finasteride After 12 Months - Peak Or Beginning Of Results?

[M.G]

I've soon been on finasteride for 12 months.
It stopped the hairloss and I have gained some too, though far from enough.

Now I'm wondering whats next in terms of expectations?

Is the constant talk of "wait 6-12 months!" too see final results, or to see beginning of results? I'm a bit confused about this.

What does the studies say of when peak results are most likely to happen?

 

[br1]

Man.. I saw improvements even 5yrs after starting. Then I quit, lost a ton (including both temples).. Resumed finasteride, "forgot about it" and 7 yrs later, I had my temples back - can't tell when exactly it filled back in. At least 3 yrs later (based on family pics)..

good luck

 

[Massive]

Man.. I saw improvements even 5yrs after starting. Then I quit, lost a ton (including both temples).. Resumed finasteride, "forgot about it" and 7 yrs later, I had my temples back - can't tell when exactly it filled back in. At least 3 yrs later (based on family pics)..

good luck

You been on finasteride for over 12 years ?
Do you stick with orginal propecia or generic finasteride ?

 

[br1]

You been on finasteride for over 12 years ?
Do you stick with orginal propecia or generic finasteride ?

Yes. I started around 2002 (don't know when exactly). Then I took a break after around 5yrs on it (off for 3 months), jump back on it. Then 7 more years. Then another (4 month) break - panic as this time, being older maybe (i`m 39 now), I lost a LOT and FAST. Then I jumped back in to it (Feb this year). I think I am slowly recovering, though I feel my hairline is slowly receding. Like I noticed it receeded around 1cm this year. Which is not a lot, but it was the same for 12 f*king years!!

I also added minoxidil to my temples (and recently to the frontal area). Now, it grew my temples back to a point nobody perceives I am balding.. But it is far from what it was before I quit finasteride.. And, I am considering quitting minoxidil, I don't know if it is making my hairline receed or not (being on it since Feb).. And, not sure how to quit.. Cold turkey or tapper off...

-> I never took brand name Propecia, I was living in Brazil back then, and all they got there is generic. Worked wonders.

note: both times I quit, I did "cold turkey".. I wish I had tapered off, maybe it would have a less of an impact on the shed.. Who knows..

 

[cyrusthegreat@hotmail.com]

@br1

Did you experience a shedding period after starting or restarting finasteride? How long before your shedding stabilized/stopped.

 

[br1]

Glad to hear that. Unless you really want to quit Minoxidil, not sure why you would want to go cold turkey?

Are you taking it once or twice daily?

Understand about old age. I'm actually in my mid/late forties (yes, I'm an old man!). But my forehead is a Norwood 3v, and everybody
knows I'm balding. At least you sound like you're a Norwood one or two (am i correct?).

I started using it once a day, for about 3 months, then upped to twice daily - at temples only. Just recently, started applying it to the frontal area too (as it seemed it was receding just there, where there was no Min being applied).. My fear with minoxidil, is if it will make my existing hair dependent or if it will replace good hair with 'minoxidil hair'... My temples were gone, so I had no problem there.. But I still have good amount of healthy hair in the front..
I am planning on keep using it once a day, for about 5 or 6 months, then 3x a week, then I will quit. I never used Min and I was just fine. I don't want the hassle of applying it neither another chemical in my system....

As for the finasteride, my plan is to stick with it (1mg ED) until 2018, then I will reassess. If I decide I will quit, I will do it GRADUALLY over the following 5 years. Like going from 1mg -> 0.75mg -> 0.5mg -> 0.25mg etc... A good 6 month between each dose change, until I am micro dosing (dissolving it in alcohol)..

I believe 2 things will have to happen: 1- new treatments available till then (histogen??), 2- coming into terms with my baldness.

Fortunately, I spent a good portion of my youth buzzing my head with a #1, so it won't necessarily be a shock for me to go down that route again. Besides, being a BJJ athlete, having a shaved look is the norm there. I won't be "alone".

 

[br1]

@br1

Did you experience a shedding period after starting or restarting finasteride? How long before your shedding stabilized/stopped.

Hum.. I can't really tell... As I try to not check my hair that much... Some times it's hard to avoid, and that just consumes me.. I have short hair, so it makes it a little bit hard to notice such sheds.. But, this last time I kinda noticed it, because I got toooo paranoid about it.

So, I believe it was like:
Nov/2015 - quit finasteride cold turkey
Dec/2015 - I noticed I lost density ALL OVER. No recession.
Jan/2016 / Feb/2016 - Started to recede like crazy. Basically, my hair was not growing anymore, and my temples were being eaten up..
22, Feb/2016 - Restarted finasteride 1mg/ED.
Apr/2016 - First noticed that was not loosing ground anymore.
Jul/2016 - Haircut. Looked great actually.
Aug/2016 - Noticed a shed, would shake my hair for a few seconds and notice around 20 hairs.
Oct / 2016 - Gained ground, compared to Feb. For the untrained eye, I am as good as before I quit finasteride.

So, I think I had at least 1 (maybe 2) shedding periods. Followed by regrowth. I have always considered myself responding good to finasteride. Hope this time won't be different. I feel I am recovering instead of "loosing ground slower"..