New to this. finasteride or dutasteride?

[shd04e]

Hey guys. I have finally decided to get on one of these DHT blockers. I just turned 25 and I am about an NW2 with maybe a little thinning on the crown. I noticed recession at the temples about two years ago and freaked out thinking it'd all be gone in weeks. That obviously didn't happen and two years later, I feel like i can still get out ahead of this thing.

My question is, what should my first overall step be?

I know finasteride blocks the the type 2 5a-reductase enzyme while dutasteride blocks both type 1 and type 2 and is reportedly more effective but may have more intense side effects.

Just want some insight on which one I should go for first?

Also curious to where I should get either of them? Is the store on this site a legit spot to get the generic kinds or should I try and get a prescription from a doctor?

Thanks!

 

[davesmith420]

Start on Finasteride first, it might be all you need to stop your hair loss/get regrowth. If you have been on Finasteride for 1-2 years and haven't seen any progress/got worse then I would give dutasteride a shot. If you're in the US, get a prescription for finasteride, it is on most major retailers "Cheap Generics" list. I get 30 5 mg finasteride pills from Target and it last me 4 months (as I cut them into 4ths). My insurance covers it because it's the generic and it ends up costing me a little less than $4. Even if you don't have insurance it would only cost you like $9. Best of luck.

 

[shd04e]

Thanks for the response.

I am in the US. What type of Doctor should i go to? A dermatologist or just a regular doctor? Do you think a walk in clinic would suffice? One actually just opened 5 mins away from my house....

How hard is it to get a prescription?

 

[davesmith420]

Thanks for the response.

I am in the US. What type of Doctor should i go to? A dermatologist or just a regular doctor? Do you think a walk in clinic would suffice? One actually just opened 5 mins away from my house....

How hard is it to get a prescription?

Dermatologist >GP. However a dermatologist that does hair transplants is best. It shouldn't be too hard. As long as he sees some thinning he should prescribe it. My derm literally looked at my head for 5 seconds (hairline and crown) then said "Yep you have male pattern baldness." Although I did have to bring up Finasteride to him, just make sure to tell your derm that you understand the possible side effects.

 

[shd04e]

Dermatologist >GP. However a dermatologist that does hair transplants is best. It shouldn't be too hard. As long as he sees some thinning he should prescribe it. My derm literally looked at my head for 5 seconds (hairline and crown) then said "Yep you have male pattern baldness." Although I did have to bring up Finasteride to him, just make sure to tell your derm that you understand the possible side effects.

ok. I am still deciding what to do. What do you recommend if I decide to go with the dutasteride? Is the webstore on this site a good spot to purchase it? Do you think the finasteride from it is good too? I know it'll be more expensive but it is what it is.

 

[davesmith420]

ok. I am still deciding what to do. What do you recommend if I decide to go with the dutasteride? Is the webstore on this site a good spot to purchase it? Do you think the finasteride from it is good too? I know it'll be more expensive but it is what it is.

I know that Finasteride is pretty cheap and it's rarely faked because of it. I know some derm's won't prescribe dutasteride since it isn't FDA approved for hairloss but some might. I personally don't have any experience buying online I always got prescriptions.

 

[shd04e]

I know that Finasteride is pretty cheap and it's rarely faked because of it. I know some derm's won't prescribe dutasteride since it isn't FDA approved for hairloss but some might. I personally don't have any experience buying online I always got prescriptions.

What kind of finasteride do you get from target? I have read there are different kinds of the generic version?

And why why don't you get propecia since you have a prescription? Isn't that the main one?

 

[kj6723]

Your situation sounds similar to mine. I'm 27 and a NW2...started noticing it about 2 years ago, haven't done anything about it yet...partly because I'm in the military and medical attention for purely cosmetic things is an uphill battle from the providers available to me. In 3 months I'll be out, and I'm looking to immediately start the battle against hair loss as soon as I re-enter civilian life.

Right now I'm thinking I'll try to get started on finasteride asap and hopefully stabilize what I still have. I really want a youthful hairline, so once I'm stabilized I may look into a transplant to make up for whatever hasn't grown back. My only concern with a transplant is that my donor hair may be limited, because my hair has always been pretty fine in texture for as long as I can remember...one step at a time though. I'll cross that bridge when(if) I get there.

