Finasteride Destroyed My Hair. Any Had A Recovery From This?

[SlinkyDink]

Recap. Noticed my hair thinning at the back and temples in 2018. Started on kirkland minoxidil twice daily and i had Incredible results after 5 months. About month 7 i started noticing my hair shedding again. Around 11 months I seen a go and they prescribed my with Finasteride.

I've been on finasteride 14 months now. (still using minoxidil daily) ...It has completely destroyed my hair. I have completely thinned out all over the top of my head. Before I started taking this poison, my hair was much much thicker.

I've read several threads about people having the same issue. Has anyone recovered their hair after having the same experience on finasteride? Did you try anything else and get your hair back? Its seriously depressing me now, any help appreciated

 

[JohnnyB.]

1. You have been on minoxidil but you started to lose your hair (that was before finasteride), so basically finasteride just did not seem to help you
2. Pictures? Because your impression might be very different from the truth

Finasteride does not make you thin - your genetics make you thin;

 

[SlinkyDink]

1. You have been on minoxidil but you started to lose your hair (that was before finasteride), so basically finasteride just did not seem to help you
2. Pictures? Because your impression might be very different from the truth

Finasteride does not make you thin - your genetics make you thin;

I don't have previous pictures on my phone, I do on my laptop i will upload them tomorrow. But trust me, my hair is completely ruined. Before taking finasteride, I could get out of the shower and not see my scalp atall. Now, I can literally see every bit of my scalp when I get out the shower.

 

[JohnnyB.]

Well I also started to lose tons of hair last year and expecially when wet, I also could see the skin of my scalp.. It was scary but still, it is not because of the finasteride

 

[SlinkyDink]

Well I also started to lose tons of hair last year and expecially when wet, I also could see the skin of my scalp.. It was scary but still, it is not because of the finasteride

So what would you suggest then? Why am I getting the total opposite? How is your situation going?

 

[JohnnyB.]

I started taking oral minoxidil + finasteride, gave me no sides and the situation got better; Not sure if I really suffered from hairloss or telogen effluvium but it was scary;

You still owe us pics...

 

[killDHT]

I started taking oral minoxidil + finasteride, gave me no sides and the situation got better; Not sure if I really suffered from hairloss or telogen effluvium but it was scary;

You still owe us pics...

I am happy to hear your regrown.Do you notice any side results from min.Dark circles or wrinkles?

 

[JohnnyB.]

I do have some dark circles underneath my eyes but I am not sure to what extent it is because of the minoxidil; But helping lots of water (3 liters) helps;

I use retinol cream to combat the possible loss of collagen from the oral minoxidil; So far I have not been able to see more wrinkles due to the minoxidil; This will hopefully not change

 

[SlinkyDink]

I started taking oral minoxidil + finasteride, gave me no sides and the situation got better; Not sure if I really suffered from hairloss or telogen effluvium but it was scary;

You still owe us pics...

So... First picture is a 2 months before finasteride.
2nd pic is 14 months down the line. As you can see, its not just me thinking ita gone worse. It has 100% completely destroyed my hair.

 

[baba_yaga]

You've been 3 months on finasteride? Perhaps what you've lost are what you've gained from minoxidil only, so maybe finasteride did not worsen ur situation. But thats only speculation.

 

[SlinkyDink]

You've been 3 months on finasteride? Perhaps what you've lost are what you've gained from minoxidil only, so maybe finasteride did not worsen ur situation. But thats only speculation.

No 14 months. Before i only had thinning on the back, I started using minoxidil and it thickened up really nice. I noticed it shedding again, and also of people on this forum said to get on finasteride to 'keep my gains' I wish I never touched it.

 

[killDHT]

So... First picture is a 2 months before finasteride.
2nd pic is 14 months down the line. As you can see, its not just me thinking ita gone worse. It has 100% completely destroyed my hair.

