Finasteride Doesnt Reverse Miniaturization

[Obsessive]

Any thoughts on zero to no itch but rapid diffuse thinning over 2.5 years?

Minoxidil huge shed no recovery.

RU steady shed no growth.

Finasteride heavy shed, hairline finally showing recession.

Anyone have luck stopping everything?

Can't answer your specific question, but have you thought about changing out all the anti-androgens out for some good ole' topical estrogen? I could have missed it, but i haven't read any accounts of male users getting worse with estradiol...hair seems to improve for all. On the flip side, it doesn't seem uncommon to get worse with anti androgens for some people. I wish I could give you my personal estrogel experience, but it's only been two weeks, so too soon to say anything.

 

[bluecyclone]

1. Before starting RU in June 2018
2. 2 & 3 December 2017
3. Baseline May 2016
4. November 2017
5. Today’s thinning and painful mess. I wish I was exaggerating the shed. My hair was so incredibly dense before this nightmare.

Had labs done after 4 months inn Finasteride, T up 200, Estrioal crazy hi from 10 to 91 in 4 months.

Losing hope. And I promise when you are 41 it will still sucks losing hair...

 

[MorningGlory]

1. Before starting RU in June 2018
2. 2 & 3 December 2017
3. Baseline May 2016
4. November 2017
5. Today’s thinning and painful mess. I wish I was exaggerating the shed. My hair was so incredibly dense before this nightmare.

Had labs done after 4 months inn Finasteride, T up 200, Estrioal crazy hi from 10 to 91 in 4 months.

Losing hope. And I promise when you are 41 it will still sucks losing hair...

Cosmetically you still have excellent hair, why didn’t you just start finasteride and try to maintain rather than cycling all those other products?

 

[bluecyclone]

I started topical Finasteride in August. The rate of loss has increased dramatically since starting. I feel like I’m doing harm but too afraid to stop.

 

[Ayr9]

I started topical Finasteride in August. The rate of loss has increased dramatically since starting. I feel like I’m doing harm but too afraid to stop.

I exactly have the same type of thinning as yours and the same amount of density as yours only exception I lose horrendous amount from donor hair and crown compared to little to no hair from front.

 

[MorningGlory]

I started topical Finasteride in August. The rate of loss has increased dramatically since starting. I feel like I’m doing harm but too afraid to stop.

It seems like you panicked and tried lots of different things in a short space of time. Should have just started with finasteride 1mg and a ketaconazole based shampoo to maintain what you have.

 

[bluecyclone]

Great in retrospect but I heard a million different options. I am in the topical because I had sides from the oral. Not sure what the oral minoxidil is doing. I am using a version of the bug three for almost five straight months and my rate of loss has increased 4x. I am losing all hope. I even ordered the Trinov snake oil.

 

[MorningGlory]

Great in retrospect but I heard a million different options. I am in the topical because I had sides from the oral. Not sure what the oral minoxidil is doing. I am using a version of the bug three for almost five straight months and my rate of loss has increased 4x. I am losing all hope. I even ordered the Trinov snake oil.

Yes but you’re supposed to begin with the tried and tested methods first. I’ve been on finasteride 1mg for 19 months now, how quickly did you expect your treatments to work?

 

[MKP05]

Yes but you’re supposed to begin with the tried and tested methods first. I’ve been on finasteride 1mg for 19 months now, how quickly did you expect your treatments to work?

I’m on finasteride 1mg and Dr regenpure 3x per week (I see you use both as well). Also have been applying minoxidil at the hairline and temples but it is probably getting spread over more of the scalp when I style it. No way to know now if my diffuse thinning was caused by one over the other. Are you seeing results from finasteride and if so did you have an initial period where it got worse?

 

[MorningGlory]

I’m on finasteride 1mg and Dr regenpure 3x per week (I see you use both as well). Also have been applying minoxidil at the hairline and temples but it is probably getting spread over more of the scalp when I style it. No way to know now if my diffuse thinning was caused by one over the other. Are you seeing results from finasteride and if so did you have an initial period where it got worse?

I’m a NW3V and following an initial shed my forelock is strengthening, I’m seeing terminal hairs reappearing along the hair line and the crown is thickening from the outside of the diffused area inward. I see no reason why steady improvement won’t continue. I probably won’t ever add minoxidil to my regimen and instead opt for a hair transplant in future if needed. Barring a new treatment I intend to take finasteride for the rest of my life.

 

[bluecyclone]

I thought there would be a slow down in shedding after 3-4 months. I’ve noticed the opposite and recession for the first time.

 

[MKP05]

I’m a NW3V and following an initial shed my forelock is strengthening, I’m seeing terminal hairs reappearing along the hair line and the crown is thickening from the outside of the diffused area inward. I see no reason why steady improvement won’t continue. I probably won’t ever add minoxidil to my regimen and instead opt for a hair transplant in future if needed. Barring a new treatment I intend to take finasteride for the rest of my life.

That’s great to hear. Congrats. At what month did your shed begin and end? I wish I’d never started with minoxidil. It’s a pain in the *** and makes your hair look like sh*t. Because I apply 2x daily I have to do in the morning when I’m getting ready for work. There’s not enough time to apply and let dry before styling. I try to apply it last to my routine and again only at the hairline. But there’s simply no way to keep it confined to the hairline once I start styling. I’m sure it’s getting all over. I’m terrified to stop though because I can’t afford to shed anymore at the hairline. Whatever regrowth I get would be a bonus but I’m already below baseline. Since I started with good density I’d be thrilled to maintain what’s left. But I think it’s going to continue to thin everywhere I’m afraid.

