I would really like some advice. I am a 34 years old male. When I was around 27, I started takin finasteride even though I didn’t need. I did that as a preventive measure. I was extremely dense Norwood 0 with no sign of hair loss. Soon after starting finasteride, my hair started to shed massively. Additionally, my hair started to become oily. I never had oily hair in my life. I was shocked at sudden changes to my hair. I continued taking finasteride for 4 months and my hair went from Norwood 0 to Norwood 2 during this period. I eventually got tired of shedding and quit taking finasteride. As soon as I quit finasteride, hair shedding slowed down. It’s been over 7 years but my hair has not returned to pre finasteride days. It is still oily and I continued to recede. In the past 7 years, I went from Norwood 2 to Norwood 2.5. Recession has especially seemed to have accelerated in the past year. What are my options? Since finasteride reacted adversely, I am scared of taking it again. Any other med that may help? I am going to schedule an appointment with a good hair transplant doctor and get my hair mapped out for miniaturization. If I find that there is a lot of miniaturization, what should be my steps? Has anyone been in this situation before? My natural hair was like my maternal uncles who are all Norwood 0 in their seventies. I was blessed with good hair genes and I ruined it because of my own stupidity!
finasteride induced hairloss, please advice.
- Thread starter pjhair
- Start date
I have shaved it before but goatee is not for me. However, stubble looks good on me even on shaved head. But I don't need this kind of advice. I want someone who has knowledge of similar situation to give me some insight. Thanks for your input though.
I didn't have male pattern baldness when I started finasteride. However, I believe finasteride messed up my hormones and my body never recovered. Please look up "reflex hyperandrogenicity", adverse reaction to finasteride. There are others who have experienced it. I was hoping I can find someone here who has gone through it and get some advice.
I.D WALKER
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 868
I've yet to look into the info regarding "reflex hyperandrogenicity",
I was not a responder to finasteride. in fact my aggressive shedding never noticeably abated thru-out the course of my 12 months regimen.
Incidently I "suffer" from seborrhea derm.
Do you know offhand whether the aforesaid finasteride. side effect is causing some "actual male pattern baldness sufferers"
to shed more severely?
I was not a responder to finasteride. in fact my aggressive shedding never noticeably abated thru-out the course of my 12 months regimen.
Incidently I "suffer" from seborrhea derm.
Do you know offhand whether the aforesaid finasteride. side effect is causing some "actual male pattern baldness sufferers"
to shed more severely?
If finasteride caused a non-sufferer such as me to shed and recede then I am sure it can do to male pattern baldness sufferers was well. People have reported increased shedding and loss of hairline at finasteride. Here is a link to a page where some others who have experienced it discuss their experience.
http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=44623&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=
- - - Updated - - -
Here is what Dr. Proctor has to say about reflex hyperandrogenicity.
Question:
What exactly is reflex hyperandrogenicity and what causes it? Is it when the androgen receptors become more sensitive to DHT or is it an increase in overall testosterone that negatively impacts the follicles. Also, should a topical antiandrogen counter this effect?
Dr Proctor Answers:
Reflex hyperandrogenicity is caused by a combination of increased testosterone and increased tissue sensitivity to male sex hormones ( androgens ). The latter is cause at least partially by an increase in the numbers of androgen receptors. Whether the receptors also get more sensitive is not clear, but seems likely.
Reflex hyperandrogenicity is proportional to the strength of an antiandrogen. It limits the use of antiandrogens in (e.g.) treatment of prostate cancer and is why most such patients get castrated.
Because the action of Finasteride is mostly limited to tissues where type-2 5-AR is the important source of androgenic activity, it elicits less reflex hyperandrogenicity than other antiandrogens when used to treat hair loss or prostate enlargement. So this is usually not limiting in hair loss-treatment, at least in the short run. It may even help minimize side-effects such as libido decrease during the use iof finasteride for hair loss. Whether this is also true for Dutasteride ( which blocks both type-1 and type-2 5 Alphareductases ) is not clear yet. And yes, topical antiandrogens such as spironolactone, which do not elicit the increase in testosterone, are likely helpful.
Peter H Proctor, PhD, MD
http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=44623&FTVAR_MSGDBTABLE=
- - - Updated - - -
Here is what Dr. Proctor has to say about reflex hyperandrogenicity.
Question:
What exactly is reflex hyperandrogenicity and what causes it? Is it when the androgen receptors become more sensitive to DHT or is it an increase in overall testosterone that negatively impacts the follicles. Also, should a topical antiandrogen counter this effect?
Dr Proctor Answers:
Reflex hyperandrogenicity is caused by a combination of increased testosterone and increased tissue sensitivity to male sex hormones ( androgens ). The latter is cause at least partially by an increase in the numbers of androgen receptors. Whether the receptors also get more sensitive is not clear, but seems likely.
Reflex hyperandrogenicity is proportional to the strength of an antiandrogen. It limits the use of antiandrogens in (e.g.) treatment of prostate cancer and is why most such patients get castrated.
Because the action of Finasteride is mostly limited to tissues where type-2 5-AR is the important source of androgenic activity, it elicits less reflex hyperandrogenicity than other antiandrogens when used to treat hair loss or prostate enlargement. So this is usually not limiting in hair loss-treatment, at least in the short run. It may even help minimize side-effects such as libido decrease during the use iof finasteride for hair loss. Whether this is also true for Dutasteride ( which blocks both type-1 and type-2 5 Alphareductases ) is not clear yet. And yes, topical antiandrogens such as spironolactone, which do not elicit the increase in testosterone, are likely helpful.