Why not check your DHT concentration in the hospital? Everyone's condition is different. In my opinion, finasteride may affect the secretion of some hormones or the absorption of some trace elements beneficial to hair.
However l am sorry to hear about you.

 

[baba_yaga]

No 14 months. Before i only had thinning on the back, I started using minoxidil and it thickened up really nice. I noticed it shedding again, and also of people on this forum said to get on finasteride to 'keep my gains' I wish I never touched it.

finasteride can only make ur hair worse with Telogen Effluvium. I dont think reflex hyperandrogenicity is applicable to a drug like finasteride, at least not to 99.99% of people.
However, you’re stating that you started shedding before finasteride and then u hopped on the drug. Most likely finasteride didnt do anything rather than destroyed your hair. You may very well be a non-responder and noticed your untamed hair loss run even when taking finasteride.

either way, you should add to your regimen. Perhaps replace finasteride with duta.

 

[SlinkyDink]

finasteride can only make ur hair worse with Telogen Effluvium. I dont think reflex hyperandrogenicity is applicable to a drug like finasteride, at least not to 99.99% of people.
However, you’re stating that you started shedding before finasteride and then u hopped on the drug. Most likely finasteride didnt do anything rather than destroyed your hair. You may very well be a non-responder and noticed your untamed hair loss run even when taking finasteride.

either way, you should add to your regimen. Perhaps replace finasteride with duta.

I've read i a few places if you've had no luck with finasteride then duta won't be much better.. is there anything else? I was thinking maybe a stronger minoxidil with Azeliac acid

 

[baba_yaga]

Duta wont be much better for many, but not all. It may give what finasteride has failed to do. Going duta, I do not see what you'd be loosing. Its worth a shot.

 

[centurie]

I dont think its the Finasteride, you probably are just losing the hair minoxidil was keeping for you. Thats the problem with starting minoxidil before finasteride, you do not halt the balding process at its route you instead just temporarily mask it.

Hopefully your hair will stabilise now though, if you initially saw incredible results with minoxidil try adding dermarolling to your routine, it should give your hair a nice boost again.

 

[SlinkyDink]

I dont think its the Finasteride, you probably are just losing the hair minoxidil was keeping for you. Thats the problem with starting minoxidil before finasteride, you do not halt the balding process at its route you instead just temporarily mask it.

Hopefully your hair will stabilise now though, if you initially saw incredible results with minoxidil try adding dermarolling to your routine, it should give your hair a nice boost again.

I use a dermaroller already. I honestly don't see it stabilising though, it just seems to be gettimg worse each week

 

[centurie]

I use a dermaroller already. I honestly don't see it stabilising though, it just seems to be gettimg worse each week

Stick it out, another problem with minoxidil is i have found is that it synchronises your hair cycles so your have periods of heavy shedding and sh*t looking hair.

For me i go through 3 month phases of shedding and bad hair and then 3 months phases of growth and nice hair - its been this way for my whole duration on minoxidil.

 

[SlinkyDink]

Stick it out, another problem with minoxidil is i have found is that it synchronises your hair cycles so your have periods of heavy shedding and sh*t looking hair.

For me i go through 3 month phases of shedding and bad hair and then 3 months phases of growth and nice hair - its been this way for my whole duration on minoxidil.

My shed has been ongoing for 14 months though. Still using minoxidil daily and finasteride. It just isn't letting up, I've just been for a haircut this morning and I literally feel sick how thin its gotten now. Its getting worse every week. I've started taking 0.5 finasteride daily now I think I'm going to ween myself off it and see if my hair improves.. I don't know what else to do

 

[baba_yaga]

My shed has been ongoing for 14 months though. Still using minoxidil daily and finasteride. It just isn't letting up, I've just been for a haircut this morning and I literally feel sick how thin its gotten now. Its getting worse every week. I've started taking 0.5 finasteride daily now I think I'm going to ween myself off it and see if my hair improves.. I don't know what else to do

You started shedding immediately after taking finasteride?