My Finasteride Update, 22 Y/o (pics)

[recedingornot87]

Minoxidil she’d might take me out of the game for good. I’m scurred

Brah, minoxidil is the truth. I honestly believe I have seen more gains from minoxidil than I have from finasteride so far. Some people get maintenance for over a decade just from minoxidil.

 

[recedingornot87]

T

Wet hair photos from baseline to now. I’m not sure how wet my hair was in the baseline photo, but I think it was pretty wet. Smh it’s over

Those two pics are in different areas of ur home with different lighting.

 

[CrownBalding]

Brah, minoxidil is the truth. I honestly believe I have seen more gains from minoxidil than I have from finasteride so far. Some people get maintenance for over a decade just from minoxidil.

Yeah but I’m not ready for shedding szn

 

[recedingornot87]

Yeah but I’m not ready for shedding szn

Yeah prepare to get no hoes for a month or two when you start. But afterwards it is worth it. Im just worried it will stop working.

 

[hz123456]

I agree, you should start minoxidil now. True you'll shed (some people don't though), but its really not as noticeable as you think, and it will only be a temporary thing. Its winter now too I'm assuming for you, so now is the perfect time to go through a shed phase anyway as you can wear a beanie or hat.

By March you will be back to baseline at minimum

By May you will be very happy in the decision you made as your density should be vastly increased.

 

[SaitamaSensei]

you have nothing to worry about

 

[CrownBalding]

you have nothing to worry about

What makes you say that? I lose a ton of hair a day and my density has dropped significantly. Have you seen my wet pics? Lol

 

[AnxiousAndy]

I personally don't think you should start minoxidil yet, give finasteride at least a year so you know for sure what its doing for you. From experience I've endured horrible minoxidil sheds, noticeable only to me but I'm great at concealing so nobody knew any different. Not everybody sheds and not everyone is a responder. For the best chance ( and consistency ) of regrowth I'd go with oral minoxidil, I've regrown a lot, lost it all + more but its slowly coming back!
Take your time with treatments bro, don't rush into it.
Also bro, I genuinely think your hair looks better compared to baseline.. Or at the very least has not got worse. If it had, you'd look like friar tuck by now lol. Your crown looks almost back to 100%. I'm green with envy

 

[CrownBalding]

I personally don't think you should start minoxidil yet, give finasteride at least a year so you know for sure what its doing for you. From experience I've endured horrible minoxidil sheds, noticeable only to me but I'm great at concealing so nobody knew any different. Not everybody sheds and not everyone is a responder. For the best chance ( and consistency ) of regrowth I'd go with oral minoxidil, I've regrown a lot, lost it all + more but its slowly coming back!
Take your time with treatments bro, don't rush into it.
Also bro, I genuinely think your hair looks better compared to baseline.. Or at the very least has not got worse. If it had, you'd look like friar tuck by now lol. Your crown looks almost back to 100%. I'm green with envy

Thanks a lot Andy, good to hear from ya. Yeah lately I’ve been paying attention to everyone’s hair (obviously) and realizing how much scalp some of my friends are showing. I’ve watched my buddy start to diffuse and now it’s gotten a bit worse in his crown. I’m sure he has no clue and neither does anyone else. Of course he’s a bit better off than me, but with toppik, I’m sure I show less scalp than he does.

I’d love to start right up on oral minoxidil and skip the liquid bullshit but I’m a bit weary because I already have high blood pressure and a shitty heart.

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Thanks a lot Andy, good to hear from ya. Yeah lately I’ve been paying attention to everyone’s hair (obviously) and realizing how much scalp some of my friends are showing. I’ve watched my buddy start to diffuse and now it’s gotten a bit worse in his crown. I’m sure he has no clue and neither does anyone else. Of course he’s a bit better off than me, but with toppik, I’m sure I show less scalp than he does.

I’d love to start right up on oral minoxidil and skip the liquid bullshit but I’m a bit weary because I already have high blood pressure and a shitty heart.

minoxidil lowers blood pressure so I don't think that would be an issue. Do your friend a favor and tell him about finasteride, I'm sure you'd want the same however embarrassing it may be.

 

[Derelict]

I would personally switch to dutasteride, i started finasteride last January and i lost alot of ground, finasteride slowed my balding down but didn't halt it so im below baseline. Im hoping i can maintain and perhaps get some regrowth with dutasteride. If you want to tackle hairloss might as well go all in.

Pic of my hair in january before starting finasteride https://imgur.com/MRer1Ss

Pic just a couple of weeks ago after dermastamping https://imgur.com/AQ97e4H

You shouldn't be scared of minoxidil shed, you are using toppik now anyway so you can easily mask it.

 

[CrownBalding]

So here’s a bit of an update. Just about 8 months on finasteride. First 5 photos are wet hair. Next 3 are after drying and combing. I’ve let my hair get way out of hand, I need to get another haircut lol. I’m so embarrassed going to the barber that I always just put off my haircut. Also, since it’s winter I’ve just been wearing hats for the past month or two so I didn’t really care how my hair looks.

I was thinking that I haven’t lost ground the past couple of months but now I’m starting to think that I have. I’ve been holding on to hope that I’ll be a late responder to finasteride and maybe I’ll start maintaining later like @centurie, but I’m losing hope in that. I have an appointment with my doctor some time in February so I’m going to ask her to switch me on to dutasteride. I’m praying that by switching on to dutasteride I’ll HAVE to at least maintain. Who the f*** goes bald while I n dutasteride? I still haven’t started minoxidil but I think I’m going to do what @AnxiousAndy does and drink it. It seems to have worked for him and I’m too lazy to lather that sh*t on my hair.


I’ve only known about my balding for less than a year and this is where I stand...

