Here's Some Interesting Food For Thought //#insert A Couple More Words

[Digidako]

It's been a long time since I've visited this website.

Finally out of school, got a big boy job. I'd be lying if I said my undergrad paranoia about my hair led me to molecular cell biology.

Fascinating nonetheless, maybe it's just me?

Anyways.

I stopped taking Finasteride for a while. Didn't even really have time to think about my hair.

My hairline is about the same as it was when I first joined, six years ago. Micro-needling once or twice a week (1.5mm dermapen), eating a clean diet, exercising, and most of all- not even thinking twice about my hair.

I use RU when I run test (sub 500mg/week) and maybe a little finasteride here and there, and I respond well to topical treatment. No reported systemic sides, albeit the exogenous hormones could offset the low androgen-related side effects.

Right now I'm not using anything but the dermapen. Nothing for my hair, no exogenous hormones, no AAs, not even minoxidil.

I've honestly never felt better.

But then I started taking Finasteride again, and my God. I could barely even function for the first days. I think back and can't even fathom that I was so naive to the side effects.

1. Lethargy. I am prescribed 30mg of Dexedrine, usually keeps me alert and focused for 8-10 hours. When I took the 5AR inhibitor, stimulants seemed to lose their efficacy. All I wanted to do was sleep.

2. Anxiety. A lot of anxiety. I had to take some valium here and there to keep my nerves from frying. Not to mention, the anxiety only served to exacerbate that fixation on my hairline.

3. No libido. I mean yeah I've been with my soon to be wife for like eight years now, but or sex life is still like it was in the first year. That is until I resumed treatment with a 5AR inhibitor.

4. Self-esteem took a nose dive. I started fixating on my hair again and that's all I thought about.

After a week I stopped and everything is slowly returning to baseline.
------_--------------------------------------

I'm beginning to focus more of my attention on how macrophage activation leads to the transcription (and production) of proinflammatory cytokines. Superoxide and nitrogen radicals, certain subsets of interleukins, etc.

I will post some of my research so we can discuss various opinions, as I am not convinced DHT is the greatest villain when it comes to HF miniaturization. Yes, it plays a role- there is no doubt, but I believe it is quite small in comparison to proinflammatory cytokines and cellular stress.

If DHT was the biggest player in AA, guys chemically castrating themselves with dutasteride and stronger AAs would be Norwood -1.


Photo attached was taken on June 19th, 2019.

 

[brownhair]

Interesting account and your hair looks good in the photo. The fact you had to be prescribed other medication to combat side effects shows how dangerous this drug is.

I took 1mg finasteride for 6 weeks because of slight thinning of the crown and probably a bit extra shedding when I styled my hair. Worse decision I've ever made. 9 months on, my scalp is now visible, I have to use concealers. My hair has thinned all over, I struggle to style it- if I add hair spray I can actually snap my hair. My shedding is constant throughout the day. I have a burning feeling down my scalp, I sweat more and I produce more sebum. None of this is even listed as side effects but there are so many men out there with the same symptoms. About 2 weeks into 'treatment' my mood absolutely plummeted, too. I was prescribed anti depressants (which I didn't end up taking) and I was having severe panic attacks. 9 months off of finasteride, my mood is the only thing that has improved and perhaps the shedding has decreased a bit, too.

Glad to read when peoples symptoms do improve when they drop the drug

 

[Ikarus]

Men who chemically castrate themselves with stronger AAs and estrogen (not 5AR inhibitors) do end up regrowing a significant amount of hair, and that has been shown time and time again. Transgender women who transition late are those who generally have issues with full-regrowth; although they do have the potential to grow such a significant amount. I do believe that androgens are the main issue in terms of hair loss...

(By the way, dutasteride is not a chemical castration drug. It’s inhibiting an enzyme, not having an effect on testosterone production. Misinformation, hunty!)