Can Finasteride Cause Your Hairline To Worsen?

[CuredMouse]

I'm planning on starting finasteride tomorrow, however while doing research I've come upon some worrying threads claiming that it's ruined people's hairlines. This is especially concerning for me as the ONLY thing I'm concerned about is my hairline. Im 19 and still have ALL of my hair in some form or another, I just need to turn it back terminal. Is it possible that this treatment could kill those vellus hairs? Thanks in advance to anyone with insight into this topic.

 

[Panda89]

can't speak for others as i have also seen these claims about hairline worsening with finasteride and especially dutasteride.
personally i have seen significant improvement on the temples and my crown area.
super thin and tiny hairs are also popping out on my hairline but this is definitely the area where it's improving the slowest.

during the shed (currently going through my 3rd shed already in my 3rd month) the hair line also suffers the most for me.

i would assume it's different for everyone

 

[CuredMouse]

can't speak for others as i have also seen these claims about hairline worsening with finasteride and especially dutasteride.
personally i have seen significant improvement on the temples and my crown area.
super thin and tiny hairs are also popping out on my hairline but this is definitely the area where it's improving the slowest.

during the shed (currently going through my 3rd shed already in my 3rd month) the hair line also suffers the most for me.

i would assume it's different for everyone

During your she'd would you say your hairline is above or below baseline?

 

[Panda89]

During your she'd would you say your hairline is above or below baseline?

during my first shed it was definitely below baseline i was losing my mind.
but my shed stopped in a month and my hair came back looking better. then another shed for 3 weeks and stopped for another 3. now i'm in my 2nd week of shedding and my hair is definitely definitely better than baseline. i'm a good responder and hopefully it continues to be this way.

 

[CuredMouse]

during my first shed it was definitely below baseline i was losing my mind.
but my shed stopped in a month and my hair came back looking better. then another shed for 3 weeks and stopped for another 3. now i'm in my 2nd week of shedding and my hair is definitely definitely better than baseline. i'm a good responder and hopefully it continues to be this way.

Thanks for the response. Also do you consider yourself a good responder to minoxidil as well? I am and I'm nervous that it may indicate that the specific root cause of my hair loss is more in line with what minoxidil treats, rather than what finasteride treats. Is that an accurate way of thinking or could someone be a good responder to both?

 

[Panda89]

honestly i don't think people actually understand how min. works lol. we know it widens blood vessels, so we assume it makes sure our head gets enough blood flow, thus widening the hair follicle. it works on your hair as well as your beard. finasteride decreases the amount of DHT in your body so it helps people that are sensitive to the effects of DHT on their scalp. they work differently, but i do not believe their effectiveness are mutually exclusive. that's why people call them the big 3 and usually recommend you to do both + anti-inflammatory shampoo.

to answer your question, i did minoxidil years ago and it worked a little before dropping it due to scalp redness. now i'm doing both and started them at the same time and the effects have been great. i cannot pinpoint which works best.

i think you worry a little too much. hop on the big 3 and stop thinking about it. you are doing the best treatment available out there you should be encouraged and hopeful.

 

[joeblack2017]

Don't expect growth with finasteride. It will only keep and maintain what you have, and minoxidil will make it thick. At least that is from my experience. If your hairline is already fucked up or gone, don't keep your hopes up with finasteride. Best of luck.

 

[Derelict]

I think finasteride and nizoral should always be the first options for the first year, after that you can think about adding minoxidil, i had more prominent side effects from minoxidil than i do from finasteride. You will probably retain what you have with finasteride(although it's not a certainty) and you will possibly get some decent regrowth. Plenty of threads with people just using an AA and getting very good results, the idea that minoxidil is the only way to get regrowth is not correct imo, it's definitely the fastest way though if you are a good responder, but like i said it has it's own side effects and is an extra thing added to your daily routine that may not be needed. Just my opinion.