Hair darkening

[jlb1177]

I have been using dutasteride (1 year )/ minoxidil (3 years )/ spironolactone cream ( few months) / biotin and saw palmetto. I have noticed small amounts of success. But mostly a darkening of the hair follicles. Is this something Dutasteride will do? Could it be the beginning of more growth ? I'm definitely better than where I was about 9 months ago after a shed.

Also on a different note.... my hair seems to go in phases of looking okay for about 2 or 3 weeks then looking ****ty for 2 or 3 weeks. Has anyone noticed this themselves ? Reason behind it ? It has been consistent now for a while. But the peeks and valleys have been getting better each time.

 

[lmao9955]

Dutasteride, minoxidil and spironolactone cream have done the work of thicekening. Biotin has just sped up the keratin formation and saw palmetto has just wasted your money.
There should be more posts like these. Most people arent consistent with their treatments. Nice work man, keep up with the meds!
Goodluck!
Your age and norwood?

 

[jlb1177]

Always figured saw palmetto was garbage but it's a mental thing at this point. I'm 30 and I'm a diffuse thinner so it's difficult to quantify a Norwood rating. But over all diffuse on the top. I was using Nizoral but it made my hair super dry and brittle.

As for the cycling, I don't understand why one week the hair could be moisturized and thick then the next dry and thin. I have tried to examine my diet changes etc but nothing adds up. I'm assuming it's the dutas messing with hormone levels.

 

[oye_rg]

What's missing is ketaconzole. Add that, be consistent and you might see wonders like me [NW5/6 to NW3 (aiming for NW2) in 10 months]

 

[lmao9955]

Have you taken any of those medications? What's your age and Norwood?

Took dutasteride initially but switched to Finasteride and using minoxidil since 9 months.
Used biotion and saw palmetto. Did nothing for my hair.
Age - 19
Norwood - 0.5

 

[jlb1177]

What's missing is ketaconzole. Add that, be consistent and you might see wonders like me [NW5/6 to NW3 (aiming for NW2) in 10 months]

I was taking nizoral 2% for a while but its dries my hair out very bad. I still take it occasionally maybe once every other week. What are peoples thoughts on Alpecin caffeine shampoo? i have heard some good things regarding it.

 

[davesmith420]

"But mostly a darkening of the hair follicles. Is this something Dutasteride will do? "

I think what happened was dutasteride probably shedded hairs that were in the process of miniaturizing (lighter in color) so they would come back healthier/thicker (darker in color). Times that by a whole bunch of hairs and that is probably why your hair seems darker.

 

[jlb1177]

And I've also been on dutasteride for over a year, minoxidil way longer. I dont think im going to see any results further than what i have already seen, but im not quitting.

 

[lmao9955]

Thank for you for being honest. But here's the thing, at 0.5, you really aren't suffering from hair loss like others (even younger than yourself, some guys have a Norwood 2/3).

Why did you switch from dutasteride to finasteride.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm in my late forties. So before you make comments on how much hair I've lost, please consider that. And for any product to grow hair back in the temple area (even finasteride, I really don't know very much about dutasteride), is quite remarkable. Most guys my age cannot grow any hair back. It's true that I only grew a few centimeters. But that's better than nothing.

There's a thread with fifty scalps, from people who took oral finasteride. Some were on 1.25 mg (Proscar cut in quarters). Others 1 mg (most on 1.25 though). Only one used minoxidil alone, but regained most of his hair back (Less than NW1).

Yeah man took me a while to realise that. My bad.
That's the whole point of it na. I wanna keep my Norwood 0.5 for as long as possible. Plus there is thinning on the top of my head. I started dutasteride initially but I thought since my hairloss wasn't that aggressive, I would go for Finasteride which was a safer option. I might use Finasteride for a year or so then jump on dutasteride.

 

[Hairloss23]

Norwood 0.5? Are you sure you have hair loss? Most people are a Norwood 1. I'm not doubting your claim and if you really do have male pattern baldness then it is excellent that you decided to put a stop to it that early, you know your own hair better than any of us though so do whatever you think is best. Good luck man!

 

[lmao9955]

Norwood 0.5? Are you sure you have hair loss? Most people are a Norwood 1. I'm not doubting your claim and if you really do have male pattern baldness then it is excellent that you decided to put a stop to it that early, you know your own hair better than any of us though so do whatever you think is best. Good luck man!

Thanks mate
Ya I do have hairloss. It's more of the thinning issue on the top of the head. Hoping Finasteride and minoxidil can reverse the minituarisation and I keep my hairline for a long time.
How are things with Dutasteride going?