Finasteride Progress & Expectations For Peak Results

[CaptainNorwood]

Some of you might recognize me from r/tressless. Based on old photos, I hit NW1.5-2 towards the end of high school (class of 2013 here, didn't really notice because it was full density and I wore long bangs) and started balding in earnest around my 20th birthday (late 2014). My pattern has bassically been diffuse thinning on the crown and temples while my forelock has stayed intact. My dad has a similar pattern but didn't start balding until his 40s (I got this from my mom's side, all those uncles were bald by 30).

I didn't really notice it until late 2015 and only accepted it for what it was in late 2017. I got on finasteride in mid/late December of 2017 and I think I've been seeing some noticeable improvement. In the photos it seems like my hairline is getting progressively thicker. Another thing, which is hard to see, is new hair growing about 1 cm below the hairline. I would say the shape is getting towards NW1.5. I also added weekly microneedling (1.5 mm) in early March, but idk if that's doing much.

Is there any way for me to know what would be reasonable to expect as a final result? My dream is getting back up to full density on an NW1.5 or 2, but idk if that's possible for me without minoxidil or a transplant.

I attached photos of my hair at 1 month, 6 months, and then a closeup look of my hairline under more "normal" conditions at 6 months. The green line on my forehead is the max extent of new hairs I see popping up.

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Your pictures are not good and dont properly explain what you are trying to say. Your loss is quite aggressive, In your pics your hair looks a lot worse at the 6 month update. If you have indeed regrown hair, your pictures don't show it. Try uploading better baseline pictures.

 

[CaptainNorwood]

Your pictures are not good and dont properly explain what you are trying to say. Your loss is quite aggressive, In your pics your hair looks a lot worse at the 6 month update. If you have indeed regrown hair, your pictures don't show it. Try uploading better baseline pictures.

I'm not sure if you know which one is which. I thought it would be obvious since one shows much thicker hair than the other.

The very first one, with the green line on my forehead, is the close up of my hairline at 6 months.

The one where I'm in a kitchen, where my temples are extremely miniaturized towards an NW3 shape, that's after 1 month on finasteride so basically my baseline.

In the one with a guitar in back where the shirt says "SPACE CAMP" in red text, that's me at 6 months.

 

[Endmymisery]

Damn you regrew your hairline on one side and a big improvement on the other side, I wish I was having this kind of reaction,, I'm not responding to it,

Are you still shedding hairs?

 

[AnxiousAndy]

I'm not sure if you know which one is which. I thought it would be obvious since one shows much thicker hair than the other.

The very first one, with the green line on my forehead, is the close up of my hairline at 6 months.

The one where I'm in a kitchen, where my temples are extremely miniaturized towards an NW3 shape, that's after 1 month on finasteride so basically my baseline.

In the one with a guitar in back where the shirt says "SPACE CAMP" in red text, that's me at 6 months.

Oh my bad, sorry. Huge improvement, you could expect to regain a lot more if this is only 6 months! Wish I responded to finasteride, didn't help me at all.

 

[michel sapin]

wow some people are really lucky to be great responder !

 

[michel sapin]

how did the regrowth occur ? it was some miniaturized hair which gradually thickened ?

 

[CaptainNorwood]

Damn you regrew your hairline on one side and a big improvement on the other side, I wish I was having this kind of reaction,, I'm not responding to it,

Are you still shedding hairs?

I've never had any big sheds, honestly. I'm maybe starting to shed a little bit more now at 7 months but it might just be me.

how did the regrowth occur ? it was some miniaturized hair which gradually thickened ?

I'm seeing two kinds of regrowth. One is that miniaturized hairs are thickening up. The other is that there are also new hairs popping up. I can't really see the new hairs behind the hairline, but there are new ones constantly showing up 1 cm below the hairline. You can see it in the first photo I posted.

It's also important to note that my thicker side isn't even 100% regained (yet). The first photo is a close up of the thicker temple in the mirror, you can see that there are still thin spots (but also some new hairs).

 

[CaptainNorwood]

I took these photos a week or so ago to document my 7 month progress. There's maybe a slight improvement compared to 6 months but it's hard to see on a month to month basis like that. Again, the green line is about as far down as I'm seeing new hair. In one of them, you can see the new hair looking straight down from the top.

What are my chances that all of this new stuff and thin spots will go back up to full density? Will I want to add minoxidil for that to happen or is it wise to continue to wait another few months before that? I'm using the dermastamp once a week btw.

 

[washed_up]

My advice would be to wait until the 1 year mark and see where things stand. That will give you an idea how far finasteride can take you alone and you'll have stabilized the situation. At that point, if you're still bothered by it give a growth stimulant like minoxidil a try.

