6 months mark on FINA and lost so much density need help guys please !!

Onizukasan76

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Hello guys ! First of all, I'm a french guy, so please don't be too hard with my English :) So actually I'm totally hopeless, and I really don't know if I have to quit immediately fina or if I should stay with it...

I've taken my first fina's pill (0,25, not 1mg) 6 months ago. I have started the 1st August. My regimen was, following my GP advices, 0,25mg 3 times a week during one month, then 0,5mg three times a week and then, if no sides, eventually switch to 1mg 3 times a week.But after 1 month, and almost immediately, when I switched from 0,25mg to 0,5mg, I've got pretty bad face acne. After 1 month I decided to come back at the 0,25mg dosage. But acne was still here, it was just one or two pimples every one or 2 weeks, but those were often pretty big... 1 month ago, I solve my problem with acne, I'm on Zinc 15mg per day and it disappear.

The main problem now is my density, that is disappearing day after day, it's really freaking me !! When I started fina, my hairs were really not bad, just a little recession on my temples and on my hairline, at the corners. Now, after 6 months under fina I lost density all over my scalp, and especially on the front area, behind my hairline. On this area, I can see my scalp when I'm under the bathroom spot !!! Even when my hairs are dry, and when I apply my thickening paste, I can now see the scalp on the middle of my hairline, for the first time of my life.... I always had thick hairs, I just had a small density loss 6 months ago before I start fine, but now, it's really really worst !!


So my question guy, is it normal to lost so much density, is it the normal shedding phase before my hairs come back thicker, and so I have to stay with the treatment ? Or should I go off fina asap ? The fact that even at 0,5mg 3 times a week I had important side effects (acne and chest pain, I forgot this one sorry) is maybe a sign of reflex hyperandogenicity ? And I see that continued thinning after 6 months should be telogen effluvium too... I read so much things, I'm desperate and lost guys...

Before the treatment :
104169059_1370731703315907_2232255625224159042_n.jpg


Now (after 6 months) :
144353300_454554282339914_3028989818967487771_n.jpg



144312652_2919163771691737_9148474903852080366_n.jpg
 

jazz1

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Your hair still looks great, i would try 1mg and see how that works, plus add a good shampoo like Regenepure DR and Nizoral to block scalp DHT!


You haven’t switched medication brands by any chance?.....
 

FilthyFrancis

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Hey man,

It's a tough call. Don't expect people to bring you definite answers here.

I was in your exact same position last summer I believe. My hair density got destroyed by a 6 months topical finasteride course. I had acne and intense scalp itching.

Acne is more frequent than you would think on 5ARi's. It seems many have it before a successful course too, and to me, the more I look at it, the more I think it's just temporary hormonal imbalances in your body caused by the drug intake.

This being said, there's no guarantee your shedding will subside if you keep going. There are chances your hair could be permanently damaged, although not very significant if you look at statistics. Some here, on HairLossTalk.com, have seen dramatic worsening of their overall hair condition in two years under finasteride. They kept going thinking the shedding was temporary and now regret they did so.

When I was in your situation, I quit fina and never recovered my density lost in these 6 months. My shedding rate went back to what it was pre-finasteride after a couple of months, but I can't say I got back my density. It was kind of a relief still.

Looking back, i question myself whether I would have been successful with fina, had I maintained my regimen. If I had to chose again, I would probably keep going with finasteride. I know it is much easier said than done though, as the shedding is detrimental to your self-esteem and the idea of your density worsening even more at such a quick pace is scarry as f***.

By the way, it's hard to tell from your pictures you have lost density but I am perfectly aware of the kind of diffuse shedding you are having right now... It's hard
 

SausageDawg

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Hello guys ! First of all, I'm a french guy, so please don't be too hard with my English :) So actually I'm totally hopeless, and I really don't know if I have to quit immediately fina or if I should stay with it...

I've taken my first fina's pill (0,25, not 1mg) 6 months ago. I have started the 1st August. My regimen was, following my GP advices, 0,25mg 3 times a week during one month, then 0,5mg three times a week and then, if no sides, eventually switch to 1mg 3 times a week.But after 1 month, and almost immediately, when I switched from 0,25mg to 0,5mg, I've got pretty bad face acne. After 1 month I decided to come back at the 0,25mg dosage. But acne was still here, it was just one or two pimples every one or 2 weeks, but those were often pretty big... 1 month ago, I solve my problem with acne, I'm on Zinc 15mg per day and it disappear.

The main problem now is my density, that is disappearing day after day, it's really freaking me !! When I started fina, my hairs were really not bad, just a little recession on my temples and on my hairline, at the corners. Now, after 6 months under fina I lost density all over my scalp, and especially on the front area, behind my hairline. On this area, I can see my scalp when I'm under the bathroom spot !!! Even when my hairs are dry, and when I apply my thickening paste, I can now see the scalp on the middle of my hairline, for the first time of my life.... I always had thick hairs, I just had a small density loss 6 months ago before I start fine, but now, it's really really worst !!


