9 months finasteride only. Results(?)

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

Treatment: Finasteride 1mg daily
Treatment time: 9 months
Other treatments: Nizoral 1% shampoo twice weekly (applied since 1 year prior to finasteride, until now ie. 1 year + 9 months treatment). This hasn't had any noticed impact.
Results: Refer to attached images.
Side effects: None noted.
Observations:
1. Shedding decreased notably upon commencement of treatment: from noticing strands every time I ran my hands through my hair (up to 100 hairs), to no noticeable shedding. However, shedding returned to almost pre-treatment levels around month 7, this has continued until the time of this post (month 9).
2. Hair looks thinner (diffuse). Scalp is visible now unless covered up with certain hair styling. I was diffusing prior to treatment, but recession was my major concern at the time.

It looks like I haven't managed to maintain... Please provide your opinions.
I really don't want to add in minoxidil unless I really have to, however I'm not sure if it's futile to try finasteride mono-therapy any longer.
I've googled for cases similar to mine, it looks like a lot of people complained about no results at 9 months... and then they never posted any updates! A small handful of people say they got results quite late though. If anyone reading this only experienced noticeable regrowth after the 9 month mark, please share your experiences! Thanks!

EDIT:
I have just got my blood test results back. I tested low for iron, and almost severely deficient in Vitamin D. The interesting thing is, though, that I have been supplementing Vitamin D and iron... I am sure these deficiencies are related to my lack of success so far in treating my hairloss. However, I'm not sure how further to proceed.

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

Almost 10 months in. My hairline is worse and my hair has continued to thin all over. Shedding has also returned with a vengeance, I shed around 30 per shower.

What's the longest that some of you had to wait to see results from finasteride only?

 

[DoctorHouse]

Almost 10 months in. My hairline is worse and my hair has continued to thin all over. Shedding has also returned with a vengeance, I shed around 30 per shower.

What's the longest that some of you had to wait to see results from finasteride only?

I just don't see how it's worse. It looks to be stable which means you are slowing it down. You have to realize your hairline is the hardest place to stabilize. Minoxidil would help synergistically.

 

[Moz5x]

Treatment: Finasteride 1mg daily
Treatment time: 9 months
Other treatments: Nizoral 1% shampoo twice weekly (applied since 1 year prior to finasteride, until now ie. 1 year + 9 months treatment). This hasn't had any noticed impact.
Results: Refer to attached images.
Side effects: None noted.
Observations:
1. Shedding decreased notably upon commencement of treatment: from noticing strands every time I ran my hands through my hair (up to 100 hairs), to no noticeable shedding. However, shedding returned to almost pre-treatment levels around month 7, this has continued until the time of this post (month 9).
2. Hair looks thinner (diffuse). Scalp is visible now unless covered up with certain hair styling. I was diffusing prior to treatment, but recession was my major concern at the time.

It looks like I haven't managed to maintain... Please provide your opinions.
I really don't want to add in minoxidil unless I really have to, however I'm not sure if it's futile to try finasteride mono-therapy any longer.
I've googled for cases similar to mine, it looks like a lot of people complained about no results at 9 months... and then they never posted any updates! A small handful of people say they got results quite late though. If anyone reading this only experienced noticeable regrowth after the 9 month mark, please share your experiences! Thanks!

EDIT:
I have just got my blood test results back. I tested low for iron, and almost severely deficient in Vitamin D. The interesting thing is, though, that I have been supplementing Vitamin D and iron... I am sure these deficiencies are related to my lack of success so far in treating my hairloss. However, I'm not sure how further to proceed.

I think your hairline looks stronger/healthier in the second photo set and basically the same in the first set. You need to manage your expectations when it comes to the hairline on most non-HRT treatments. You seem to be maintaining based only on these pictures.

If you are otherwise tolerating the drug well I think you should stay the course. Adding topical minoxidil may help improve density but it will likely initially induce a telogen effluvium (if you respond well) and you have to prepare yourself for that.

Are you able to get more natural sunlight exposure? Granted, it’s not easy during winter (assuming you are in the northern hemisphere). What are the sources of iron in your diet?

 

[Doingitright]

hairline looks slightly better IMO.

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

Thanks bros. I think the pics are somewhat misleading somehow: my hair is currently DEFINITELY at its worst. The hairline is further back now (10 months ago, it was about 3.5 fingers from eyebrow to hairline, now it's like 4.1 fingers!). My density has also taken a hit (no comparison pics, as I didn't think to take pic of top of head at start of treatment) and my scalp is now visible in certain lighting. You guys said I need to manage expectations on the hairline... I wasn't expecting regrowth but I was hoping to at least slow down the recession! But my hairloss has continued at the same rate it was prior to my treatment.

I'm currently holding out hope that I'm just a late responder, similar to the experience of forum member jpon541 who experienced continued recession for 11.5 months before getting regrowth. Has anyone else reading this experienced a similar case?

Regarding recommendations for min, I'm scared to start min without having proven to have stopped/slowed my hairloss first by finasteride. Otherwise, I imagine it would be just like doing minoxidil mono-therapy which I imagine is only effective for few years since the underlying cause of hairloss isn't addressed.

Should I hop on ru58841?

Are you able to get more natural sunlight exposure? Granted, it’s not easy during winter (assuming you are in the northern hemisphere). What are the sources of iron in your diet?

I've since fixed my vitamin d levels by increasing the suplementation dose. Iron I have now also increased the dose, but haven't yet had blood tests to check if serum levels are ok. If they're still not ok then I guess i have some sort of condition and will check with a doctor.

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

I also wonder if getting the (government mandated) covid vaccine is a confounding factor.

Edit: Now that I think about it, I received my covid vaccine 6 months into my finasteride treatment, which is coincidentally around when I started shedding so much. I've been shedding since around month 7. I wonder if it's related.

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

11 months finasteride only...
My hair on the top of my scalp has thinned considerably. I am definitely worse right now than when I started. No pics...

In January this year I fixedy vitamin d and iron levels.

I will hold on until the 12 month mark and hope for a miracle, and if nothing happens then I will add topical RU58841 to my regime.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

hop on minoxidil and maybe even RU (if you have scalp itch or high T)

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

UPDATE:
After 1 year of consistent treatment, the 1mg/day finasteride (generic; brand name "Sandoz Finasta") did not help. My hair continued shedding at the usual rate, and my hair continued to diffuse thin at the top of my scalp. My hair is now at the worst its ever been. I hope it starts to improve soon.

Since the beginning of June this year I have switched to using 1.25mg proscar (brand-name proscar; 5mg tablet cut into 4 pieces), and since mid-Jun have been on 1.25mg oral minoxidil daily (I cut a 2.5mg generic tablet in half). So right now that's 2.5-3months total of my upgraded treatment regimen. No side-effects so far, no notable results yet (hopefully I see something soon). Worth noting is that my hair-shedding has notably decreased since starting the oral minoxidil. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come.