Diffuse Thinner Losing Ground On Finasteride

[Thisisme4373]

Hello everyone haven't been on here in some time. Short summary about myself and have a few questions.

I am 33 from the UK, my hair has always been a bit thin but as my dad is bald and my mother’s brothers are all bald I’ve know since I was a teenager that I would 99% be going bald someday.

I started thinning a bit in my mid twenties so I ordered finasteride and have been taking them which seemed to stop the loss but since about 30 I tried halving my tablets to save money and taking 0.25mg a day.

Fast forwards to now at 33 I’m definitely noticing my hair on top is more flat, thin, weak, not really noticeable to others but easily is to me. So I’ve gone back to taking 1mg finasteride a day to hopefully stop the thinning. Finasteride is all I have ever used.

Few questions I have if I may. I haven’t looked on hairloss treatments/forums online for over 6-7 years.
Is there any new treatments that are successful? Is finasteride still the main way to stop balding?
I read briefly today that dutasteride once a week with finasteride can bring good results?
What would you guys recommend for thinning hair to maybe thicken it up or try regrow at all?

Would really appreciate some help my brothers,
Many thanks.

 

[md2002]

I don't know if I have anything to add but I firmly believe that after awhile of finasteride you can cut down with the same results. I took finasteride everyday as directed for about 12 years, then cut down to Mon thru Friday for several years, then Mon., Wend, Fri for several more until at this point I only take it Mon and Fri and I feel it's no better or worse. In my case, I also think after 20 years it's probably lost its effectiveness anyway.

I tried a laser hat for 7 months and that didn't work, AT ALL!I'm now giving rogaine a shot. Listen, I'm in my 40s now and I don't think there is much more I can do to help. If it goes at this point it goes but I've never tried a topical so I'm giving it a shot. My goal is to get off finasteride 100% because I'm sick of putting a drug into my body.

I've found several shampoos that help greatly in the "appearance" of my hair. I mean, I'm thin up top and the right shampoo and styling products do wonders.

 

[Hairs45]

Why arent you using Minoxidil?

I'm also a diffuse thinner. Finasteride has kept me from losing any more hair and Minoxidil regrew hairs and thickened up some of the thin hairs.

 

[Thisisme4373]

Why arent you using Minoxidil?

I'm also a diffuse thinner. Finasteride has kept me from losing any more hair and Minoxidil regrew hairs and thickened up some of the thin hairs.

Mainly due to the fact that you have to apply it everyday (I’m lazy) and commit to it for the rest of you’re life, also there’s the money issue and I haven’t felt like I’ve badly needed as of yet.

 

[Thisisme4373]

I've found several shampoos that help greatly in the "appearance" of my hair. I mean, I'm thin up top and the right shampoo and styling products do wonders.

If you don’t mind me asking what shampoo & styling products do you find works best?

 

[md2002]

Hi,
I use the 3 shampoos below. I just switch day to day in witch one I use.

I can't say enough about the Vitabrid shampoo. I had never heard of it and it came across my news feed one day and I tried it. Works great, makes my hair look very thick and healthy. Not sure if it's helping me keep my hair but it works well for appearance. I think as far as appearance this is the best of the 3 I use.

https://www.amazon.com/Vitabrid-Sca...ocphy=9001877&hvtargid=pla-570330807055&psc=1

Biotin shampoo also makes me hair look good
https://www.amazon.com/Shampoo-B-Complex-Formula-Removes-Dandruff/dp/B01ENCBOA0/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3FKJAUU4JAAV4&keywords=biotin+shampoo&qid=1578677432&s=beauty&sprefix=biotin,beauty,155&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2MzVUNUxLRFFaNksmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5MDEwMjAxN01NMENaWUhZNUdEJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzNjAzNjgzR0VKS0VIWkZNRkZUJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Clinicure, I could take it or leave it but it was given to me so I use it
https://www.amazon.com/Joico-Clinic...ampoo+for+thinning+hair&qid=1578677472&sr=8-4

and on top of these 3 I use the Nioxin conditioner everyday after I shampoo. Then I use this Rusk product
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002Z8LOA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To style my hair when wet. This gives it great thickness. That's it. Again, I don't know if this is growing or keeping my hair but it makes it look good. I highly recommend the Vitabrid.