So my question guy, is it normal to lost so much density, is it the normal shedding phase before my hairs come back thicker, and so I have to stay with the treatment ? Or should I go off fina asap ? The fact that even at 0,5mg 3 times a week I had important side effects (acne and chest pain, I forgot this one sorry) is maybe a sign of reflex hyperandogenicity ? And I see that continued thinning after 6 months should be telogen effluvium too... I read so much things, I'm desperate and lost guys...

Before the treatment :
View attachment 156028

Now (after 6 months) :
View attachment 156029


View attachment 156030
I know you know your hair better than any of us but I think it looks better? Dunno if that’s bcus gel has been used in the 1st pic. But in terms of overall density it looks great. Looks healthy too
 

Onizukasan76

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Your hair still looks great, i would try 1mg and see how that works, plus add a good shampoo like Regenepure DR and Nizoral to block scalp DHT!


You haven’t switched medication brands by any chance?.....
I begin Nizoral today, but honestly I dont think it will change anything..

Yes I switch medication brand 1 month ago, do you think it could be related ?
 

Onizukasan76

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Hey man,

It's a tough call. Don't expect people to bring you definite answers here.

I was in your exact same position last summer I believe. My hair density got destroyed by a 6 months topical finasteride course. I had acne and intense scalp itching.

Acne is more frequent than you would think on 5ARi's. It seems many have it before a successful course too, and to me, the more I look at it, the more I think it's just temporary hormonal imbalances in your body caused by the drug intake.

This being said, there's no guarantee your shedding will subside if you keep going. There are chances your hair could be permanently damaged, although not very significant if you look at statistics. Some here, on HairLossTalk.com, have seen dramatic worsening of their overall hair condition in two years under finasteride. They kept going thinking the shedding was temporary and now regret they did so.

When I was in your situation, I quit fina and never recovered my density lost in these 6 months. My shedding rate went back to what it was pre-finasteride after a couple of months, but I can't say I got back my density. It was kind of a relief still.

Looking back, i question myself whether I would have been successful with fina, had I maintained my regimen. If I had to chose again, I would probably keep going with finasteride. I know it is much easier said than done though, as the shedding is detrimental to your self-esteem and the idea of your density worsening even more at such a quick pace is scarry as f***.

By the way, it's hard to tell from your pictures you have lost density but I am perfectly aware of the kind of diffuse shedding you are having right now... It's hard
Thanks for your answer man, I really appreciate you take time to write this and that you understand what I'm experiencing...

Honestly, acne isn't a problem anymore, like I said, it almost totally disappear now !

It's hard to read but thanks for all those informations... So that's impossible to know if my hair density will recover or if it will be worse and worse.... Man that's so difficult to take a decision... It's like roll f****** dices...

I know my pictures aren't clear about my situation and I'm sorry about that but I swear that I really lost a lot of density.... To see my scalp under hard lightening (bathrooms, stores...) is so hard to accept when all your 20's you had a full thick head of hair...
 

Onizukasan76

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I know you know your hair better than any of us but I think it looks better? Dunno if that’s bcus gel has been used in the 1st pic. But in terms of overall density it looks great. Looks healthy too
No man, in the 1st pic, my hair were just wet !
 

turtlefrog

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Hello guys ! First of all, I'm a french guy, so please don't be too hard with my English :) So actually I'm totally hopeless, and I really don't know if I have to quit immediately fina or if I should stay with it...

I've taken my first fina's pill (0,25, not 1mg) 6 months ago. I have started the 1st August. My regimen was, following my GP advices, 0,25mg 3 times a week during one month, then 0,5mg three times a week and then, if no sides, eventually switch to 1mg 3 times a week.But after 1 month, and almost immediately, when I switched from 0,25mg to 0,5mg, I've got pretty bad face acne. After 1 month I decided to come back at the 0,25mg dosage. But acne was still here, it was just one or two pimples every one or 2 weeks, but those were often pretty big... 1 month ago, I solve my problem with acne, I'm on Zinc 15mg per day and it disappear.

The main problem now is my density, that is disappearing day after day, it's really freaking me !! When I started fina, my hairs were really not bad, just a little recession on my temples and on my hairline, at the corners. Now, after 6 months under fina I lost density all over my scalp, and especially on the front area, behind my hairline. On this area, I can see my scalp when I'm under the bathroom spot !!! Even when my hairs are dry, and when I apply my thickening paste, I can now see the scalp on the middle of my hairline, for the first time of my life.... I always had thick hairs, I just had a small density loss 6 months ago before I start fine, but now, it's really really worst !!


So my question guy, is it normal to lost so much density, is it the normal shedding phase before my hairs come back thicker, and so I have to stay with the treatment ? Or should I go off fina asap ? The fact that even at 0,5mg 3 times a week I had important side effects (acne and chest pain, I forgot this one sorry) is maybe a sign of reflex hyperandogenicity ? And I see that continued thinning after 6 months should be telogen effluvium too... I read so much things, I'm desperate and lost guys...