 

[centurie]

Your hair looks fine @CrownBalding, no need to change your regime just yet I still think you should wait until the year mark. However if you’re set on doing it jump on minoxidil first before you think of switching to duta.

No need to drink it just apply it topically, I’m certain you’ll get great results.

Goodluck

 

[CrownBalding]

Your hair looks fine @CrownBalding, no need to change your regime just yet I still think you should wait until the year mark. However if you’re set on doing it jump on minoxidil first before you think of switching to duta.

No need to drink it just apply it topically, I’m certain you’ll get great results.

Goodluck

Thanks man, but I do believe my hair is continuing to get worse, I’m not sure what to do exactly.

Also, here’s a bump

 

[Manochoice]

Man, you hair still looks fine. Give it a year. Maybe a add 1x Minoxidil/day. Don't nuke yourself just yet with Duta.

 

[CrownBalding]

Man, you hair still looks fine. Give it a year. Maybe a add 1x Minoxidil/day. Don't nuke yourself just yet with Duta.

f*** is duta that big of a leap?

 

[hz123456]

From what I remember, dutasteride inhibits not just the type 2 isozyme of a-5-reductase, but all of them. Most studies show that inhibiting type 2 is beneficial for hair, whereas inhibiting the others had no impact. finasteride impacts only type 2 and 3.

The main benefit of Dutasteride is not that it inhibits all 3 isozymes of a-5-reductase, but that it is a stronger inhibitor of the type 2 isozyme compared to finasteride. The downside (and why I'm hesitant to use it), is that a-5-reductase is not just found in the scalp/prostate, but other parts of the body, most importantly the brain, especially type-1 a-5-reductase.

"In addition to inhibition of DHT production, 5α-reductase inhibitors like dutasteride are also neurosteroidogenesis inhibitors, preventing the 5α-reductase-mediated biosynthesis of various neurosteroids including allopregnanolone(from progesterone), THDOC (from deoxycorticosterone), and 3α-androstanediol (from testosterone).[44] These neurosteroids are potent positive allosteric modulators of the GABAA receptor and have been found to possess antidepressant, anxiolytic, and pro-sexual effects in animal research.[44][45][46] For this reason, prevention of neurosteroid formation may be involved in the sexual dysfunction and depression that has been associated with 5α-reductase inhibitors like dutasteride."

 

[CrownBalding]

From what I remember, dutasteride inhibits not just the type 2 isozyme of a-5-reductase, but all of them. Most studies show that inhibiting type 2 is beneficial for hair, whereas inhibiting the others had no impact. finasteride impacts only type 2 and 3.

The main benefit of Dutasteride is not that it inhibits all 3 isozymes of a-5-reductase, but that it is a stronger inhibitor of the type 2 isozyme compared to finasteride. The downside (and why I'm hesitant to use it), is that a-5-reductase is not just found in the scalp/prostate, but other parts of the body, most importantly the brain, especially type-1 a-5-reductase.

"In addition to inhibition of DHT production, 5α-reductase inhibitors like dutasteride are also neurosteroidogenesis inhibitors, preventing the 5α-reductase-mediated biosynthesis of various neurosteroids including allopregnanolone(from progesterone), THDOC (from deoxycorticosterone), and 3α-androstanediol (from testosterone).[44] These neurosteroids are potent positive allosteric modulators of the GABAA receptor and have been found to possess antidepressant, anxiolytic, and pro-sexual effects in animal research.[44][45][46] For this reason, prevention of neurosteroid formation may be involved in the sexual dysfunction and depression that has been associated with 5α-reductase inhibitors like dutasteride."

Great post, thanks

 

[AnxiousAndy]

So here’s a bit of an update. Just about 8 months on finasteride. First 5 photos are wet hair. Next 3 are after drying and combing. I’ve let my hair get way out of hand, I need to get another haircut lol. I’m so embarrassed going to the barber that I always just put off my haircut. Also, since it’s winter I’ve just been wearing hats for the past month or two so I didn’t really care how my hair looks.

I was thinking that I haven’t lost ground the past couple of months but now I’m starting to think that I have. I’ve been holding on to hope that I’ll be a late responder to finasteride and maybe I’ll start maintaining later like @centurie, but I’m losing hope in that. I have an appointment with my doctor some time in February so I’m going to ask her to switch me on to dutasteride. I’m praying that by switching on to dutasteride I’ll HAVE to at least maintain. Who the f*** goes bald while I n dutasteride? I still haven’t started minoxidil but I think I’m going to do what @AnxiousAndy does and drink it. It seems to have worked for him and I’m too lazy to lather that sh*t on my hair.


I’ve only known about my balding for less than a year and this is where I stand...

Please don't switch to dutasteride, I can guarantee you will regret it. Stay with finasteride as it's safer and doesn't shoot testosterone through the roof. T does cause hair loss. I have a theory that some people have a higher androgen binding affinity to T rather than DHT. It would explain why I lost ground the whole time on finasteride. dutasteride would've probably made me bald, there's a reason there's not many success stories and lots of horrors. My hairloss was only reversed with oral minoxidil and cyproterone. I'm sure there are variables for everything in between too..

 

[Hussam]

Please don't switch to dutasteride, I can guarantee you will regret it. Stay with finasteride as it's safer and doesn't shoot testosterone through the roof. T does cause hair loss. I have a theory that some people have a higher androgen binding affinity to T rather than DHT. It would explain why I lost ground the whole time on finasteride. dutasteride would've probably made me bald, there's a reason there's not many success stories and lots of horrors. My hairloss was only reversed with oral minoxidil and cyproterone. I'm sure there are variables for everything in between too..

But Dihydrotestosterone is more potent than testosterone more than four times, so testosterone will be no more harmful to hair follicles unless if the hair is genetically more sensitive to the testosterone !!