I attached pics of my hair wet and my hair styled.

 

[Finjunkie]

I started thinning a bit in my mid twenties so I ordered finasteride and have been taking them which seemed to stop the loss but since about 30 I tried halving my tablets to save money and taking 0.25mg a day.

Hey man, I don't care what the hairloss "experts" on the forums say, taking 1/4 the recommended dose is not going to be as effective. Maybe barely work at all, they never did any in-depth studies on it. I always hear a bunch of bullshit about taking way less than recommended dose with zero evidence to back it up besides gems like "I noticed less hair on the toilet seat when I did X", but its the internet so I digress. If you had 1 drink instead of 4 would you expect the effect to be the same? No lie we're dealing with the same evidence level with all the armchair astronauts that say 1/4 dose is fine.

Take 1mg a day like you're supposed to. I'm not sure what the pricing situation is like in the UK, but in the US at Costco I get 365 tablets of 1mg for $45, I drive over to pick it up 12km away once a year. There's usually a huge discount (at least in the US) for getting large supply at once. Doctors are used to giving 30 days at a time, but that's normally because its all insurance will cover. Since finasteride isn't covered by insurance you want as large quantity as possible, have the pharmacy call your doctor to adjust the RX to get at least 6 months at a time. Its usually an easy process.

Another angle, your "I ordered" comment makes me think you're getting off some shady online pharmacy. Stop that if you can. In the US, every online pharmacy I have looked up is more expensive than the real deal from an actual doctor. Also, many studies have shown that nearly 20% of drugs ordered online contain none of the active ingredient at all. My opinion, the guys ordering from online pharmacies here are either uninformed or idiots. I pay $75 a year for a dermatologist visit and maybe $50 a year for 100% legit finasteride from Costco (similar to a giant Boots+ Walmart in UK).

Your hair looks a bit thinned but not that bad, as in if I was you I would go either really short or really long (either hairstyle covers it). The very first thing I would do is start taking finasteride at the recommended dose and get it from a legit pharmacy. There's a good chance you can maintain or even regrow some hair if you do that.

Best of luck, I'm just upset that many people (you included) get bullshit advice like "taking 1/4mg is fine". I almost fell into that myself back in the day.

 

[Thisisme4373]

Well I’ve been taking finasteride 1mg every day since January but I’m noticing even more when my hairs wet or gelled that I can see more of my scalp now. I’ve been mega stressed anxious during this pandemic, could it be that I’m shedding more due to stress, could this hair grow back?
my hairs quite short at the moment but not like a buzz cut, it seems from the middle on top of my head all the way to the back seems thin, when under light I can see the scalp through it, it’s also seems like fluffy & soft, any advice would be appreciated, no way I can go bald, I’d look ugly bald.
If there’s no cure I might look into getting a wig, seriously, one of those hair systems.
But if anyone’s got tips on reversing diffuse thinning, or hair products that can thicken it up, just anything I don’t know about.

 

[baba_yaga]

Hey man, I don't care what the hairloss "experts" on the forums say, taking 1/4 the recommended dose is not going to be as effective. Maybe barely work at all, they never did any in-depth studies on it. I always hear a bunch of bullshit about taking way less than recommended dose with zero evidence to back it up besides gems like "I noticed less hair on the toilet seat when I did X", but its the internet so I digress. If you had 1 drink instead of 4 would you expect the effect to be the same? No lie we're dealing with the same evidence level with all the armchair astronauts that say 1/4 dose is fine.

Take 1mg a day like you're supposed to. I'm not sure what the pricing situation is like in the UK, but in the US at Costco I get 365 tablets of 1mg for $45, I drive over to pick it up 12km away once a year. There's usually a huge discount (at least in the US) for getting large supply at once. Doctors are used to giving 30 days at a time, but that's normally because its all insurance will cover. Since finasteride isn't covered by insurance you want as large quantity as possible, have the pharmacy call your doctor to adjust the RX to get at least 6 months at a time. Its usually an easy process.

