"It won't do anything for your hairline" my Doctor says

[Geiri]

When I went to my Doctor to get finesteride he told me it won't do anything for my hairline.

I regret not asking him more about it. Does he mean that there won't be any new hairs or that it also won't even slow down the recede at all?

To be honest I care about my hairline much more than about the crown so this worries me.

And what are your personal experiences with finasteride and hairline?

 

[zzzzz]

it is not as effective at the hair line as the crown, but it certainly works for the hair line. You can get regrowth or you can maintain the hairline with finasteride just like any other area it is just easier to get good results on the crown

 

[blazinshotguns]

finasteride works on the hairline that Doctor was just mad it didn't work on his , so he tells you it based on the fact it didn't work from him .many doctors give opinions and say it to patients like its a fact .

 

[Geiri]

it is not as effective at the hair line as the crown, but it certainly works for the hair line. You can get regrowth or you can maintain the hairline with finasteride just like any other area it is just easier to get good results on the crown

Alright thanx for the info.

Maybe it also hasn't been studied as much as the crown area?

I thought I saw couple of new hairs around the hairline the other day but I didn't want to believe it just yet. Unfortunately I did not take any photos when I started the treatment.

 

[xRedStaRx]

It works just as well.

The problem is, the hairline is the first to go, so naturally it's the hardest to retain. That's it.

Background: Finasteride, a specific inhibitor of type II 5α-reductase, decreases serum and scalp dihydrotestosterone and has been shown to be effective in men with vertex male pattern hair loss.

Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy of finasteride 1 mg/day in men with frontal (anterior/mid) scalp hair thinning. Methods: This was a 1-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed by a 1-year open extension. Efficacy was assessed by hair counts (1 cm2 circular area), patient and investigator assessments, and global photographic review.

Results: There was a significant increase in hair count in the frontal scalp of finasteride-treated patients (P < .001), as well as significant improvements in patient, investigator, and global photographic assessments. Efficacy was maintained or improved throughout the second year of the study. Finasteride was generally well tolerated.

Conclusion: In men with hair loss in the anterior/mid area of the scalp, finasteride 1 mg/day slowed hair loss and increased hair growth.

Full study can be found here.

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/hair-loss-pdf/propecia-frontal-hair.pdf

 

[Ventures]

Indeed it is fact that finasteride works for all regions of scalp not just vertex. Formally in clinical trials finasteride was tested only on vertex, so official report is however finasteride is proven to have effect on the Vertex and Anterior Mid-Scalp Area.

But what I wanted to ask, why is it so hard to maintain / regrow frontal hair compared to other regions; why temporal recession is usually a first sign of male pattern baldness ? Is it because Caucasians have more AR in forehead and frontal region and/ or there is dense distribution of 5-ard biolocations in frontal part compared to vertex or occipital region. Of course blood supply probably also, no matter if other deny it, plays huge role in pattern of Androgenetic Alopecia.

 

[xRedStaRx]

Indeed it is fact that finasteride works for all regions of scalp not just vertex. Formally in clinical trials finasteride was tested only on vertex, so official report is however finasteride is proven to have effect on the Vertex and Anterior Mid-Scalp Area.

But what I wanted to ask, why is it so hard to maintain / regrow frontal hair compared to other regions; why temporal recession is usually a first sign of male pattern baldness ? Is it because Caucasians have more AR in forehead and frontal region and/ or there is dense distribution of 5-ard biolocations in frontal part compared to vertex or occipital region. Of course blood supply probably also, no matter if other deny it, plays huge role in pattern of Androgenetic Alopecia.

Because chances are if you've started medication, then you're already past a Norwood 1. That's generally the case.

In other news, the temple is the weakest region of scalp hair, even recesses in women. Yes blood supply and oxygen does play a role for why it goes first. Since hypoxia and ischemia induces up-regulation of androgen reception, so even testosterone can have a negative effect. This is why men who don't go bald tend to have mature hairlines too.

