Hair much worse on Finasteride after 9 months (with pictures)

[Ethany8090]

I started finasteride in December/January of 2020/2021, and after about 9 months my hair is far worse. Basically constant shed since I started and no sign of regrowth. My hair had no diffuse thinning when I started. Now It's completely diffuse all over and I can't style my hair the way I used to.

Why is this happening and what can I do from here to get back to baseline?

Sorry I have no true baseline photos, but I have photos from May (even after I was below baseline), and now in August/Sep (where I'm FAR below baseline). I also included one from February (probably almost baseline), where you can see the massive change in density in just the last 6 months.

Please help lol.

 

[Questions]

I would consider dutasteride and using topical minoxidil, I’m really sorry it hasn’t helped Maybe since the loss was so recent the minoxidil could help with regrowth.

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

There' a chance this is a brand-specific reaction. Have you tried switching brands of finasteride before?

 

[Ethany8090]

There' a chance this is a brand-specific reaction. Have you tried switching brands of finasteride before?

No, I get my prescription from Keeps which seems pretty reliable. I could try changing it up I guess

 

[5minutesbeforemiracle]

No, I get my prescription from Keeps which seems pretty reliable. I could try changing it up I guess

Even if it's a reliable brand (I know nothing about Keeps) it's possible you're having a negative reaction to one of the filler ingredients, which is causing your shed.

 

[sonofvegeta]

damn...now that is the risk some are not ready to do.....imagine getting limp dick and a 9+ month shade and not going back to baseline....i dont know but seems like finas/minoxidil are just not mean for some. good luck op. still salvageble , though of getting FUE / FUT hair transplant ?

 

[Stan5409]

I started finasteride in December/January of 2020/2021, and after about 9 months my hair is far worse. Basically constant shed since I started and no sign of regrowth. My hair had no diffuse thinning when I started. Now It's completely diffuse all over and I can't style my hair the way I used to.

Why is this happening and what can I do from here to get back to baseline?

Sorry I have no true baseline photos, but I have photos from May (even after I was below baseline), and now in August/Sep (where I'm FAR below baseline). I also included one from February (probably almost baseline), where you can see the massive change in density in just the last 6 months.

Please help lol.

Finally, apples to apples for me here. I haven't been able to find any complaints on any blog meeting my exact criteria. I started finasteride 9 months ago due a receding hairline out of nowhere. The first Dermatologist said my situation is out of his league so referred me to the UCLA Hair and Scalp Clinic where I met with a Dr(?) who knew nothing. He asked ME if I heard of PRP. I told him I have and know how the procedure is done. HE replied that he knows nothing about it or where to refer me. So why ask me in the first place? He also prescribed 5mg of Finasteride and when I corrected him by telling what the FDA dose was, he got pissed but was pissed with me anyway for other corrections or statements I made. I've been treating myself since then with hours in front of the computer, reading blogs, watching YouTube Doctors, and online lectures including the Dr who started the UCLA Clinic. Very good BTW. My hair loss is scary because I can watch the tide go back weekly. It might be stable for days or a week then suddenly the next morning I can see recession to the point that a white is left around the hairline since it has not yet seen sunlight. My only hope is that something happens within the next 3 months since Drs say it can take a year for noticeable results. I don't know if that means hair growth or the shedding stops. I don't expect growth but if it stopped that would be great. With each new shedding period I can also see where it's going to recede next. I also use laser every two days, use 15% Minoxidil with topical Finasteride. I also take oral finasteride.
I derma rolled for a while but that seem to cause shedding so stopped. I recently added topical Dutasteride which is stronger than Finasteride. In that mixture I've added peppermint oil and caffeine for blood stimulation. I just ordered an adenosine shampoo since Asia and Germany claims to have had success with it. The original drug is for heart disease but forms like ATP is used by athletes and purchased in health stores on online.
ONE LAST THING, I'm using stemoxydine topically nightly. Not cheap so when my two and 1/ bottles are finished then so am I. I started with 6 to see if anything happens after 6 months. So far NADA
I should look like King Kong by now but don't.

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Finally, apples to apples for me here. I haven't been able to find any complaints on any blog meeting my exact criteria. I started finasteride 9 months ago due a receding hairline out of nowhere. The first Dermatologist said my situation is out of his league so referred me to the UCLA Hair and Scalp Clinic where I met with a Dr(?) who knew nothing. He asked ME if I heard of PRP. I told him I have and know how the procedure is done. HE replied that he knows nothing about it or where to refer me. So why ask me in the first place? He also prescribed 5mg of Finasteride and when I corrected him by telling what the FDA dose was, he got pissed but was pissed with me anyway for other corrections or statements I made. I've been treating myself since then with hours in front of the computer, reading blogs, watching YouTube Doctors, and online lectures including the Dr who started the UCLA Clinic. Very good BTW. My hair loss is scary because I can watch the tide go back weekly. It might be stable for days or a week then suddenly the next morning I can see recession to the point that a white is left around the hairline since it has not yet seen sunlight. My only hope is that something happens within the next 3 months since Drs say it can take a year for noticeable results. I don't know if that means hair growth or the shedding stops. I don't expect growth but if it stopped that would be great. With each new shedding period I can also see where it's going to recede next. I also use laser every two days, use 15% Minoxidil with topical Finasteride. I also take oral finasteride.
I derma rolled for a while but that seem to cause shedding so stopped. I recently added topical Dutasteride which is stronger than Finasteride. In that mixture I've added peppermint oil and caffeine for blood stimulation. I just ordered an adenosine shampoo since Asia and Germany claims to have had success with it. The original drug is for heart disease but forms like ATP is used by athletes and purchased in health stores on online.
ONE LAST THING, I'm using stemoxydine topically nightly. Not cheap so when my two and 1/ bottles are finished then so am I. I started with 6 to see if anything happens after 6 months. So far NADA
I should look like King Kong by now but don't.

