Is Finasteride (Propecia) Thinning My Hair?

[giannis]

So many people in forums complaining that their hair have become thiner and especially more on the front after some months on finasteride including me and yet we believe its either a shed or a coincidence. There also people who stopped finasteride and their hair got better. So make your conclusion if finasteride can affect some people negative

 

[Benjamin36]

There also people who stopped finasteride and their hair got better. So make your conclusion if finasteride can affect some people negative

Where have you read about people stopping finasteride and getting better? I haven't come across anything like that.

 

[giannis]

Search google. I ve read posts from users in other hairloss forums who claim that after stopping finasteride they had regrowth or their shedding stopped and i dont think they lie. I ve dropped finasteride and i wish i had never taken it in the first place because it messes your hormones not only dht but your whole hormone profile so you never know what will happen

 

[puntigamer]

Hi guys ! I am 23 years old male experiencing hairloss for about 5-6 years. I ve been taking minoxidil 5 % for 2 years and i stopped taking it 3 months ago. It helped me quite well, but then, it stopped working, my hair started to fall more and more and it was messy so i decided to block DHT with finasteride (i used saw palmetto extract too, but it was worthless) Currently i am on 0.6 mg daily without minoxidil. I am taking 30 mg of zinc daily too and i am trying to eat healthy and well. I am taking finasteride for 13 weeks and i have no sides for nowunk: hope this will stay with me ! Now I am shedding 0.5 mm short hair that is looking thin and it started to fall approx. 2 weeks ago. I' ve shaved my head when i started my regimen so i could see if it is working. Now i can see quite a lot of this little, colorless thin hair on my head. My other hair that has approx 2.5 cm is quite stable and isnt falling off. Is this shedding a sign of shedding phase and a that finasteride is working for me? I loose 50-80 of this thin hair daily.

Thanks for your replies and have a great day !

 

[I.D WALKER]

Keep at it on a consistent basis. If you are a good responder the shedding should mitigate. You are still early in the waiting game. 13 wks.right? It may take another 3-6 months for you to know how effective it is,but quite often not. Be patient and most importantly at all costs stay positive. After all if you are in this ride for the long haul you can not afford to be any thing else. Eat well and prioritize your well rounded good health. Thanx for sharing and keep us abreast of your progress.

 

[mpbsuckss]

Where have you read about people stopping finasteride and getting better? I haven't come across anything like that.

Check out this link Ben, it has about three people that have stopped and improved, there are more similar stories out there. I too am going through the same situation as you, and I have a word of advice for you. If your scalp itches and burns with signifciant inflammation then you are most likely having an adverse reaction to finasteride and should probably stop. I made the mistake of upgrading to dutasteride before stopping which made it even worse...

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=77987

 

[Benjamin36]

Check out this link Ben, it has about three people that have stopped and improved, there are more similar stories out there. I too am going through the same situation as you, and I have a word of advice for you. If your scalp itches and burns with signifciant inflammation then you are most likely having an adverse reaction to finasteride and should probably stop. I made the mistake of upgrading to dutasteride before stopping which made it even worse...

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=77987

Thanks for the link. I'll take a look. One of the guys on the thread "williamnewyork" cut his dose and then realized that he got worse from it and went back to the regular dose. I remember following his story a few months back.

 

[Sanchez1234]

Thanks for the link. I'll take a look. One of the guys on the thread "williamnewyork" cut his dose and then realized that he got worse from it and went back to the regular dose. I remember following his story a few months back.

How is your situation right now? Stil taking propecia?
I'm on finasteride 3 monts now and its getting thinner fast but i am not noticing a shed.

 

[Sanchez1234]

5 month update:

I have been on finasteride and keto shampoo (nizoral for some time, then revita) for abouth 5 months now. After my initial concerns about thinning hair along the hairline because of finasteride (and the start of this thread) my hair situation stabilized after about two months. After that I didnt really think that much about hair loss for a while, and I stopped examining my hairline every day. This may also have something to do with me moving into a house with bad lighting in the bathroom. However, a couple of weeks ago we got new lights, and I was right back to my concerns and hairline examinatons.

Hair is still a little thinner at the hairline than before starting finasteride (at least I think so) but its probably about the same as after 1 month on finasteride. The hair at my left temple is thinner than at the rest of my hairline. It has been like that since the start of this thread in july, but I think it may have thinned out a little more now.

BUT, at the same time I definitely see a lot of shorter, somewhat lighter hairs in that same area, and some pigmented too. Looking real close I see some very tiny hairs too. Not much at the rest of my hairline, but quite a few at the left temple where my hair is thinnest. So what I am wondering right now is if this is the finasteride working, and if this is a sign that my hair is about to thicken up again at this area. OR, is it just miniaturized hairs Im seeing and my hair being about to thin out even more?

I have held off with starting rogaine, but if this is not regrowth, but miniaturization, I think this is the time to include it In my regimen. What do you guys think? Am I seeing regrowth or miniaturization? Any other views on my hair situation?

Steven, what happened after this post?

 

[santhosh]

I am 26 years old and over the last year I have noticed that the hair on my temples has started receding. Otherwise my hair has always been thick and I have no problems at my crown.

Three weeks ago I started taking finasteride (proscar divided in 4) as an attempt to stop further hair loss. My goal is to keep what I have, any regrowth would be a bonus.


The last days I have noticed that the hair on my hairline is thinner now than it was before I started. As I said I have always had thick hair. This has gotten me really concerned. I have read about the initial shedding that sometimes occurs when starting finasteride, but the thing is I dont really see any substantial shedding. I just notice that my hair is thinning.

So to my questions: Is it normal to see the hair on the hairline thinning after just three weeks on finasteride? And will I get the thick hair I had before starting finasteride back? Now I am wondering if I should stop taking it or continue. Just feels very frustrating to see my hair thinning like this when I have never had a problem with thinning hair. The problem was just the hair on my temples receding.

I have heard about initial shedding, and have read that it is a sign that the finasteride is working. But in my case, when I am not noticing shedding, just thinning hair, what does that mean?

And one more thing: I have recently ordered nizoral shampoo and rogaine foam that I had planned to use in combination with finasteride. Now however I am scared to start using it. Could this mean even more thinning hair?

I would be so happy to get the thick hair I had before starting finasteride three weeks ago back.

I would greatly appreciate a response.

Hello Steven,

I have started using Propecia for the past one month and experiencing shedding of my hair. can you please let me know about your experiences. did you see any improvement at the end?

 

[Barry20]

Hi guys know it's been a while but how are you getting on, my hair has been so thin since I started now at 5 month mark I started taking it out of worry but it's thinned in an unnatural way, wanna know if urs got better

 

[kopiko4]

Been 4 months on finsteride and my hair is growing thinner and thinner? Did anyone improve?

 

[Sanchez1234]

Been 4 months on finsteride and my hair is growing thinner and thinner? Did anyone improve?

Try it for at least 8 months

 

[Diffused_confidence]

Ben, I was also thinking about using minoxidil (despite initially swearing to never touch the stuff) but it dawned on me that I really have to make 100% sure that finasteride works for me to some degree beforehand, if I'm going to be able to fight hairloss long term. (I realise there will be more, better treatments available on the legit market eventually but those are all 3 to 5 years away at least.)

IrishFella, I know what you mean, I've seen enough decent accounts in Success Stories where the patient was regrowing using finasteride without minoxidil.

But seriously, this is what I'm dealing with. Below baseline at left temple but small white hairs on top that I don't know if they were already there or not.

Someone told me this could be sign of regrowth but I'm skeptical. Been on finasteride since May 10, 2021. Still a long way to go but man, hairline is killing my self esteem.