 

[MorningGlory]

That’s great to hear. Congrats. At what month did your shed begin and end? I wish I’d never started with minoxidil. It’s a pain in the *** and makes your hair look like sh*t. Because I apply 2x daily I have to do in the morning when I’m getting ready for work. There’s not enough time to apply and let dry before styling. I try to apply it last to my routine and again only at the hairline. But there’s simply no way to keep it confined to the hairline once I start styling. I’m sure it’s getting all over. I’m terrified to stop though because I can’t afford to shed anymore at the hairline. Whatever regrowth I get would be a bonus but I’m already below baseline. Since I started with good density I’d be thrilled to maintain what’s left. But I think it’s going to continue to thin everywhere I’m afraid.

Shed begun almost immediately and lasted approximately two weeks. During that time I could easily dislodge terminal hairs simply by touching my head. Had I not thoroughly researched finasteride it would have been easy to get freaked out but I continued and 18 months on I’m beginning to reap the benefits.

I’m not an insane responder, but thankfully I’m not a non-responder either. I fall into the common group which sees slightly above baseline results.

With regards minoxidil I took advice from a number of the experienced guys on here and decided it wasn’t for me. Mostly for the commitment you allude to above but also because I want to see how far I can get with my current regimen.

 

[MKP05]

Shed begun almost immediately and lasted approximately two weeks. During that time I could easily dislodge terminal hairs simply by touching my head. Had I not thoroughly researched finasteride it would have been easy to get freaked out but I continued and 18 months on I’m beginning to reap the benefits.

I’m not an insane responder, but thankfully I’m not a non-responder either. I fall into the common group which sees slightly above baseline results.

With regards minoxidil I took advice from a number of the experienced guys on here and decided it wasn’t for me. Mostly for the commitment you allude to above but also because I want to see how far I can get with my current regimen.

Good choice. I’d read the two together were a good regimen and I don’t think I quite grasped the commitment part of minoxidil. Taking a pill the rest of my life? Sure no problem. Applying a greasy solution to your head twice a day forever? Ugh.

It sounds like you had what a ‘typical’ shed is like from what I’ve read. Mine is different. I’ve never been able to easily dislodge hairs. I can run my hand through my head and come up with a couple or even no hairs. In the shower I see nothing in my hands when I shampoo. And yet week by week my hair is getting thinner everywhere so it’s definitely falling out throughout the day The amount of density I’ve lost in the forelock and mid scalp is terrifying. My hair was really thick and I wear it kind of longish and parted to one side so it’s still mostly covered when dry. But because of the way I part it there is an illusion to what is really going on underneath. When wet you can see that it’s thinning everywhere. Given this trajectory it won’t be long before it’s very noticeable when dry. I don’t know whether to drop minoxidil, cut back to PM only or just go all in and hit it all over my head. I can’t give up yet on fibasteride because it seems there’d be little to gain at this point although I have read some members who had RH say they stopped and actually had an improvement. I think I have to stick it out to 12 months at least.

 

[EndlessPossibilities]

I thought there would be a slow down in shedding after 3-4 months. I’ve noticed the opposite and recession for the first time.

High estro is bad for hair. Get that under control. Make sure thyoid is fine too

 

[EndlessPossibilities]

I just hopped on finasteride 4 days ago so far so good. I really dont beleive that miniaturized hairs cant be reversed. That study doesnt talk about age or healthy individuals wayy to little known. Seen people go back almost 3 norwoods.

You guys think its possible for me to fill this empty spot in with finasteride and some dermarolling started 4 days ago

 

[bluecyclone]

High estro is bad for hair. Get that under control. Make sure thyoid is fine too

Since starting Finasteride my hairline and temples went from full to gone.

My Testosterone and Estrogen are both up significantly 416 to 780 estrogen 9 to 91

The put me on Clomid and Arimidex to stabilize but the damage is done.

 

[EndlessPossibilities]

Since starting Finasteride my hairline and temples went from full to gone.

My Testosterone and Estrogen are both up significantly 416 to 780 estrogen 9 to 91

The put me on Clomid and Arimidex to stabilize but the damage is done.

Bro i wouldnt say the damage is done. Stay positive. Seriously from what i see the damage is very minor. I am sure one way or another you can fix things up.

 

[MKP05]

I just hopped on finasteride 4 days ago so far so good. I really dont beleive that miniaturized hairs cant be reversed. That study doesnt talk about age or healthy individuals wayy to little known. Seen people go back almost 3 norwoods.

You guys think its possible for me to fill this empty spot in with finasteride and some dermarolling started 4 days ago

Anything is possible but my experience has not been great so far. These are pictures of left temple from May and yesterday. May be as much an an inch wider and higher. What you can’t see is the forelock and midscalp have also thinned out dramatically since I started. Haven’t tried a detmapen yet but I might try it just at the bare spots on the temples since those can’t really get worse.

 

[MKP05]

Bro i wouldnt say the damage is done. Stay positive. Seriously from what i see the damage is very minor. I am sure one way or another you can fix things up.

Compared to his pictures from a few months ago this is not minor in my opinion. I think finasteride can help most people but in some cases it actually exacerbates and accelerates the loss. We can only hope this is temporary in our cases and that we’ll at least get back to baseline. I think you should be cautiously optimistic that it will work for you.

@bluecyclone - I think I agree with @MorningGlory that you threw too much at this too quickly but I do understand the temptation to fall into that trap. I hope you find the right combination and keep us posted.