You can have temporary hair loss/shedding via microneedling but that stage appears to go away quickly as collagen increases and stem cell production increases as well. Salons themselves have warned me off about PRP as have many on here. It's apparently not ready for prime time plus it seems to increase "benevolent" shedding. Use Keto and Selsun Blue for inflammation which might help to reduce "benevolent" shedding which is my term for shedding caused by treatments that are effective in the longer terms but that might mean as long as 12 months. finasteride, as proscar is often prescribed as 5 mg as this stretches out an Rx by four to five times. I used to bite the Proscars with my teeth due to their unusual shape, into roughly fourths but it doesn't matter in terms of varying a bit day by day. Any other treatment questions related to male pattern baldness palliatives or shedding ones, please ask.

Janey

 

[Jeju]

@Trompt

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Inceland. Lol. Iceland would be better but that's really clever!

 

[Norwoody]

I would get on oral minoxidil immediately, at least for a while, so you don’t lose that ground permanently. Then you can switch back to topical once you’ve figured out how you’re going to combat the androgens. It’s pretty much dutasteride and/or RU. What’s your family history? What essential oils are you taking, and are you properly diluting them?

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I would get on oral minoxidil immediately, at least for a while, so you don’t lose that ground permanently. Then you can switch back to topical once you’ve figured out how you’re going to combat the androgens. It’s pretty much dutasteride and/or RU. What’s your family history? What essential oils are you taking, and are you properly diluting them?

Oral min is amazing for people unconcerned with peripheral hair growth. Werewolfism is largely hype and quite rare but antyDHTor had a hair line that looked far, far too low and actually looked better with some frontal recession as do many, many XY's. Hair helmets are unbecoming in general and females rarely have this except on purpose as do some "boy band" members. Eh, it's very much a "butch lesbian" look to me and I say that without any disparagement but LGBT members are not blind. Me, I prefer soft butches with long lovely hair and makeup and lipstick but opinions vary among the gynephilic.

 

[HelpMyHair!!]

You have to give it 12 months, preferably 15.
Search Google for Finasteride 9, 10, 11 month sheds. Extremely common.

I am coming up on 1 year on finasteride in 2 weeks, and I went through a couple big sheds that took me WAY below baseline. Every shed I've had comes back a bit better every time.

Just went through a bad one from 9-10 months, but things have noticeably improved the last month. I ordered oral minoxidil, because I was terrified I was losing ground. In the month it took to get them in the mail, things improved again.
I'm getting more vellus hairs on my hairline now, and a lot of my former vellus hairs shed, and are coming back in terminal now.

Power through it, give it at least a full 12 months before exploring other options. You have to give it enough time to go through a couple cycles to see the difference.

Good luck buddy.

 

[Jeju]

You have to give it 12 months, preferably 15.
Search Google for Finasteride 9, 10, 11 month sheds. Extremely common.

I am coming up on 1 year on finasteride in 2 weeks, and I went through a couple big sheds that took me WAY below baseline. Every shed I've had comes back a bit better every time.

Just went through a bad one from 9-10 months, but things have noticeably improved the last month. I ordered oral minoxidil, because I was terrified I was losing ground. In the month it took to get them in the mail, things improved again.
I'm getting more vellus hairs on my hairline now, and a lot of my former vellus hairs shed, and are coming back in terminal now.

Power through it, give it at least a full 12 months before exploring other options. You have to give it enough time to go through a couple cycles to see the difference.

Good luck buddy.

Any pictures?

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Oral min is amazing for people unconcerned with peripheral hair growth. Werewolfism is largely hype and quite rare but antyDHTor had a hair line that looked far, far too low and actually looked better with some frontal recession as do many, many XY's. Hair helmets are unbecoming in general and females rarely have this except on purpose as do some "boy band" members. Eh, it's very much a "butch lesbian" look to me and I say that without any disparagement but LGBT members are not blind. Me, I prefer soft butches with long lovely hair and makeup and lipstick but opinions vary among the gynephilic.

I need to look into RU for maintenance purposes instead of regrowth purposes for people looking for non-mainstream approaches/solutions. What is the cost like, Norwoody, compared to reductase inhibitors. Does it suppress all T/DHT or does it more so work like progestins which might lower T without changing the binding aspect of T/DHT. It's amazing to me that we have the semantics and vocabulary to discuss such things as "binding" which mostly lacks any visible aspect apart from say, molecules in general.

