Not had shedding yet, started finasteride 20 days ago is it working?

[Jpw1999]

I haven't had any shedding or anything, apparently shedding at the start of treatment shows the treatment is working. luckily I've not had any sides so far. I have never been much of a shedder anyway which may be why. Is it normal to not shed after starting finasteride? I worry finasteride won't work for me because i'm 21 and can't grow facial hair (not that i want to anyway) which shows I probably have low DHT levels to begin with so i might just have really sensitive hair follicles.

 

[WinningTheFight]

Dont expect results in 20 days. About 3-4 months until you start seeing results, but its well worth it.

 

[Jpw1999]

I took some pics at the start of treatment to compare in 6 months, I'm just hoping for maintenance because my hair loss isn't noticeable to the average full head yet but I hope I get re growth on the thinning hairline hairs.

 

[MikeJay]

I was on generic propecia in 2005 and started to see results in a month

 

[Jpw1999]

Have you been on it for the past 16 years? What I have noticed is that a lot of guys who start finasteride around mid to late 20s have better results long term than the early 20s / teen sufferers.

 

[MikeJay]

Have you been on it for the past 16 years? What I have noticed is that a lot of guys who start finasteride around mid to late 20s have better results long term than the early 20s / teen sufferers.

I took propecia in 2005 at age 25 after I noticed first temple receding at age 21 . now I am 40 . In 2005 i stopped after a few months and never touched the stuff again due to its side effects but after that the male pattern baldness progression is rather slow mostly diffuse thinning.propecia may have altered something which I am not sure probably in the early onset of male pattern baldness..my theory can be right or maybe wrong

Early last year I took GLA capsules over a few months and msm daily . It seemed to help but not as good as propecia. On gla u will experience slight reduction in libido and erections but not as worst as propecia.

I may start on saw palmetto soon.

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

I haven't had any shedding or anything, apparently shedding at the start of treatment shows the treatment is working. luckily I've not had any sides so far. I have never been much of a shedder anyway which may be why. Is it normal to not shed after starting finasteride? I worry finasteride won't work for me because i'm 21 and can't grow facial hair (not that i want to anyway) which shows I probably have low DHT levels to begin with so i might just have really sensitive hair follicles.

I never noticed finasteride to do anything at all, no sides, no hair growth, no shedding, none of that. Now, my hair didn't fall out for maybe 15 years either but not everybody sheds although you are right that it is really a positive sign. What happens is that unlike us MtF's who shed and wear wigs, you guys never have a back-up plan and you freak out about shedding and desist from treatment. Sheds can take an enormous amount of time to "grow back" but if you can ride it out by minimizing inflammation with keto and wearing a hat for a year, then there's that or the ski cap thing. I just shaved everything to bald and had my beard removed so I could wear a wig without looking ridiculous. Half the guys in rock music wear systems so they can really assist people in looking a certain way and actually in terms of surviving sheds and seeing improvement/regrowth or at least maintenance. I had never had any shedding until I exceeded my spironolactone prescription, thinking it will only help, yep, it helped too much and I was cueball bald in about two months maybe and then my hair stagnated until I went on extreme HRT which is working great.

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/hair-is-not-life-but-its-pretty-damn-close-hrt-and-pictorial-posts-prove-it.130425/page-45#post-1969264

 

[MikeJay]

I haven't had any shedding or anything, apparently shedding at the start of treatment shows the treatment is working. luckily I've not had any sides so far. I have never been much of a shedder anyway which may be why. Is it normal to not shed after starting finasteride? I worry finasteride won't work for me because i'm 21 and can't grow facial hair (not that i want to anyway) which shows I probably have low DHT levels to begin with so i might just have really sensitive hair follicles.

The shedding is dependent on which stage of hair cycle u start finasteride on..

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

The shedding is dependent on which stage of hair cycle u start finasteride on..

What does that mean? The goal is to have increased number of follicles in the anagen phase which for females can be 85 percent. I think you mean each individual strand's anagen. Shedding actually does promote synchronization of anagen on the entire scalp which looks a lot like regrowth even without new little hairs coming in. Each hair is now lasting say, four years in anagen now, whereas before it was two and less and less.

 

[MikeJay]

What does that mean? The goal is to have increased number of follicles in the anagen phase which for females can be 85 percent. I think you mean each individual strand's anagen. Shedding actually does promote synchronization of anagen on the entire scalp which looks a lot like regrowth even without new little hairs coming in. Each hair is now lasting say, four years in anagen now, whereas before it was two and less and less.

Not sure about females. I am referring to in relation to male pattern baldness

 

[JaneyElizabeth]

Not sure about females. I am referring to in relation to male pattern baldness

Anybody. Children have about 85 percent in anagen. Males might have one third of that only in the anagen phase. This is just as key to baldness as increasing hair counts because if you triple anagen, you triple your ability to grow to a particular length. That's how women get hair down to their waists. These strands last for up to 7 years and longer. Guys over puberty, maybe two years of anagen and then less and less and then the hair is completely dormant.