Another angle, your "I ordered" comment makes me think you're getting off some shady online pharmacy. Stop that if you can. In the US, every online pharmacy I have looked up is more expensive than the real deal from an actual doctor. Also, many studies have shown that nearly 20% of drugs ordered online contain none of the active ingredient at all. My opinion, the guys ordering from online pharmacies here are either uninformed or idiots. I pay $75 a year for a dermatologist visit and maybe $50 a year for 100% legit finasteride from Costco (similar to a giant Boots+ Walmart in UK).

Your hair looks a bit thinned but not that bad, as in if I was you I would go either really short or really long (either hairstyle covers it). The very first thing I would do is start taking finasteride at the recommended dose and get it from a legit pharmacy. There's a good chance you can maintain or even regrow some hair if you do that.

Best of luck, I'm just upset that many people (you included) get bullshit advice like "taking 1/4mg is fine". I almost fell into that myself back in the day.

Exactly. One cannot take a smaller dose and expect the same chance of success as detailed in the trials.
OP get back on 1 mg and be consistent.

 

[Thisisme4373]

Exactly. One cannot take a smaller dose and expect the same chance of success as detailed in the trials.
OP get back on 1 mg and be consistent.

I have been taking 1MG consistently since middle of jan but my hair looks even thinner, I don’t Know if it because I’ve been so stressed

 

[Thisisme4373]

You're right to a point, but apparently you don't know what a dose-response curve is.

OP, your hair is starting to get bad. Stop messing around with finasteride if it's not working. 1mg isn't going to work that much better than 1/4. Get on dutasteride and start microneedling and using minoxidil. Minoxidil is practically free, and dutasteride is just a few bucks more.

Minoxidil isn’t free though, it’s actually quite expensive? And you need to apply it daily don’t you?

 

[baba_yaga]

I have been taking 1MG consistently since middle of jan but my hair looks even thinner, I don’t Know if it because I’ve been so stressed

Most likely not due to stress. Are you claiming your hair is thinner based on comparing photos or by just looking at the mirror?

 

[Thisisme4373]

It's like 25 USD for a 6 month supply. If you only use it once a day then it's a 1 year supply. You might as well call it free. It takes like 20 seconds to apply it before bed.

I’m in the UK, I’ve only seen Rogaine and it was far more expensive, do you have any links to the ones you are talking about that will send to UK? I’ve never seen any that cheap.

 

[Thisisme4373]

Most likely not due to stress. Are you claiming your hair is thinner based on comparing photos or by just looking at the mirror?

By looking in the mirror. With the light on I can see my scalp through my hair, I can also see a tiny bald patch on the middle of my head

 

[baba_yaga]

By looking in the mirror. With the light on I can see my scalp through my hair, I can also see a tiny bald patch on the middle of my head

Mind can play tricks on you. I recommend you to stick to finasteride and start taking photos every couple of months and compare them. This way you’ll know if there is thinning.

 

[Thisisme4373]

Look for Kirkland or equate minoxidil on Ebay. You should be able to get it there.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303547559060
Is this one anygood? Thing is it’s £25.00 for 3 months, that’s not too bad but maybe some even cheaper. Thing is I’d still like them to be effective, some cheaper makes maybe rubbish?

 

[Thisisme4373]

Mind can play tricks on you. I recommend you to stick to finasteride and start taking photos every couple of months and compare them. This way you’ll know if there is thinning.

I know what you mean but there’s definitely a little bald patch on the temple & the density of my hair just looks thinner, hair also seems to be really soft like fluffy, I will take pictures though yes, could the little bald spot & thin areas grow back?

 

[baba_yaga]

They wont if you stop treatments, stick to them.

 

[Thisisme4373]

They wont if you stop treatments, stick to them.

I’m only on finasteride, I’m consistently taking it since jan & will continue to do so.

 

[TDE97]

@Thisisme4373 , why not just stick with 1mg every other day? It is certainly bettter than 0.25 mg per day.