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

You have to give it 12 months, preferably 15.
Search Google for Finasteride 9, 10, 11 month sheds. Extremely common.

I am coming up on 1 year on finasteride in 2 weeks, and I went through a couple big sheds that took me WAY below baseline. Every shed I've had comes back a bit better every time.

Just went through a bad one from 9-10 months, but things have noticeably improved the last month. I ordered oral minoxidil, because I was terrified I was losing ground. In the month it took to get them in the mail, things improved again.
I'm getting more vellus hairs on my hairline now, and a lot of my former vellus hairs shed, and are coming back in terminal now.

Power through it, give it at least a full 12 months before exploring other options. You have to give it enough time to go through a couple cycles to see the difference.

Good luck buddy.

Using topical min and a dropper appears to work just as well and it is more flexible and far cheaper. For many at 5mg and below, one bottle of topical finasteride can cost six bucks and last maybe six months to a year. Plus, no gatekeepers or orders that take a month to eight weeks to process from somewhat shady operations that usually do not take credit cards. Amazon4health does but they don't currently provide Loniten.

 

[Norwoody]

I need to look into RU for maintenance purposes instead of regrowth purposes for people looking for non-mainstream approaches/solutions. What is the cost like, Norwoody, compared to reductase inhibitors. Does it suppress all T/DHT or does it more so work like progestins which might lower T without changing the binding aspect of T/DHT. It's amazing to me that we have the semantics and vocabulary to discuss such things as "binding" which mostly lacks any visible aspect apart from say, molecules in general.

It is expensive. However, I think someone can use smaller amounts just for hairline protection. Essentially, it binds to the AR, instead of other androgens. It has the same strength of binding affinity for the AR as T. So it blocks some of the androgenic responses from taking place. It’s about 3 times weaker than DHT, but it still helps, especially if you are addressing the DHT in other ways. Some people tend to be very sensitive to T so that’s where RU has a specific advantage over 5ARIs. But it’s best if you do stack it with other treatments. If it was taken systemically, I would suspect it would have a similar effect to that of Bica, insofar as normal or even “spoofed” T levels, but instead of preventing transcription it prevents T from even binding altogether. It attacks the issue from a unique angle. Bottom line - it’s realistically for maintenance, probably best for sensitive hairlines and high T individuals, but couldn’t hurt adding it to anyone’s stack, so long as you can afford it.

 

[Norwoody]

OP should get blood work

 

[Micky_007]

I started finasteride in December/January of 2020/2021, and after about 9 months my hair is far worse. Basically constant shed since I started and no sign of regrowth. My hair had no diffuse thinning when I started. Now It's completely diffuse all over and I can't style my hair the way I used to.

Why is this happening and what can I do from here to get back to baseline?

Sorry I have no true baseline photos, but I have photos from May (even after I was below baseline), and now in August/Sep (where I'm FAR below baseline). I also included one from February (probably almost baseline), where you can see the massive change in density in just the last 6 months.

Please help lol.

It's simply because a lot of people don't respond positively to Finasteride and that instead of making their hair better it can very well make it get far worse than it was before.

What you're experiencing is Actually quite common with Finasteride.

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

It is expensive. However, I think someone can use smaller amounts just for hairline protection. Essentially, it binds to the AR, instead of other androgens. It has the same strength of binding affinity for the AR as T. So it blocks some of the androgenic responses from taking place. It’s about 3 times weaker than DHT, but it still helps, especially if you are addressing the DHT in other ways. Some people tend to be very sensitive to T so that’s where RU has a specific advantage over 5ARIs. But it’s best if you do stack it with other treatments. If it was taken systemically, I would suspect it would have a similar effect to that of Bica, insofar as normal or even “spoofed” T levels, but instead of preventing transcription it prevents T from even binding altogether. It attacks the issue from a unique angle. Bottom line - it’s realistically for maintenance, probably best for sensitive hairlines and high T individuals, but couldn’t hurt adding it to anyone’s stack, so long as you can afford it.

HairLossTalk.com needs more of you, my friend. Pithy and with extensive memorized/ingrained knowledge of male androgens, it appears in general.

Now Janey wishes to know more about the impossible to pronounce, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenedione

How does it compare to upstream androgens or is it more so analogous to T in terms of effects and molecular structure. Analogs rock especially if you can re-arrange isomers to do different things or yes, similar things. Analog designer drugs might be technically illegal but this only holds up in court if they are structurally the same or similar. Thus, fetanyl and morphine are structurally unrelated but fetanyl is engineered to bind even more strongly to the same receptors causing similar but stronger effects particularly with regards to breathing.

Here are two all but identical meds that Janey has used:

Differential effects of amphetamine isomers on dopamine release in the rat striatum and nucleus accumbens core - PubMed

These data support the hypothesis that amphetamine isomers have different effects on release of DA from nerve endings. It is possible that L: -amphetamine may have unique actions on the DA transporter, which is required for the effects of amphetamine on DA release from nerve terminals.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Janey