Like you I've also been wondering about the best kind of doctor to start off with...GP? Derm? etc. I'm thinking I may just go straight to a hair restoration clinic once I get back to my hometown and see what they can do for me.

 

[davesmith420]

What kind of finasteride do you get from target? I have read there are different kinds of the generic version?

And why why don't you get propecia since you have a prescription? Isn't that the main one?

I just get the generic Findasteride, I don't even know what brand it is all I know it is a small round blue pill. I wouldn't worry about the type, as long as it is Finasteride you should be fine.

I don't get brand name Findasteride (aka Propecia) because I'm a broke college student and can't afford $60+ a month for a pills when I can get the generic for like $1 a month. It is the same medicine after all.

 

[shd04e]

Your situation sounds similar to mine. I'm 27 and a NW2...started noticing it about 2 years ago, haven't done anything about it yet...partly because I'm in the military and medical attention for purely cosmetic things is an uphill battle from the providers available to me. In 3 months I'll be out, and I'm looking to immediately start the battle against hair loss as soon as I re-enter civilian life.

Right now I'm thinking I'll try to get started on finasteride asap and hopefully stabilize what I still have. I really want a youthful hairline, so once I'm stabilized I may look into a transplant to make up for whatever hasn't grown back. My only concern with a transplant is that my donor hair may be limited, because my hair has always been pretty fine in texture for as long as I can remember...one step at a time though. I'll cross that bridge when(if) I get there.

Like you I've also been wondering about the best kind of doctor to start off with...GP? Derm? etc. I'm thinking I may just go straight to a hair restoration clinic once I get back to my hometown and see what they can do for me.

nice to find someone similar. Ill even add to that more, i also have pretty thin hair. I went to a Derm exactly 2 years ago and was told all my hair was in good shape and i had good scalp coverage on top and the sides. So since nothing crazy has changed since then besides temple recession, i assume that is still the case but will obviously have to get it checked out again before I find a hair transplant doctor. I heard some DRs will give you a transplant even if your donor hair is in bad shape.

A transplant is definitely what i want to do down the road. Maintaining and strengthening the hair we still have is the first goal though.

As you can see, I'm at the crossroads on what I want to get on and where to get it.

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I just get the generic Findasteride, I don't even know what brand it is all I know it is a small round blue pill. I wouldn't worry about the type, as long as it is Finasteride you should be fine.

I don't get brand name Findasteride (aka Propecia) because I'm a broke college student and can't afford $60+ a month for a pills when I can get the generic for like $1 a month. It is the same medicine after all.

do you have to keep going back when you need more? do they give you refills ?

i have a feeling i will go to a Derm and be prescribed like a months supply.

 

[davesmith420]

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do you have to keep going back when you need more? do they give you refills ?

i have a feeling i will go to a Derm and be prescribed like a months supply.

Yeah I'm meeting with my derm in about 2 weeks (2 months since my first visit), I just started finasteride a little over a month ago. I only got one prescription for the 30 pills, mainly because he wanted me to try it out and see if I got any sides. I like going for check ups here and there, because it's always good to look at my progress in person, pictures on forums can only do so much.

 

[kj6723]

nice to find someone similar. Ill even add to that more, i also have pretty thin hair. I went to a Derm exactly 2 years ago and was told all my hair was in good shape and i had good scalp coverage on top and the sides. So since nothing crazy has changed since then besides temple recession, i assume that is still the case but will obviously have to get it checked out again before I find a hair transplant doctor. I heard some DRs will give you a transplant even if your donor hair is in bad shape.

A transplant is definitely what i want to do down the road. Maintaining and strengthening the hair we still have is the first goal though.

As you can see, I'm at the crossroads on what I want to get on and where to get it.

Yeah, hopefully the non-balding thin hair won't be an issue when it comes to a hair transplant...I'm optimistic that it isn't for those of us still in the NW2 stage who don't have all that much bald space yet to be filled in. That being said, I'm about as bad as you can get and still be considered an NW2, so I definitely don't want to wait any longer. I'm excited to soon have the opportunity to be proactive against something that's been annoyingly heavy on my mind the last couple years. I'm optimistic that with the stage I'm at I may still salvage a decent hairline if finasteride works out for me, with maybe a little surgery too.

