Effectiveness of propecia

[cha11enge]

It was stated that the effects of propecia last as long as one continue to consume it. However, experiences of consumers seems to argue this fact that the effects of propecia seems to deteriorate ,the longer u consume it. Why is this so?

Also, it was mentioned that DHT decreases over the years. If that is the case, shouldnt propecia inhibits the DHT better than one just started on it?(first year) if it halts the balding process initially.....

Anyone, any good opinions?

 

[bubka]

It was stated that the effects of propecia last as long as one continue to consume it. However, experiences of consumers seems to argue this fact that the effects of propecia seems to deteriorate ,the longer u consume it. Why is this so?

Also, it was mentioned that DHT decreases over the years. If that is the case, shouldnt propecia inhibits the DHT better than one just started on it?(first year) if it halts the balding process initially.....

Anyone, any good opinions?

Finasteride causes about an 85% reduction in DHT, leaving the remainder to still have an effect on hair. Which over time in some people, can again cause additional hair loss.

 

[treadstone]

Some speculate its due to an increase in the sensitivity of the follicles to androgens. So even if you're reducing DHT by 85% I guess the remaining 15% can start to exert more effect over time.

 

[FreeloaderUK]

male pattern baldness is obviously more complicated than at first glance- no wonder there is no magic cure.

 

[optimus prime]

Do we know what may increase the sensitivity towards DHT other than genes? Does age? Or stress? or diet have any affect on how the hair follicles react to DHT? Many people seem to go through a run of depression or stress from life...then 6 months later find they are starting to bald.

 

[FreeloaderUK]

Male Pattern Baldness is just one type of baldness- its the most common type in men accounting for 95% of hairloss cases in men. there are other types but i dont know much about them.

 

[optimus prime]

What I mean is, if you have male pattern baldness already, could stress affect how your immune system deals with it. Making DHT have a greater affect on your hair follicles, which could be a reason why that 15% may start to exert more power over time.

So maybe the more stressed you are the less like finasteride will work for you because your follicles are become more and more sensitive.

Some speculate its due to an increase in the sensitivity of the follicles to androgens. So even if you're reducing DHT by 85% I guess the remaining 15% can start to exert more effect over time.

 

[cha11enge]

But then again, isnt a certain amount of DHT is required for functional purposes such as generating sperms,erection and etc? SO by reducing majority of the DHT, the rest should be the functional ones.

 

[bubka]

But then again, isnt a certain amount of DHT is required for functional purposes such as generating sperms,erection and etc? SO by reducing majority of the DHT, the rest should be the functional ones.

NO, there are people who are born without the genes to produce the alpha 5 reductace enzyme and thus produce zero DHT, no sexual or reproductive dysfunction, they also do not experience male pattern baldness

 

[Bryan]

Do we know what may increase the sensitivity towards DHT other than genes? Does age? Or stress? or diet have any affect on how the hair follicles react to DHT?

I hate to even use this expression, but it does seem like some kind of "genetic clock" (as David Whiting said in his great review article "Male Pattern Balding: Current Understanding"). Let's look at the seminal study (no pun intended) that Uno did with stumptailed macaques: juvenile, pre-pubertal monkeys had hair follicles extracted from their scalps, and when testosterone was supplied to the cultures, nothing happened. But when they did the same thing to older post-pubertal monkeys, the growth of the cultures was suppressed by the testosterone. That clearly shows that there was a difference in the sensitivity of the follicles to androgens in those two groups.

So what SPECIFICALLY caused that change in the response of the hair follicles to androgens? Was it in fact the passage of time and the advancement of some vague, ill-defined "genetic clock"? If so, how exactly does it work? As yet, nobody really knows the answers to those questions, but I think the very same thing likely occurs in humans, too.

 

[el_duterino]

Perhaps as we age, the AR become more and more testosterone sensitive.
Seems that the monkeys hair show sensitivity to Test.

That could explain why castrated men never bald, and finasteride/dutasteride stop being effective.

That's maybe why drugs such as RU58841, and Flutamide are so effective, blocking not only the DHT type 1 & 2 but also Test.

 

[optimus prime]

So what SPECIFICALLY caused that change in the response of the hair follicles to androgens? Was it in fact the passage of time and the advancement of some vague, ill-defined "genetic clock"? If so, how exactly does it work? As yet, nobody really knows the answers to those questions, but I think the very same thing likely occurs in humans, too.

I just hope and pray stress and anxiety do not speed up this 'genetic clock'.

 

[ali777]

I just hope and pray stress and anxiety do not speed up this 'genetic clock'.

I think they do.

 

[cha11enge]

SO we can say that if propecia taken too late (in your life) is of no use since by then our follicles will already be very sensitive to DHT. Even a small amount of DHT will lead to hairloss.