New body hair caused by finasteride = bad reaction?

[Minox_Baby]

I've been on finasteride for 5 months and from month 2-4 I was itching like crazy all over my body. It suddenly stopped a while back but I've noticed new body hair that wasn't there before, like on the back of my hands and along the top half of my arms. I've been shedding like crazy from the end of january as well. At first I thought it might be reflex hyperandrogenicty but I haven't experienced increased libido or oily skin. I've just done a search of the forum and noticed a post were peter mac mentioned that the the same hormone that causes scalp hair to thin, causes body hair to grow. I don't know whether to throw in the towel or what.

I've noticed the root of my hairs getting harder over the past week though, which to me is a good sign even though I'm still shedding. The reason is I used finasteride over a year ago for 4 months and experienced this hardening of the root followed by thickening of hairs on the top of my head. When I dropped the finasteride after this 4 months period within about two weeks the root of my hair was soft again and I was loosing hair like I was prior to starting finasteride the first time. This is when I started finasteride again.

Any help would be appreciated as I'm close to throwing in the towel..

Regards,
Warren.

 

[hairschmair]

Well, we all get hairier as we get older, so are you sure it's not just normal body hair increase with age?

 

[Minox_Baby]

I'm only 25. These hairs seem strange as well. Not like normal body hair growth at all, they are less pigmented and very prickly. My bad shed/thinning all over my scalp seemed to coincide with the appearance on these. I'm 90% sure finasteride is responsible for this. I just don't know what to do. Carry on taking or drop the finasteride.

 

[Guest]

Have you guys spoken to a Dr. But the way you two are going maybe a Vet would be in order lol

 

[Thinning]

It could be natural increase in body hair. I started getting hairyier at about age 22.

Or maybe you are part Sasquatch, who knows.

 

[Minox_Baby]

I've always been a hairy git so its not really bothering but I'm certain these new hairs have been caused by finasteride. But because I'm shedding/thinning all over my scalp leads me to believe the finasteride may be working against me. Its just been shed shed shed for the last 3 months and its really taking it toll on my mental and emotional well being. But I know that if I quit for a second time my hair will go to sh*t anyway. I'm in a no-win situation and its bugging me.

 

[member5959]

Yeah the same thing has been happening to me. I've been on propecia for about 4 1/2 months have over the last 2 to 3 months have noticed a large amount of hair growth on my arms... Is this a bad sign?

 

[Minox_Baby]

member5959 are you shedding bad? Also are you using minoxidil as I've been informed that this can cause increased body hair growth, which is normal when using minoxidil.

 

[googler]

I don't know if its finasteride related but I've become quite hairy over the past 8 months, hair on my shoulders, back, biceps, triceps and the hair on my arms, pubes, legs has become so thick you could almost comb it (no kidding, lol). I'm tempted to get out the electric razor and trim all my body hair.

 

[member5959]

Minox_Baby, i have experienced a pretty large shed and have lost probably about 40% of my hair mass since December. But, I am also on minoxodil as well, which might be the explanation like you said.

 

[lossing my hair]

body hair increase from propecia isn't a good sign. if anything one suppost to get the opposite, which is less body hair. maybe it's age and natural body hair growth, but if you see hair growth in akward places like, back of the hand etc, i'll be caution about it.

 

[eek]

Yup, being a DHT blocker, logic would be that pecia should actually diminish your body hair. I wouldn't know, as I haven't tried it. What i DO know, on the other hand, is that if you're using minoxidil, that could very well be the culprit. I used it for about 2 months, and after about 2 weeks, I noticed that the hair on my upper arms, normally vellus, blond etc, started to grow longer, and become black. Yuck. I also noticed hair increase pretty much everywhere. No need to say I stopped right away, as I have too much hair already, I don't intend to get more if I can help it.

 

[Deaner]

Apparently testosterone is increased 20% or thereabouts while on finasteride. I recently saw a post that suggested head hair was hurt by DHT, facial hair was promoted by it, but body hair was promoted by testosterone.

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

Not sure if this is applicabe, but something went through my crazy balding head last night. If finasteride works by reducing DHT levels and DHT controls both body hair growth and male pattern baldness then can I correctly assume that guys like me, who are italian and covered with hair, have higher levels of DHT and thus should be taking higher doses of finasteride? I mean just to be able to maintian my all the hair I have covering my body, I must be loaded with DHT, no? People must have different levels of testosterone (and also DHT) so different people may requir different finasteride dosage in order to either reduce the possible side effects (if they naturally have low levels of testo and/or DHT) or increase the effectiveness of the medication (if they naturally have high levels of testosteron and/or DHT). Any replies....thanks.
As far as the increase in body hair, I would relax. Since taking finasteride, I am sure this is the first time where you have monitoring your body hair on a day to day basis and body hair has cycles that can change with the season, your recent diet and recent lifestyle. I actually saw the hair on my hand recently decrease then suddenly apear to increase.

 

[nervx]

I have a lot of body hair and since taking finasteride i find i can pull it out a lot easier and when showering there's quite a bit all over the place. Now if only the hair on my head would stop falling out...

 

[kamui]

sh*t!!!!

I am also noticing increased body hair since taking finasteride... Can someone shed some light on this??