Part of me feels really impatient when I think that even if my quest for great hair is successful, it could take a good few years for everything to reach it's full potential. That being said, I don't think I'll ever take a full head of hair for granted again...I honestly can't imagine how ecstatic I'd be to wake up, look in the mirror, and realize I had one.

 

[kjay]

Similar situation here. I'm 33 and at a NW2 if I'm being really optimistic, a NW2.5 pessimistic. I went to my general practitioner six months ago and asked for a scrip for generic finasteride and he just said OK, sure. Didn't even examine my head closely. Here's the thing, though: I didn't take the finasteride. Threw it away after a few months, too scared of the potential sides. I'm over that now and got a refill. I'm starting it Feb. 1, but I'm still working out what else to add to my daily regimen.

I've been driving myself crazy with the same questions—finasteride vs. dutasteride? etc. But I think the best way to start is with the simplest: finasteride 1x/day, minoxidil 5% topical 2x/day, Nizoral shampoo 3x/week, maybe a supplement like Biotin every day, and, in case of emergency, save aggressively for an hair transplant for if and when it comes to that.

 

[shd04e]

Similar situation here. I'm 33 and at a NW2 if I'm being really optimistic, a NW2.5 pessimistic. I went to my general practitioner six months ago and asked for a scrip for generic finasteride and he just said OK, sure. Didn't even examine my head closely. Here's the thing, though: I didn't take the finasteride. Threw it away after a few months, too scared of the potential sides. I'm over that now and got a refill. I'm starting it Feb. 1, but I'm still working out what else to add to my daily regimen.

I've been driving myself crazy with the same questions—finasteride vs. dutasteride? etc. But I think the best way to start is with the simplest: finasteride 1x/day, minoxidil 5% topical 2x/day, Nizoral shampoo 3x/week, maybe a supplement like Biotin every day, and, in case of emergency, save aggressively for an hair transplant for if and when it comes to that.

Yea that's the regimen I am about to get on too. They seem like they make the most sense as a first step. Makes sense to try finasteride first to see if you can tolerate it and if it works for you. If not then maybe switch to dutasteride in a year or two.


So many other things out there, have seen info about S5 cream, RU58841 and CB-03-01. I wonder what they do? If they work better? Or if one should use those things as well.


Also talked to a few people around here about Acell + prp injections. Seems like people are getting good results with that. One guy even answered my question before I asked it, which was that he did it to set himself up to be a better candidate for a hair transplant.

That is legitimately my only goal here. Not trying to move mountains and grow back all my hair. Just want to strengthen my donor hair area and simply maintain what I got now. I really don't think that's asking too much haha

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Yeah, hopefully the non-balding thin hair won't be an issue when it comes to a hair transplant...I'm optimistic that it isn't for those of us still in the NW2 stage who don't have all that much bald space yet to be filled in. That being said, I'm about as bad as you can get and still be considered an NW2, so I definitely don't want to wait any longer. I'm excited to soon have the opportunity to be proactive against something that's been annoyingly heavy on my mind the last couple years. I'm optimistic that with the stage I'm at I may still salvage a decent hairline if finasteride works out for me, with maybe a little surgery too.

Part of me feels really impatient when I think that even if my quest for great hair is successful, it could take a good few years for everything to reach it's full potential. That being said, I don't think I'll ever take a full head of hair for granted again...I honestly can't imagine how ecstatic I'd be to wake up, look in the mirror, and realize I had one.

I'm with you man. So ready to start doing something about it. When i first realized hair loss, my mindset was why me? Like do I really gotta deal with this? Pissed me off that something so simple got to me.

Now I'm moving toward why not me? Why can't I be one of those succes stories? I have seen many people look significantly worse than I do right now, and ending up looking amazing after treatment and surgery. Why not me?!

The impatience gets to me too. It's more the not knowing and unpredictability of it that bothers me more. But for me, all I need is just the smallest sign of progress and I'll be the most patient person to ever exist lol