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Here goes: 31 years old, finas user 10+ years. No sides. Started young from a place of paranoia rather than any sort of shed that required immediate action. Have always had a pronounced widow's peak/"five-head," always self-conscious of it but hair had enough texture that it was not difficult to conceal. My 20s were fine, whether from finas aid or genuine non-aggressive genetic progression. Never loved my hair, remained paranoid about keeping it on my head, but never dealt with extreme sheds and any loss was gradual enough that i never noted significant change in my appearance.
December 2016 (7 months ago). Relationship of 4.5 years going down toilet. Extreme/prolonged stress and anxiety. Terrible. Started a crash diet and intense workout regimen. Dieting would last until end of April. I am 5'11", my "fighting weight" is probably 170. I started this diet/regimen at maybe 175. Ate approximately 1,250 calories per day (less on some days), <20 grams carbohydrates per day. Sad to admit that in my obsessive state was also purging after some meals. Not constantly, maybe 4 or 5 times per month.
Mid-January aforementioned relationship ends. Quite literally the day after breakup (friday the 13th of jan...), family member diagnosed with cancer (6 months later and he is on the road to recovery, knock wood). Needless to say extremely stressful times. Still not eating. By April I am down to my lowest weight, 152lbs. So approximately 23lbs lost in 3.5 months, and not in a particularly healthy fashion. Friends commenting on the extreme loss from a place of concern. I am feeling good about it, though. Whatever dysmorphia I was dealing with made the drastic change feel positive. I look back now and I was way too thin.
It was mid April when I took note of shedding. Shower shedding, running hands through hair shedding. Would run the "test" where I'd gently run hand through hair over and over again to see how long it'd take before strands stopped appearing between my fingers. Losing lots and lots of hairs. For a few days of initial panic i took 2.5mg finas as opposed to my usual 1.25. Then went back to standard 1.25. I also upped nizoral usage from 2x week to 4x week. Got healthy diet back on track and started taking multivitamin, magnesium, zinc, biotin, and fish oil supplements. Eventually cut out nizoral usage (6 weeks ago) as It was drying out my hair and scalp and only appeared to be making the situation worse.
Now it's mid-July and the shedding never stopped. My crown seems to be intact but my temples and forelock have suffered a lot. Without "swooshing" my hair over it is easy to see my scalp through the forelock. Have lost significant texture/coverage. Many hairs have turned silver/white. Shedded hairs run the gamut - thick dark brown ones, unhealthy looking light brown ones, the silver ones, and ones that are tiny, short, and translucent. Most seem to have their keratin bulb attached, though some bulbs are less... uh, bulbous than others.
I've tried to be patient and haven't change my regimen or routine drastically. I understand that genetics catch up and that finasteride doesn't remain effective forever, but it seemed like too much of a coincidence that its efficacy would wear off just as all of the other aforementioned aspects arose. I was hoping to attribute the loss to telogen effluvium, symptomatic of my rapid weight loss, self-abusive diet, and the prolonged stress I endured at the beginning of the year. To that end I've tried to remain patient and allow enough time to see the shed stop and cross my fingers for regrowth.
But, here I am, going on near 4 months of continual shedding, and the difference is notable. I've scrounged up the attached photos that hopefully help to illustrate what I'm talking about in terms of the general appearance of my hair, as well as some closeups from today of what I'm working with.
I appreciate it if you've read this far. I'm interested to hear thoughts and suggestions regarding my next course of action. As I see it I can continue to wait and hope, or I can be proactive. Should I start using nizoral again? I have some minoxidil foam waiting in the wings but haven't started using it yet. Should I start to use it ASAP? If finasteride is no longer working for me, will minoxidil be of any use? Should I keep popping finasteride in the hopes that it is still inhibiting/will inhibit DHT? I have a script for dutasteride waiting for me as well, but only wanted to use it in case of "emergency." Should I hop on that, even if only 2x a week or every other day?