That's my hypothesis anyway.

 

[Geiri]

I'm probably earlier than most in starting treatment so I'm hoping that will help. If I can keep the hairline from going much higher and perhaps for the thinnest hairs by the hairline to get a little thicker... I would be completely satisfied.

 

[hmm]

finasteride actually worked better for me at the hairline than the crown. My hairline is fine now probably a NW1.5 but my crown it only halted and didn't regrow at all. My crown is still a NW3, glad it hasn't gotten worse but wish it would of filled in. Oh well, just turned 30 maybe I will get the OK for a hair transplant since it appears stable, before they said I was too young and the crown too risky as its hard to fill if it suddenly got worse.

 

[abcdefg]

Yeah I think the hairline is just the most sensitive to androgens and that the DHT left over from propecia and probably T also plays some role there. CB might be able to stop it in a few years since it competes with both types of androgens but its just wishful thinking since we obviously cant predict that
Lets say this though taking propecia probably wont hurt your hairline and best case it might help so I mean really its the best you can do right now whether it works or not

 

[Geiri]

Ohhh yes I will definitely continue taking it. I also got a 2% Ketozal shampoo which I discovered on this forum

 

[Eureka]

Ohhh yes I will definitely continue taking it. I also got a 2% Ketozal shampoo which I discovered on this forum

Have you considered rogaine as well? Every little bit helps. Also a good conditioner as that shampoo is quite rough on the hair.

 

[Geiri]

The twice a day and not working for majority of it's users kinda put me off. At this time I'm gonna just stick with the other two, I'll try the other one if I'm not happy with the results.

 

[azuri]

ive been on finasteride for over 10 years and my hairline is still slowly slipping away.
Crown is maintaining well.

 

[abcdefg]

I think there is still enough DHT and T left over from finasteride to slowly keep the most sensitive hair miniaturizing from male pattern baldness slowly over time like the temples and front. You need something more powerful like dutasteride or better yet something like CB that can interfere with both DHT and T so neither can touch the receptors to truly stop male pattern baldness much like a castrated guy

 

[Ventures]

Is it common effect that long term finasteride users get diffuse hair loss ?

My explanation is over time the most sensitive hair follicles (which are distributed in diffuse/random pattern all over top of the head) miniaturise rather then recede. This is why woman get diffuse hair loss rather then recession because recession is consequence of constantly high DHT levels, and woman of course have low DHT and T, and higher levels of E compared to male scalp. When there is high activity of DHT and T in scalp, miniaturisation of all follicles happen but if threshold level for each follicle is not too low (meaning follicles aren't so sensitive to androgens which is case in majority of men who develop baldness later in life), then only most vulnerable follicles located at the hairline will experience gradual miniaturisation due to hypoxia in surrounding tissue and this resembles as recession.

Don't get me wrong many young guys here with aggressive male pattern baldness also have diffuse hair loss in all NW6 area, a don't say high androgen levels and/or high sensitivity can't cause diffuse pattern. I only want to point out that people who've experienced recession and got on finasteride therapy may hold recession but can start to diffusely lose hair due to gradual miniaturisation of the most sensitive follicles in affected area.

 

[abcdefg]

Thats my issue with taking finasteride at all is that really its not a long term solution because your still going to lose hair so yeah maybe slower but then why bother? I am waiting for a long term solution that I can use forever and just forget about male pattern baldness which I hope CB will turn out to be. Finasteride is already close so I dont think CB stopping it is that huge a leap

 

[Vlatch]

Thats my issue with taking finasteride at all is that really its not a long term solution because your still going to lose hair so yeah maybe slower but then why bother? I am waiting for a long term solution that I can use forever and just forget about male pattern baldness which I hope CB will turn out to be. Finasteride is already close so I dont think CB stopping it is that huge a leap

In a ten-year study, 86% of patients taking finasteride improved or maintained their condition at the end of the study. That's a long term solution, stop talking nonsense.