is reflex androgenicity. This is when suppression of DHT causes your body to seek equilibrium again by upregulating your hormones and androgen receptors.

It is easy to say that finasteride can't make your hair worse and if you lose hair on finasteride, you would have lost it or even more off finasteride. But at the end of the day we really don't know. I'm not hating on finasteride, I think it can be a miracle drug for many and side effects are unfairly exaggerated. However,there are many who claim that finasteride worsened their male pattern baldness and I don't see how we can just discount them all as liars.

 

[Julialosingthefight]

To Wolf Packs defence, he is saying type 2 dht is inhibited by 90%. However, there is only one type of dht, but what he means is that the type 2 alpha reductase's dht production is reduced by 90%. But his point still holds. Type 2 is the one dominant in hair follicles whereas type 1 is expressed highly in for example the brain (type 2 is not). That is probably why finasteride and Dutasteride don't differ that much in their results. Hairloss is not linearly correlated to serum dht levels.

An argument against up-regulation of androgen receptors is that when stopping finasteride, hairloss resumes to the state it would have been like without finasteride. Of course you can't check this on the same person as you wouldn't know where he would have been without starting finasteride in the first place, but when averaging the hairloss progression speed of many men not on finasteride, my point stands very strong.

All I can say is the truth of what happened to me - exactly six months after starting propecia - I lost almost all the hair on both sides of my head within about six weeks .... my dermatologist was shocked to say the least. I have had slowly worsening female pattern hairless since the age of 23, but NEVER accelerated and NEVER areata. Now I am being treated with injections and my specialist said she's baffled. Indeed, I believe it CAN make things worse for a small minority of people. I will be able to confirm this if, in six months from now, the bald patches have grown back and my regular looking thin but ok hair returns. I stopped the propecia cold turkey about a month ago. And regardless of what happy tales are told herein, I will never take that drug again. If it works for you, keep taking it. However, if you, like me, see your hair loss take a dramatic or extreme change for the worse in the six month phase, I would say cut your losses. Don't keep gambling using the law of diminishing returns .... Just my opinion. I lost about 25 per cent of my hair in this fiasco, so I know what I am taking about when I am talking about my own experience. I have never been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease or ever had alopecia areata and that type of sudden hairloss does not run in my family. Slow androgenic alopecia runs through the females on my mothers side of the family only.

 

[Julialosingthefight]

Just wanted to provide an update on this thread. I have gone back for a second round of injections and my dermatologist is now treating me for alopecia areata - which I have never suffered from in my life and I am now 47 years old. I lost most of the hair on both sides of my head after six months on propecia and since I noticed it get really bad, I stopped taking the drug. Although this is extremely depressing, I can report that hair is already starting to grow back in the three largest bald patches. A couple of new smaller spots appeared, but as they were injected quickly, I am hoping they don't get worse. Since it's only been a month since I went off propecia, it's still too soon to tell if that was the cause. A month ago my dermatologist said No way it was the propecia. This week after my second round of injections, she wasn't so sure. This thread shouldn't be an argument with people who are getting good results with this drug telling those who aren't that they are wrong and should stay on it. If anything doesn't do what it's supposed to - help you or make something better - and instead makes it significantly worse, then Stop! As an example, I recently went back to yoga after a few years of not taking it. In that interim, I developed osteoarthritis of the spine. I made it to three classes and after each one my back and neck reacted worse and worse - after the last class I was down for three days. My husband said, just stop going, it isn't helping! But it's so good for me, I said. But it just isn't.... if it's not working, it's not working. Taking it longer is probably just going to make things worse and make you feel worse about yourself. I am barely able to go out in public anymore because of this. Just a friendly word of warning. It's not a magic pill for everyone.

 

[Julialosingthefight]

Seems to be true for me. I always had mild thinning/diffusing but minoxidil helped fix n minimize that issue after being on finasteride my hair is destroyed and i dont have aggressive hairloss male pattern baldness in my fam on both sides.

This is the same thing that happened to me and I feel very bad for you. I hope you have stopped taking it

 

[Julialosingthefight]

Finasteride gave me a scalp itch that I had never had previously and a more sped up receding hairline.

I dunno why it gave me a scalp itch. It could be many reasons from testosterone, to an immune response, to up regulation

My burning itching scalp has been going on for about two months, along with the accerated hair loss. Comforting to hear it might just be the drug. I've only been off propecia for a few weeks, so I will see if the burning and itching stop in time. My doctor prescribed me cortisone scalp lotion and if you can get some, it's very helpful and the lotion actually evaporates quickly and doesn't leave your hair looking weird.