**4 year finasteride anniversary update**

[Diego15]

Understandable but you don't have any hair loss at this time. Hopefully, your body won't become too tolerant to the drug by the time you start showing signs of hair loss. The longer you are on it, the more likely it can happen.

Well that’s the thing actually. Before starting treatment, I was shedding tons of hair, and even had the classic itch all over my hairline. You can see the left side of my hairline is where it started

 

[DoctorHouse]

Well that’s the thing actually. Before starting treatment, I was shedding tons of hair, and even had the classic itch all over my hairline. You can see the left side of my hairline is where it started

Did a doctor confirm your diagnosis?

 

[WaccWaccWacc]

Good hair then and now. Perhaps more thick now. Prevention is key, and at the cost of 0 side effects… congrats.

 

[Diego15]

Did a doctor confirm your diagnosis?

Yea I went to a hair transplant clinic with a reputable doctor and the assistant took a look and said I can take finasteride for prevention

 

[jazz1]

Awesome hair.

 

[Diego15]

Awesome hair.

Much appreciated!

 

[GRme11]

Understandable but you don't have any hair loss at this time. Hopefully, your body won't become too tolerant to the drug by the time you start showing signs of hair loss. The longer you are on it, the more likely it can happen.

So, my thread makes a bit of sense, doesn't it?

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/finasteride-losing-effectiveness-after-17-months-building-up-tolerance-or-what-blood-tests.133078/

 

[DoctorHouse]

So, my thread makes a bit of sense, doesn't it?

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/finasteride-losing-effectiveness-after-17-months-building-up-tolerance-or-what-blood-tests.133078/

Yes it does. I think over time your genes will win in the end. These medication are just setting a later date for it to happen. The OP has no hair loss and is using this drug way too prematurely. If he is destined to bald which is still unknown it will still happen regardless of taking these medications now. Too bad the genetic testing for balding is no longer available. If I were the OP I would want that test to make sure I am not taking drug for nothing. BDD can drive you into doing things that could have regrettable consequences later.

 

[DoctorHouse]

^ I thought if he was taking it for nothing then that's all he was doing.

For example, just because he has no hair loss at 20 but started finasteride anyway, even though he didn't need, but then was going to have hairloss at 24, the drug would still work at 24. Let's say for him the drug would work 10 years. Then he would still get 10 years. Because his follicles wouldn't become more sensitive until 34, not 30. So he took it in all for 14 years, but the first 4 were for nothing, then more sensitive follicles is the culprit at 34 not the drug becoming less effective at reducing DHT. By starting the drug at 20, when he didn't need it, it ouldn't make his follicles become more sensitive at 30 vs 34. Hopefully that makes sense, if not I'll try to explain it better haha.

Plenty of dudes probably start taking finasteirde just for prevention at say 20 for absolutely no reason and take it for 25 years. The first 5 years was for nothing. Then it prevents any loss from 25 to say 40. Then the next 5 years their follicles become more sensitive and they may lose a little. It's still reducing DHT by the same amount. Just because they started 5 years before they needed it doesn't mean they lose five years off the drug working. Once again, hopefully that makes sense.

The drug shrinks your prostate and can cause issues later with fertility. I would not take it unless I know I needed it. That's just me. I have seen a few videos from the hair loss doctors who say the success rate of keeping the same amount of hair after 5 years starts to decline. Obviously, if you are not going bald, you are going to think taking finasteride is the reason why yet you can't be so sure. I guess what I am trying to say is this is an insurance policy I would not buy until I know I needed it. The OP has a family history of hair loss so I understand why he is doing it. He mostly has the gene but still would want to know if I definitely had the gene. I did and so I take it. If I didn't I would have quit even though my family history has balding on both sides and my dad was a high Norwood at an early age. Would you take finasteride if you were tested to not have the balding gene?

 

[DoctorHouse]

@DoctorHouse I take 0.25mg a day. I have for 13 months. Started Aug 2020 when I was 26. My mind was driving me crazy over it. Since I started taking it, I am not sure if my hair has ever so slightly improved or if it's the same. I've tried comparing pictures and it's hard to tell. I lean towards it's helped it. It has helped my mind over the last year to some degree, also.

I posted pictures here a couple times under a different name, and 99% of people told me I was fine and had no hair loss. But I still wasn't sure.

I finally decided to take it after nearly 2 years of waiting. I figured I would just take it as prevention and hope my hair stayed the same. I mean in a way I hope I'm taking it for nothing because that means I don't have hair loss, if that makes sense.

And let's say I wasn't going to lose hair until 60. That's when my follicles become sensitive enough. Then that means I took it from 26 until 60 for no reason. Then let's say for me it works for 15 years. Then in theory it would keep my hair until 75. Then at 75 my follicles become too sensitive again and there's still enough DHT left to cause hair loss. I realize that was an extreme example on age but I felt it made my example easier to understand.

[I almost don't even like talking about it, like it could be some kind of jinx.] If only I knew I would take back after my dad's mom's family. My great grandpaw on that side was Norwood 0 at 90, my dad's brother is Norwood 0 at 52, my dad was Norwood 2 (thick) when he died at 48. My dad's half brother is Norwood 1 at 36. My mom's dad is Norwood 6/7. He started thinning and losing hair pretty early, from my understanding. His dad was Norwood 6/7. My mom's brother is a thick Norwood 1 at 46. My male 1st cousins on my mom's side have a Norwood 1 at 25, Norwood 0 at 19, and Norwood 2.5 at 21. So far my only male 1st cousin on my dad's side is still Norwood 1 at 30. I don't know much about my mom's mom's family. Or much about my dad's dad's family. I seen a picture of him at around 50 and appeared to have a thick Norwood 2. I think he ended up with really thin hair in his late 60's & 70's but I heard he had a lot of health issues including thyroid issues. So who knows? He left in like 1974 and I don't really know him.

