whatintheworld
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Just stay the course and realize that progression will happen. If it really bothers you, look into getting a transplant.
I too have been on finasteride for almost exactly (10) ten years. Jumped on when I was 25 following a large shed and very minor diffusing in what looked to be a Norwood 2 pattern. Took the medication and got on with my life. There would be occasional crises of faith but I stayed the course.
Over the last decade; Snails pace diffusing of hair in a Norwood 2 or 3 pattern. Cosmetically my hair looks pretty similar to where I started. Coverage is good and it provides camouflage but when wet and under heavy light one can see the hairs are miniaturized to varying degrees.
In the last month things have deteriorated. For the first time I believe I can see the beginning of actual recession (not just diffusion behind hairline). Scalp in male pattern baldness areas had a burning/soreness feeling to it, much like a sunburn would. I recall itching and burning back before I was on finasteride (and one brief period when I was accidentially switched by Wal-Mart to generic. I switched back to Propecia subsequently). When I upped my dosage to 1.5 or 2 mgs in a panic the burning disappeared. Psychosomatic or reduction in DHT from upping dosage stop the burning? I've seen the graft that decrease is almost negligible. Who knows.
I am now taking over 1 mg of finasteride and crossing my fingers. I wish I could find a doctor in Philadelphia region that would proscribe duasteride and I would add it (the hair surgeons in Phila. appear to be almost quackish...looking to transplant rather than starting with medications) Alas, I am left with breaking pills and upping finasteride.
I only need it for my hairline, and if I fill it in but the hairs behind fall out that would look awkwardJust stay the course and realize that progression will happen. If it really bothers you, look into getting a transplant.
I only need it for my hairline, and if I fill it in but the hairs behind fall out that would look awkward
I understand, but you also need to understand that keeping your youthful hairline forever may just not be in the cards, at least with present options available.
If you have been progressing so slowly for 10 years already, and stay on treatments, its simply unlikely you'll go slick bald. You seem like an ideal transplant candidate in that case. However, male pattern baldness is unpredictable so one can never be too sure, but Im not really a proponent of dutasteride, and if you read more about it you will see why.
Some pictures of your hair would help assess the situation as well.
How fast is it starting to go?
did your density stay the same the last 10 years?
I also noticed my hair start to slowly recede again after about 7 or 8 years on finasteride. That was 7 years ago, I still have my hair. Everyone is different of course. Actually I stopped using spironolactone on my hairline because it gave me sexual side effects, but it did stop the recession. And recently I started microneedling in the past year, which has helped with density (amazing how people discover these things). I will never go on dutasteride, but I'm glad that finasteride has slowed down my male pattern baldness so that I'm able to accept it over time. Right now I'm about a Norwood 2.5 in my mid-30s.
Have you thought about seeing a psychologist? Seriously, that would be a healthier option than dutasteride. I'm not an expert on the chemistry, and I'm not into fear-mongering, I would just consider it an absolutely last resort if male pattern baldness is wreaking psychological havoc that you can't otherwise handle.I thought I’d be able to accept it by now, but I can’t, and it’s effecting me everyday I think about it.
Find a dermatologist that lists hair loss as one of their services. You may need to increase your dose. Finasteride blocks the action of enzyme 5-alpha-reductase--DHT. The 5AR--DHT happens to cause BPH in older guys. The dose recommendation for finasteride is higher for BPH than for hair loss (typically 5 mg). In my opinion, as you get older, the level and sensitivity to 5AR--DHT increases to the point at which the lower dose 1 mg will not be enough. FWIW, I am old as f*** (59), and have been on 5 mg of finasteride for the last 6 years. I had some symptoms of BPH when I started this dose. But that was fixed at 5 mg. Over the last 3 years, my hair has reversed course and I have had a lot of regrowth. I use my work ID badge photo as my guide when assessing progress, and that photo was taken 7 years ago. Also, I would take any direction by forum members with a grain of salt (yes even mine). It is highly unlikely that anyone on this forum is a physician (even though they might say they are).Is there a doctor I should talk to? I got my prescription from a hair surgeon and he’s out of business now.
So I switch from finasteride to dutasteride or finasteride and dutasteride
Could you explain why you’re not a proponent? I’m reading about it but I’m seeing the regular finasteride side effects
I’ll post a picture shortly!
10-11 years seems to be the shelf life (as far as finasteride being effective) for whatever reason it seems to become obsolete after that -- we can theorize dozens of different motives as to why that happens, but if you look around here (hairlosstalk message board) multiple users have reported the exact same thing.
This is because a lot of young guys notice a slightly maturing hairline around 20 years old and panic and jump on finasteride. In reality, it is extremely rare for someone to start balding in their 20s. It is in your early 30s that the first signs of male pattern baldness start to show for most men, which is why the drug "happens" to wear off around this time. I got a NW1.5/2 when I was 17, and it just stayed that way until 32, never even noticed it. Had these forums and social media existed back then you bet I would have got on finasteride and then jumped around the forums like a retard for 10 years explaining claiming finasteride was holding my hair.
There's a good chance OP was never balding until now, and the drugs don't work and never did, like they don't work for most people.