5 Months On Finasteride + Big 3 Shampoo, Went From Norwood 2.5 To 3. Please Help!

Jpon541

Established Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
18
Hi, I'm about to be 25 and have experienced hair loss starting at 22-23. My hair loss was very slow and not very noticeable until I turned 24 and saw that my hairline wasn't normal.

male pattern baldness isn't too bad in my family, but there is definitely some thinning. My dad is 66 with a Norwood 3 and my grandpa got a little thin but still had 80% of his hair even at the age of 90! (Mom's side) My other grandfather had a full head of hair when he passed. (Dad's side). Not sure about my great grandparents, but my mom's brother is completely bald.

So my genetics are pretty average. Now, I know it can be possible to get this from a great great great great great grandparent and not know it, so I'm not making any assumptions here about who I got it from.

Point being, I'm thinning. I got on Finasteride January 15th and have been consistently taking it EVERY DAY SINCE. 1mg. Luckily I have not gotten any sides! However, 5 months into the treatment, I can tell that both sides of my hairline have moved back a bit and I'm becoming a pretty clear NW3. I was barely a Norwood 2.5 in January. Also the hairs on my crown have gotten more brittle and blonde.

I lose about 20-30 hairs in the shower which they say is normal for finasteride, but why haven't they grown back? I know hair cycles take a long time but I don't get why I'm doing worse 5 months in.

I will also note that I took Prednisone for about 3 weeks for my eczema, which caused a pins and needles pain on my hairline; those hairs fell out. I know this medication can cause hair loss but it is unrelated to DHT, different mechanism.

I've checked my DHT through a blood test and it was INSANELY low, so obviously finasteride is working properly.

Seeing as I wasn't losing much hair before treatment, I'm probably not super sensitive to DHT.

Will post pics soon if I can find some from baseline. I have some from now.

I'm gonna ride it out regardless because I have nothing to lose. But should I be hopeful? Or am I completely screwed.

Also, is reflex hyper-androgenicity a fear mongering rumor? Or is it a real thing?
 
Last edited:

Jpon541

Established Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
18
I've also been on big 3 shampoo since december which I use 2x a week, I use art natural's argan oil shampoo on the other days (I have sensitive skin due to dryness and eczema so i have to be careful). Both shampoos contain saw palmetto and other good stuff.

Taking a biotin supplement as well because why not.
 
Top