So basically I am a mixed bag with 2 of the 4 lines. One line being better than the other for sure. The other 2 lines I don't know much about really, at least not with regards to how it would effect me.

It was a tough desicion for sure to take it. I'm 27 about to be 28 next month.

Unfortunately, hair loss is totally unpredictable so it's a gamble no matter how you look at it. We all lose 10 percent density each decade even if you don't have male pattern baldness. So if you have uber thick hair, you won't notice it too much. @Northface32 is a good example of that. He has the best hair hands down so far on here.

 

[infamousrodi]

Unfortunately, hair loss is totally unpredictable so it's a gamble no matter how you look at it. We all lose 10 percent density each year even if you don't have male pattern baldness. So if you have uber thick hair, you won't notice it too much. @Northface32 is a good example of that. He has the best hair hands down so far on here.

Is this after a certain age you lose 10% each year?

 

[DoctorHouse]

@DoctorHouse I was wrong you did post to my very first photo thread, the pictures on that thread were not the best comparatively. I also made 3 not 2 with pictures. I forgot that haha. This was from Feb 2020, before I ever started 0.25mg finasteride. Here is what you wrote:

"Seek mental help therapy. You are suffering from low self esteem. Must be hard to lose your father at such a young age. Your hair looks fine. People with severe depression don't fair well with finasteride for some reason."

Wow, maybe I was a little too harsh on you. How does your hair look now?

 

[WaccWaccWacc]

The drug shrinks your prostate and can cause issues later with fertility. I would not take it unless I know I needed it. That's just me. I have seen a few videos from the hair loss doctors who say the success rate of keeping the same amount of hair after 5 years starts to decline. Obviously, if you are not going bald, you are going to think taking finasteride is the reason why yet you can't be so sure. I guess what I am trying to say is this is an insurance policy I would not buy until I know I needed it. The OP has a family history of hair loss so I understand why he is doing it. He mostly has the gene but still would want to know if I definitely had the gene. I did and so I take it. If I didn't I would have quit even though my family history has balding on both sides and my dad was a high Norwood at an early age. Would you take finasteride if you were tested to not have the balding gene?

Where did the infertility comment come from?

 

[DoctorHouse]

Where did the infertility comment come from?

It happened to a person I know.

 

[WaccWaccWacc]

It happened to a person I know.

Could very well be confounding. I think if infertility was as prominent as a side than the others then it would be cautioned more. You seem have to switched stances on finasteride regarding taking it as prevention. Are you still on it and ok?

 

[DoctorHouse]

Could very well be confounding. I think if infertility was as prominent as a side than the others then it would be cautioned more. You seem have to switched stances on finasteride regarding taking it as prevention. Are you still on it and ok?

Yes, I still take it. I have not switched my stance. I still think finasteride is best for those who want to save their hair if they are experiencing hair loss. I just think in certain cases, it would be good to know if you actually have the gene to bald. Would you take finasteride if you knew you did not have the balding gene? Some of the guys on here don't "appear" to be balding from their photos but I know my hair photos look way better than how my hair looks in person so showing photos on here can be deceiving. If you notice your hair is thinning, then chances are it is. But sometimes people confuse low natural density with fine hair as a sign of diffuse thinning. In most cases, most men will transition from a juvenile hairline to a mature hairline. Most people consider a NW1 as a juvenile hairline and NW2 as a mature hairline. Anything beyond a NW2 would be considered beyond the norm. Tonight I saw a guy who was 47 with no gray hair and a juvenile hairline still. He does have some very minor diffuse thinning all over but it's normal for his age. He obviously has top tier hair genetics. In my experience, when I see this almost 100 percent of the time the person is hispanic. Obviously, the guy does not have the balding gene.

 

[300]

Yes, I still take it. I have not switched my stance. I still think finasteride is best for those who want to save their hair if they are experiencing hair loss. I just think in certain cases, it would be good to know if you actually have the gene to bald. Would you take finasteride if you knew you did not have the balding gene? Some of the guys on here don't "appear" to be balding from their photos but I know my hair photos look way better than how my hair looks in person so showing photos on here can be deceiving. If you notice your hair is thinning, then chances are it is. But sometimes people confuse low natural density with fine hair as a sign of diffuse thinning. In most cases, most men will transition from a juvenile hairline to a mature hairline. Most people consider a NW1 as a juvenile hairline and NW2 as a mature hairline. Anything beyond a NW2 would be considered beyond the norm. Tonight I saw a guy who was 47 with no gray hair and a juvenile hairline still. He does have some very minor diffuse thinning all over but it's normal for his age. He obviously has top tier hair genetics. In my experience, when I see this almost 100 percent of the time the person is hispanic. Obviously, the guy does not have the balding gene.

What is normal for any age?I think is very subjective .

 

[DoctorHouse]

What is normal for any age?I think is very subjective .

True, I was going to delete that part when I wrote it. I guess I didn't get my point across very well. Hair loss definitely varies among ethnicity as well. I think most people will develop a mature hairline but it can happen at various ages. I think if you maintain a NW1 and no vertex thinning all your life, you most likely don't have the balding gene. I think everyone gets diffuse thinning due to loss of collagen as we age.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Is this after a certain age you lose 10% each year?

No, my bad. I was thinking decade but typed year. It's 10 percent each decade. The time starts when puberty is complete.