 

[CaptainNorwood]

My advice would be to wait until the 1 year mark and see where things stand. That will give you an idea how far finasteride can take you alone and you'll have stabilized the situation. At that point, if you're still bothered by it give a growth stimulant like minoxidil a try.

I hear the 1 year mark floated a lot, but I also hear that finasteride peaks at 2 years. Is there regrowth between 12 and 24 months or is it generally mostly done by month 12?

 

[washed_up]

I hear the 1 year mark floated a lot, but I also hear that finasteride peaks at 2 years. Is there regrowth between 12 and 24 months or is it generally mostly done by month 12?

2 years is basically the maximum people give because if you don't respond over 2 years, you probably never will. It's generally told to people on finasteride/dutasteride so they don't quit prematurely. Most guys I've seen over the years get results between 6 months and 1 year. You seem to be one of the quick responders so I don't know how much different things will be in 2 years versus 1 but you could always wait and see. The point is you're not losing any ground and even regrowing so starting minoxidil is like a luxury when you think you want to try it.

 

[washed_up]

You could also try adding a keto shampoo to your routine. Just a couple times a week and see what happens.

 

[CaptainNorwood]

You could also try adding a keto shampoo to your routine. Just a couple times a week and see what happens.

I haven't added that to my list on here but I've actually been doing that since last september. I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes since I'd to go off of it twice (for a couple of weeks both times) and I still kept regrowing.

 

[washed_up]

I haven't added that to my list on here but I've actually been doing that since last september. I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes since I'd to go off of it twice (for a couple of weeks both times) and I still kept regrowing.

Just in case, it's best to use a pre-wash shampoo and then keto because you get a much better lather that way. Then I read in one keto shampoo trial they had the participants massage it into their scalp for 100 seconds and then leave it in for 10 minutes. I do that and use it once a day and leave it in somewhere between 5-10 minutes, but you have to be consistent.

That may too harsh for your hair so try upping your weekly usage little by little and see how much you're comfortable with,

 

[CrownBalding]

Kinda surveying everyone with some success. Did your hair ever seem worse after starting finasteride? My hair is significantly worse 2 months in and I’m getting worried. When did you notice first signs of improvement?

As for your hair, if you’re stabilized (which it seems like you are) I’d totally go for minoxidil.

 

[Derelict]

I would give it a year, the absolute best results you can expect are like this guy http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/view_topic.php?id=2318&forum_id=38 and that was 15 months, so i say give it a year, if you are not happy with your results then think about adding minoxidil.

 

[OfficialWater]

I also micro needle and have seen a lot of vellus hairs but they’re a lot harder to see because I’m blonde lol. Do you apply anything to the region after you microneedle?

 

[CaptainNorwood]

I would give it a year, the absolute best results you can expect are like this guy http://www.hairlossexperiences.com/view_topic.php?id=2318&forum_id=38 and that was 15 months, so i say give it a year, if you are not happy with your results then think about adding minoxidil.

Hmm, I didn't get quite as bad as that guy I'd say. He looked like a NW2 thinning to NW4 while I was NW2 thinning to NW3 with some minor crown thinning. Would it be safe to say that the better your baseline is, the better your peak results can be?

I also micro needle and have seen a lot of vellus hairs but they’re a lot harder to see because I’m blonde lol. Do you apply anything to the region after you microneedle?

Nope, the only topical I use is Nizoral, I put that on in the shower twice a week.

Kinda surveying everyone with some success. Did your hair ever seem worse after starting finasteride? My hair is significantly worse 2 months in and I’m getting worried. When did you notice first signs of improvement?

As for your hair, if you’re stabilized (which it seems like you are) I’d totally go for minoxidil.

Idk if I'm stabilized or not. I think I still see new tiny hairs popping up, butI'm getting really impatient and also kind of worried that I might be starting to get worse but that might just be me freaking out, you can be the judge comparing my 8 month photos to the OP, but I also really want to avoid minoxidil if I don't need it. I don't want to rub that sh*t onto my scalp for the rest of my life (or until Tsuji is available/affordable), plus I do lots of camping, sometimes for weeks on end, where putting on minoxidil just isn't pracicle.

 

[CaptainNorwood]

I had been meaning to upload this: on the left is my hairline on July 23 and on the right is August 14. It's only three weeks or so of time, but it seems like the new hairs along my hairline got way thicker. I drew a green line at the max extent of new hair.

Can I expect these to get to full density or will it stay somewhat sparse? I still see new hairs (brown ones rather than vellus hair btw) popping up and can feel a bit of stubble when I rub it.