RU and a hair transplant with beard grafts

[CONOR1863]

Hi All

I'm currently using finasteride, loniten and ketoconazole shampoo to fight my hair loss. I'm considering adding RU or another topical antiandrogen to my regime.

I've had a fue transplant which included beard hair grafts (to maximize my donor area). I'm concerned about using RU because as far as I know testosterone binding to facial hair androgen receptors is a positive for growth. Using RU, it would seem to me that these beard grafts might be at risk? Appreciate any opinions?

 

[Dasjes]

Your concerns are valid. Other topical AA's like fluridil have been shown to work against hirsutism. If you rub RU on your beard it would probably decrease in density.

 

[CONOR1863]

Yea, makes sense. Thanks for the input.

 

[FilthyFrancis]

...as far as I know testosterone binding to facial hair androgen receptors is a positive for growth.

So is DHT yet you are suppressing it with finasteride. You can go on with RU if you feel OK with the safety profile (I don't, but that's another discussion)

 

[Lurker85]

RU58841 is doing more for me than anything else I've tried.

 

[WaccWaccWacc]

I think your regime is pretty good already. Wouldn’t hurt to try RU, if you get adverse effects you can simply drop it.

If you want to add something however, I’d suggest look into microneedling. You’re already on loniten, I think microneedling would pair great with that.

 

[CONOR1863]

So is DHT yet you are suppressing it with finasteride. You can go on with RU if you feel OK with the safety profile (I don't, but that's another discussion)

Thanks for your advise

Yes was just wondering because I've read testosterone and DHT have different roles in regulating facial hair and don't fully understand how so. This is a link to an old, but nice paper if your interested

Relationship between plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations and male facial hair growth - PubMed

Linear facial hair growth and the density of facial hair were measured by a photographic method and their relationship to plasma testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations was examined in twelve healthy men. In addition, we investigated eight men with coeliac disease in whom...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Also, some of these topical antiandrogens are used to stop unwanted facial hair in women which led to some concern. Although most of these seem to be steroidal.

 

[CONOR1863]

RU58841 is doing more for me than anything else I've tried.

That's great!! Yes, have seen some phenomenal results, hence my interest

 

[CONOR1863]

I think your regime is pretty good already. Wouldn’t hurt to try RU, if you get adverse effects you can simply drop it.

If you want to add something however, I’d suggest look into microneedling. You’re already on loniten, I think microneedling would pair great with that.

Exactly what I was thinking. Starting with a low dose of RU or even CB and if I get any adverse effects just stopping.

Just makes sense to me to try and stay on top of it with a variety of treatments. Yes, I must start micro needing actually.

Thanks for your advise

 

[Dasjes]

Finasteride decreasing beard density is a myth. Studies show affects speed of linear growth. The amount of growth is modulated by testosterone.

How can dutasteride decrease body hair then? You might ask. Well, there's a simple explanation for that:
Body hair grows to a maximum length, after which it will fall out. Your body hair appears to be of constant length because there are just a lot of hairs of which a percentage is anagen growing, a percentage is in telogen (not growing but not falling out) and a percentage is in catagen (not visible under your skin). This percentage stays more or less the same across hairy zones (your pubes for instance), so you just visually appear to have a certain length, while in reality, they are of different lengths, and a lot are grown to their max length in telogen waiting to shed.

If you take dutasteride, bodyhair will grow slower. This means a lot of hairs in anagen appear to be shorter relative to the mature telogen hairs. This makes it visually appear less dense or long, while in reality, it is just growing at a slower pace.
This effect however is not present in your beard region because hair can get >10cm long, you won't have a lot of telogen hairs in your beard at the same time. This means the visual relatively shorter anagen to telogen is not present in your beard, thus eliminating the effect.

Now back to RU:
RU58841 inhibits both testosterone and DHT from binding. It will therefore be disastrous for body hair because their speed and amount of growth is mediated by androgens.
Should you try RU though? Maybe. It will most likely be bad for the body hair transplanted hairs, but maybe so positive for your regular hair it will offset the effects. Its up to you.