Peter H Proctor, PhD, MD
I.D WALKER
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 868
Fascinating link. So not only are you a poor responder it seems you also are a poor responder with adverse sides.
I still don't know whether I ever responded to finasteride. in the first place. I am about to revisit finasteride. and stay with it for at least 1.5 yrs. this time to rule it out once and for all.
Achieving maintenance alone would be great satisfaction.
Also I'm going to take a closer look at topical spironolactone.
I still don't know whether I ever responded to finasteride. in the first place. I am about to revisit finasteride. and stay with it for at least 1.5 yrs. this time to rule it out once and for all.
Achieving maintenance alone would be great satisfaction.
Also I'm going to take a closer look at topical spironolactone.
Topical spironolactone is something that I will also be willing to try. However, I have heard it's difficult to obtain topical sprio that is efficient and works. Nevertheless, if I get diagnosed with male pattern baldness, minoxidil and topical spironolactone are the only meds that can save my hair. If I can maintain rest of my hair, I will be really happy. I really hope they make some breakthrough and discover some miraculous drug in our life time. But I doubt it. Hair loss cure has been "only 5 years away" for the last 70 years.
- Reaction score
- 6,428
Sounds like a similar reaction to me, although I did have male pattern baldness when I started finasteride. Was probably NW1.5, very non aggressive just a few mm of receded temples, no itch or anything. Ever since trying finasteride it's been oily, itchy, burning and painful with aggressive recession and thinning. Probably upregulated androgen receptors in my scalp.
Yes it is due to upregulation in androgen receptors and also increment in the number of androgen receptors according to Dr. Proctor. Are you still taking finasteride? Is there anyway to reverse the process?
- Reaction score
- 6,428
It's the only plausible theory I have as to why this happens to some people. I took finasteride for 3 months, quit it in Feb 2015 but symptoms remain unchanged. I have spoken to a guy on another forum who still has it 3 years after quitting, so it's probably permanent.
Yes it seems to be permanent. Its been over 7 years for me and my hair hasn't returned to it's natural state. I am just glad that my hair hasn't gone away completely by now even after such a devastating affect of finasteride on my scalp. I am still around Norwood 2 on the left side and Norwood 2.5 on the right side.
this makes me not want to try finasteride. while 5 other threads make me want to go on it.
i have no idea what to do. especially because i am an NW2 and just want to maintain what i have to then get a hair transplant down the road. but now finasteride can actually mess up that whole process?
any advice?
i have no idea what to do. especially because i am an NW2 and just want to maintain what i have to then get a hair transplant down the road. but now finasteride can actually mess up that whole process?
any advice?
myhairbegone
Established Member
- Reaction score
- 20
Same =/
My advice will be to first find out if you are really balding. The best way to do it is to first find out a really ethical hair transplant surgeon. Ask him to get your hair mapped out for miniaturization. That will give you a good idea if you are balding or not. If there is miniaturization present and if the doctor recommends, then get on meds. Yes there is a chance that finasteride may accelerate your hairloss, BUT if you are already going to bald then taking finasteride may prevent it. But make SURE you are balding first. Also, please don't underestimate the importance of finding a good hair transplant doctor. There are many unethical doctors who will tell you that you are balding and should do a transplant. So please do your research. I wish someone would have given me this advice when I looked up possible side effects of finasteride online. If I had any idea that there is a chance finasteride may cause hair loss, I would never have taken it because I wasn't balding.
In my thread i posted yesterday, I actually said something very similar to this. Pretty much said that I went to a derm exactly two years ago. He told me I had good scalp coverage and on the top and back of my head, I have healthy growing hairs. I intend to go back, and I assume that would still be the case but I am sure this time the DR would say you definitely have some clear recession.
The damn temple recession that is shaping identically to what my dad has and got gradually worse in the last 2 years but not as fast as i thought. It is pretty safe for me to assume that I will have what my dad has, which is OK because he would actually be a good hair transplant candiate even at 60 years old. I'm 25 so I feel like I can still do something about this.
I just really need to find the best possible route ASAP so I can set my self up for a successful hair transplant down the road. I am just so lost where to begin....
What if I go to a Derm this week and am told I have healthy growing hairs where the potential donor area would be.
Do I.....
1) Take finasteride, or dutasteride, MINOXIDIL, S5 cream..., break out the big guns and make sure I maintain what I have, avoid further recession. Avoid future miniaturization.
2) Go get the hair transplant. If I have good donor hair today, shouldn't I take advantage of it and use it while I still can? What if I take finasteride and like you said, my **** gets ****ed up/donor hair ruined? Or would finasteride even mess up the DHT safe areas on the scalp?
I know it's long and in depth, but I think it makes sense. Thanks
Did your doctor map your hair for miniaturization? Ask him to look at around the area where your hair is thinning. Also, ask him to look at the area of scalp where male pattern baldness usually happens. If you have miniaturization in male pattern baldness affected area then I say get on the meds. But DONT take dutasteride first. If you have bad reaction to anti androgens like finasteride, it will be far worse on dutasteride than propecia. So start with propecia and see that you are tolerating this class of medicine well before considering stronger anti androgens. And of course, find a knowledgeable and ethical doctor.