TL;DR: 10+ years on finas, losing ground on temples/top coinciding with terribly stressful life events and extreme weight loss, shedding for 3.5 months, thinning becoming obvious and hair terrible unhealthy/wiry/white, not sure whether to wait and see if things improve with life/diet or to up the ante re: minoxidil and DHT inhibitor (dutas), all feedback greatly appreciated
(February) 
(April) 
(June)
(Today)
December 2016 (7 months ago). Relationship of 4.5 years going down toilet. Extreme/prolonged stress and anxiety. Terrible. Started a crash diet and intense workout regimen. Dieting would last until end of April. I am 5'11", my "fighting weight" is probably 170. I started this diet/regimen at maybe 175. Ate approximately 1,250 calories per day (less on some days), <20 grams carbohydrates per day. Sad to admit that in my obsessive state was also purging after some meals. Not constantly, maybe 4 or 5 times per month.
Mid-January aforementioned relationship ends. Quite literally the day after breakup (friday the 13th of jan...), family member diagnosed with cancer (6 months later and he is on the road to recovery, knock wood). Needless to say extremely stressful times. Still not eating. By April I am down to my lowest weight, 152lbs. So approximately 23lbs lost in 3.5 months, and not in a particularly healthy fashion. Friends commenting on the extreme loss from a place of concern. I am feeling good about it, though. Whatever dysmorphia I was dealing with made the drastic change feel positive. I look back now and I was way too thin.
It was mid April when I took note of shedding. Shower shedding, running hands through hair shedding. Would run the "test" where I'd gently run hand through hair over and over again to see how long it'd take before strands stopped appearing between my fingers. Losing lots and lots of hairs. For a few days of initial panic i took 2.5mg finas as opposed to my usual 1.25. Then went back to standard 1.25. I also upped nizoral usage from 2x week to 4x week. Got healthy diet back on track and started taking multivitamin, magnesium, zinc, biotin, and fish oil supplements. Eventually cut out nizoral usage (6 weeks ago) as It was drying out my hair and scalp and only appeared to be making the situation worse.
Now it's mid-July and the shedding never stopped. My crown seems to be intact but my temples and forelock have suffered a lot. Without "swooshing" my hair over it is easy to see my scalp through the forelock. Have lost significant texture/coverage. Many hairs have turned silver/white. Shedded hairs run the gamut - thick dark brown ones, unhealthy looking light brown ones, the silver ones, and ones that are tiny, short, and translucent. Most seem to have their keratin bulb attached, though some bulbs are less... uh, bulbous than others.
I've tried to be patient and haven't change my regimen or routine drastically. I understand that genetics catch up and that finasteride doesn't remain effective forever, but it seemed like too much of a coincidence that its efficacy would wear off just as all of the other aforementioned aspects arose. I was hoping to attribute the loss to telogen effluvium, symptomatic of my rapid weight loss, self-abusive diet, and the prolonged stress I endured at the beginning of the year. To that end I've tried to remain patient and allow enough time to see the shed stop and cross my fingers for regrowth.
But, here I am, going on near 4 months of continual shedding, and the difference is notable. I've scrounged up the attached photos that hopefully help to illustrate what I'm talking about in terms of the general appearance of my hair, as well as some closeups from today of what I'm working with.
I appreciate it if you've read this far. I'm interested to hear thoughts and suggestions regarding my next course of action. As I see it I can continue to wait and hope, or I can be proactive. Should I start using nizoral again? I have some minoxidil foam waiting in the wings but haven't started using it yet. Should I start to use it ASAP? If finasteride is no longer working for me, will minoxidil be of any use? Should I keep popping finasteride in the hopes that it is still inhibiting/will inhibit DHT? I have a script for dutasteride waiting for me as well, but only wanted to use it in case of "emergency." Should I hop on that, even if only 2x a week or every other day?
TL;DR: 10+ years on finas, losing ground on temples/top coinciding with terribly stressful life events and extreme weight loss, shedding for 3.5 months, thinning becoming obvious and hair terrible unhealthy/wiry/white, not sure whether to wait and see if things improve with life/diet or to up the ante re: minoxidil and DHT inhibitor (dutas), all feedback greatly appreciated
(February) (April) (June) (Today)
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