Before the treatment :
View attachment 156028

Now (after 6 months) :
View attachment 156029


View attachment 156030
try using dutasteride made by Avodart or with Breckenridge pharma. don't trust the other generics.
 

mannyFJ

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Its hard to say from person to person but i really had some upregulation/rh/chronic Telogen Effluvium and kept on oral finasteride for 1.5+ years (huge mistake) and it caused me to lose over 50% density (this goes beyond my regular hair loss i would still had coming if i had not touched finasteride - finasteride accelerated my hair loss with something i never previously had: pulsating/burning itching sensation on top scalp; dht sensitive area and my hair fell out mad crazy).
 

mannyFJ

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your hairloss on finasteride is probably due to the finasteride being a bad generic brand. what brand are you using?
How do you know this? Has anybody reported bad generic finasteride or study causing this?
 

trialAcc

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It's a tough decision but I would probably stick with it at least until the 1+ year mark. You come on forums like these and will (mostly) hear from the guys who had a problem and instantly start thinking you'll end up like them. The vast majority of people will recover from the shedding when you start finasteride and their hair will improve as they go into the 6-1 year mark. If you quit, you're probably not going to grow back any of the density you've lost, and you'll have to accept that it's going to slowly go from there. If you stay on it, you probably will recover and maintain, and if not, you'd only be slightly worse off then if you had quit right now.

Another thing about the vast majority of people who claim finasteride made their hair worse is that the vast majority of them quit well before 1 year, which is 99% of the time going to be too soon to judge if it was going to work or not.

When I first started finasteride I easily shed for 4-5 months before it stabilized and got a bit better. Then maintained for 5-6 years.
 

Will Be an Egg in 5 years

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It's a tough decision but I would probably stick with it at least until the 1+ year mark. You come on forums like these and will (mostly) hear from the guys who had a problem and instantly start thinking you'll end up like them. The vast majority of people will recover from the shedding when you start finasteride and their hair will improve as they go into the 6-1 year mark. If you quit, you're probably not going to grow back any of the density you've lost, and you'll have to accept that it's going to slowly go from there. If you stay on it, you probably will recover and maintain, and if not, you'd only be slightly worse off then if you had quit right now.

Another thing about the vast majority of people who claim finasteride made their hair worse is that the vast majority of them quit well before 1 year, which is 99% of the time going to be too soon to judge if it was going to work or not.

When I first started finasteride I easily shed for 4-5 months before it stabilized and got a bit better. Then maintained for 5-6 years.
What happened after 5-6 years?
 

turtlefrog

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It's a tough decision but I would probably stick with it at least until the 1+ year mark. You come on forums like these and will (mostly) hear from the guys who had a problem and instantly start thinking you'll end up like them. The vast majority of people will recover from the shedding when you start finasteride and their hair will improve as they go into the 6-1 year mark. If you quit, you're probably not going to grow back any of the density you've lost, and you'll have to accept that it's going to slowly go from there. If you stay on it, you probably will recover and maintain, and if not, you'd only be slightly worse off then if you had quit right now.

Another thing about the vast majority of people who claim finasteride made their hair worse is that the vast majority of them quit well before 1 year, which is 99% of the time going to be too soon to judge if it was going to work or not.

When I first started finasteride I easily shed for 4-5 months before it stabilized and got a bit better. Then maintained for 5-6 years.
just note that those statistics are based on the brand name drug. FYI, do you know why in studies 1mg finasteride is stronger than 5mg at stopping hair loss? it because the 1mg version was calibrated by the pharmacist for the purpose of hairloss.
 

trialAcc

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What happened after 5-6 years?
I ran out of finasteride due to covid lockdowns and havn't been able to stabalize since getting back on after 2-3 months at reduced dosage and 1-2 months fully off. I think I actually did get reflex/chronic Telogen Effluvium or whatever you want to call it after restarting, because my scalp got all oily/painful and I'm still shedding more then I've ever shed in my life 3-4 months after getting back on it. We're talking handfuls every time I run my hands through.

To be fair though, I added dutasteride 1x weekly 2 weeks after starting finasteride again and this shedding could be the initial doom shed of that (still under 3 months in), but I've lost so much hair in the last 4-5 months that I'm probably going to be shaving it soon and moving on lol. I've added a dermapen weekly and now stemoxodine/alphatridiol daily with my min as a last ditch effort. I've also toyed with the idea of buying RU but bad hearts run in my family and I don't think it's worth the risk.

Depressing to say the least but it is what it is. Perhaps the Samumed data will give me something to consider in the near future.
 

FilthyFrancis

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So there you go man. You have both sides of the coin in this very chanel. Tough call as I said
 

Selb

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You had a small density loss before you started. It’s not hard to believe it continuing. finasteride should start working after 6 months.

Like once density starts reducing, it usually gets worse and worse. I’m not saying this isn’t a finasteride shed, it very well might be. But I say stick with finasteride for another 6 months at least
 
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