Question regarding hair loss after a little over a year...

[AlexD]

So, I was losing tons of hair a bit over a year ago and started using Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride, as prescribed by my doctor. The recommended usage I am at is 2ml of Rogaine at night, and a third of a pill of Finasteride nightly. Regardless, the issue I'm having is that I had tremendous hair growth, and it looked great, or at least was getting close, but now I'm starting to lose hair again, and lots of it.

What is the cause of this? Could my Finasteride have gone bad? (I traveled to South America for a week where it was incredibly humid, and I'm worried that while the baggage was being moved or was in my room for a day without AC the finasteride may have gone...)

Regardless, what could be the causes? I plan on trying to get a new bottle of Finasteride but I don't want to waste so much money...

 

[AlexD]

Bump.

 

[AlexD]

Bump.

 

[AlexD]

Bump.

 

[SuprisedGuy]

I've heard its expected to see cycles of shedding then growth.

 

[AlexD]

I've heard its expected to see cycles of shedding then growth.

How much shedding though... this is massive shedding

 

[GeminiX]

Are you absolutely certain you're actually seeing a shed and it's notjust a little transition phase which is causing some paranoia?

Years ago (and even up until recently really) after I had significant regrowth I became a little obsessed with mirrors and that I was losing it all again. I wasn't, it was just the natural cycle of hair; I suspect that many hairs were in a close cycle of shed and re-growth perhaps due to the regrowth being triggered at the same time.

I took *loads* of photographs and kept a journal, and over time I relaxed as I realised it was just a natural cycle which over time led to thicker and thicker hair.

If it's still a concern, perhaps see your GP again and get some blood work done. There is no harm in getting checked out.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your hair recovery, it sounds like you're off to a great start

 

[AlexD]

Hey GeminiX, thank you for the post. I have been worried because my hair line is receding to only slightly past where I started, and I was having great regrowth up to that point. The shedding happened before, and the doctor recommended I up my finasteride dosage from a fourth of a pill to a third of a pill, and that seemed to help, because soon after doing that it stopped shedding. Now the issue I have this time is it has only been 3-4 months since the last time it shed, which seems to be rather short time-wise.

 

[GeminiX]

You're probably close to about the strongest dose that gives any benefit with the Finasteride, maybe you should go and see the GP again.

Something I *think* I experienced was significant changes in season/location changed the density of my hair while it was growing. So if I was in the states it would thicken, but then when I was back in the UK it would seem thinner. I've read about seasonal shedding too, so maybe there is some of that going on.

Bottom line, I don't really know what was causing it (it may have even been my imagination), but I would definatly consider taking lots of photographs, ideally making a note of lighing, flash settings etc. so you can have a consistent log.

Hope this helps.

 

[AlexD]

Thanks for the advice I am going to replace the rest of my prescription of Finasteride to make sure that's not the issue, and go back to my old, non-vacation diet. We'll see, haha. Hopefully it works... I really don't want to take more than half a pill of finasteride (already at a third D

 

[raj47]

question for GeminiX you've been on avodart for while have you experinced back side shedding on healthy hair?

 

[GeminiX]

Impossible to really tell for sure.

Everytime I brush my hair I can pull clumps of hair from the brush, but my hair is so thick on the back and sides that I'm certain it's just the usual hair cylcle in effect.

It's been doing this for as long as I can remember, and it happens with most of my friends who I have asked too, so I'm sure it's normal for anyone with long hair to get fairly substantial hairballs

 

[AlexD]

I am still losing *massive* amounts of hair. I haven't been able to replace my prescription of finasteride yet, but I am losing about 20-30 hairs each time I apply rogaine, plus 2-3 hairs each time I run my hand through my hair. I know stressing over it would just make it worse, but each time this has happened (twice thus far) I've identified it and been confirmed by the doctor I went to that it was an issue :\ so I don't know what to do.

 

[Draco88]

I gather a good 20 hairs whenever i run shampoo through my hair, and i'm not even on any medication of sorts :thumbdown2: or worse, if i dampen my hair then brush it off with a towel, well over 50..i think it's time i start something if i want to keep and better my hair.

 

[AlexD]

Yep, and I'm losing hair on Rogaine and 1/3rd of a 5mg pill of Finasteride. It's rather worrisome.

 

[AlexD]

Bump

 

[Draco88]

AlexD, judging from the reading i've done on this forum, it sounds like you're going through what is known as 'shedding'. So to my understanding, it bascially means that the products you're taking are working, and they're 'preparing' your head for new hair, thus 'eliminating' your old hairs and making way for new ones. So i'm assuming you should expect a new head of hair within a few weeks? Depends i guess.

 

[AlexD]

That's what I thought, but the amount of hair I lost has put me back almost to where I was before I started taking finasteride and using rogaine :\

 

[Draco88]

I don't know about that then :/

Anyone else have any ideas?

Or just see how you are at the end of the month Alex..then again that is next week..i know it's very difficult to go through, but continue your treatment, wait out a bit then see how things look.

 

[AlexD]

Haha well to be quite honest, there's nothing I can do aside from bump up my intake to half a pill a day (which I think I would cut into 4ths for more even distribution). But I think my supply of finasteride went bad, or something, because I switched to another one that was inside my prescription bottle and less hair is falling out. And the hair that does fall out is very thin, not the thick hairs that were falling out before D: