Dutasteride or Finasteride for hair loss?

[Agustin Araujo]

Hello, I need some help on suggestions about using 5-AR inhibitors. But first, just let me tell where I'm at.

I'm currently using Rogaine Foam twice daily (Minoxidil 5%). It helps to make my hair grow. I do NOT get any side effects from Minoxidil whatsoever. No itchy head, no saggy eyes, no puffy face, no dizziness, no swelling, no heart palpations, nothing.

I use Regenepure DR once daily. Regenepure DR has Ketoconazole, it has androgen-blocking and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to keep my scalp healthy and helped treat my hair loss A LOT. No side effects.

I use the HairMax Laser Comb Professional 12 once a day. It stimulates my scalp and helps to improve the quality of my hair. I can't believe how many people crucify laser light therapy for hair loss. It's not a miracle treatment but it does help. No side effects either.

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Even though those three things have helped me significantly to treat my hair loss, I'm still losing a little bit of hair.

I have officially decided that I will like to get on a 5-AR inhibitor.

I've read about these two medications that they are very helpful at treating hair loss. Finasteride seems that it will be extremely helpful, however, I've read that Dutasteride is approximately 30% more effective. If I start with Finasteride, results will be good, but I will have Dutasteride as a back-up incase if Finasteride were to ever lose its effectiveness. If I start with Dutasteride, the results will be better, but then I won't have a back-up to use if it were to ever lose effectiveness.

Okay, which one should I go for? Dutasteride or Finasteride? Thank you.

 

[Secretlybatman]

dutasteride is more effective however It comes with more risk of sides as it only leaves 10% of DHT left instead of 30%.

 

[Agustin Araujo]

dutasteride is more effective however It comes with more risk of sides as it only leaves 10% of DHT left instead of 30%.

Okay, it's official, I'll go for Dutasteride since it's more effective. I will start with using 0.5mg tablets so I can cut them into fourth's and start with 0.125mg once daily just to see how it goes.

 

[isishearmyplea]

start with finasteride, normal 1 mg/day dosage. finasteride stops type II DHT which has more or rather the major role in male pattern baldness. dutasteride kills both type of DHT. But yes dutasteride is more effective no doubt. Hope you have thought abt it well. It is your choice and nobody knows your situation best than you. Good luck my friend!!

 

[Agustin Araujo]

start with finasteride, normal 1 mg/day dosage. finasteride stops type II DHT which has more or rather the major role in male pattern baldness. dutasteride kills both type of DHT. But yes dutasteride is more effective no doubt. Hope you have thought abt it well. It is your choice and nobody knows your situation best than you. Good luck my friend!!

Thanks! It's just that I want to start with Dutasteride because it's more effective than Finasteride. I'm still losing a little bit of hair. I'd say just being on the three treatments that I'm currently on, I'll estimate that my Male Pattern Baldness is halted roughly by 99.5%. If I get on a 5-AR inhibitor, i can definitely halt it by 100% for many years or probably even for the rest of my life.

Are you currently on any 5-AR inhibitors? If you are, how well is it working out for you?

 

[Agustin Araujo]

I'm sorry to burst your bubble but none of your listed treatments is gonna stop hair loss. Minoxidil is a growth promoter and does not prevent DHT in any way. Keto is a very very weak anti androgen and is only supported by a little study that was done by a manufacturer of the first shampoo.

You've not stopped your hair loss at all you will need internal dht inhibitors.

You should start with finasteride, dutasteride is much stronger

Yes, I'm aware of that none of the treatments I'm using are halting my hair loss. That's why I plan to use a 5-AR inhibitor.

Earlier, isishearmyplea told me to start with Finasteride. And you LeonardoD are recommending me that as well. Please tell why Finasteride and not Dutasteride? I know that Finasteride will be helpful to halt my hair loss, but wouldn't it make sense to go for Dutasteride since it's stronger?

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Okay, never mind. I change my mind. I'll just start with Finasteride. LeonardoD and isishearmyplea, thank you for the recommendations to start with Finasteride.

 

[Agustin Araujo]

Dutasteride is stronger and therefore a greater risk of getting side effects. You don't know if you can tolerate anti androgens so you should go with finasteride to start with. Duta is a serious drug and dutasteride is usually a fall back on drug that is used when/if finasteride stops working or if finasteride isn't working at all.

People say you build a tolerance for the drugs and if you start of by going with dutasteride you will end up having nothing to save your hair later.

Also no Doctor is gonna prescribe you dutasteride probably if you have not been on finasteride.

Alright, thanks. And your right, I don't know how my body will react to a 5-AR inhibitor. That's why I changed my mind to start with Finasteride since it's not as strong as Dutasteride.

Thanks for the help!

 

[isishearmyplea]

DHT is a good hormone, just that it fvcks with the hair . Trust me nobody would take 5ARs but thats all we have, so you dont need to overdo it. And leonardo has explained you very well why finasteride first. Still if you want you can read a thread by 'Spex' on bald truth talk forum. Honestly i had a lot of sides initially but i said fvck it and continued and increased the dosage from .25 to 1 mg daily, not advisable though. Now its much better and improving(touch wood), still waiting for some regrowth/thickening. Best of luck dude!!!

 

[Agustin Araujo]

DHT is a good hormone, just that it fvcks with the hair . Trust me nobody would take 5ARs but thats all we have, so you dont need to overdo it. And leonardo has explained you very well why finasteride first. Still if you want you can read a thread by 'Spex' on bald truth talk forum. Honestly i had a lot of sides initially but i said fvck it and continued and increased the dosage from .25 to 1 mg daily, not advisable though. Now its much better and improving(touch wood), still waiting for some regrowth/thickening. Best of luck dude!!!

It really depends on which DHT you're talking about. Too much serum DHT can cause acne, too much prostate DHT can cause urinary retention, and too much scalp DHT can cause hair follicles to shrink if you're genetically predisposed to any of these problems. But yes, DHT in general is extremely important for a healthy male libido and to maintain the proper size of male genitals.

Yes, you and LeonardoD gave me a good suggestion to start with Finasteride because I don't know how my body will react to a 5-AR inhibitor. Dutasteride is much stronger, but then again, I don't know how my body will react. So that's why I'm starting with Finasteride since it's not as strong.

Here's my plan:
I'm going to make an appointment with a dermatologist to get a prescription for Finasteride. I will like to get 5mg tablets since it seems to be less expensive than the 'cosmetic' 1mg tablets. I will cut the 5mg tablets into fifths, and take 1mg daily. I'm not worried about side effects but if I do get them, I can lower the dosage. If I still get side effects, then I can simply quit the medication altogether.

Thank you for your help and thank you for wishing me the best of luck!

 

[isishearmyplea]

Too much of anything is bad. And actually its your follicles sensitivity to DHT that causes follicles to shrink, if you dont have the genetic predisposition too much of dht in scalp shd ve no effect imo.