Should I Add Minoxidil Or Switch To Dutasteride?

[colony]

Hello guys again. I am using finasteride for like 4 months. I didn't have any side effect but I didn't get any positive effect either, still shedding. I don't really know if it is worse or not because in photos it looks same but when I wash it or touch it, I feel like it is worse. Plus I couldn't even see 1 new little hair strand starting to grow... I always wanted to save minoxidil for last shot but this sh*t is getting serious... So what do you guys think? Should I add minoxidil or switch to dutas? (It is 29th July so I wrote August to photos)

 

[tooldude]

it looks like your density improved, especially in last pic. Add minoxidil if want a boost to growth. Just realize, as I'm sure you already know, that once you start minoxidil your hair will depend on it.

 

[transam]

Stay on finasteride & just add dutasteride if you're a real savage

 

[colony]

Well I don't know guys I feel like finasteride is not doing anything and I keep losing my hair. I think it should have made a difference in 4 months...

 

[kj6723]

Can't finasteride take up to a year for some people to notice a difference? I'd say add minoxidil if you want, but give the finasteride more time before you consider upping your anti-androgen game

 

[colony]

Well I am actually kinda afraid of starting minoxidil because of hair dependancy. I will check my hair again in October, if it still goes bad, I think I will add it Anymore thougths?

 

[Prada1]

I find it actually look better. Certainly can't say its worse. Anyways I think finast eliminates 90% of scalp DHT while Dutas eliminates 97%, could 7% make a tangible difference? Not much but it could. I would go with big three, finas+nizoral+rogaine

 

[colony]

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[michel sapin]

i have the same experience with propecia , and the same feeling of stress . But in you case you are lucky you only have some crown thinning . I think you could have great result with minoxidil on crown.

 

[davesmith420]

Bruh that looks like 30 hairs max. Do you have any current pictures? You were totally starting to thicken up in the crown in the last set of pictures you posted.

 

[Suswang]

Yet here I am 20 years old, 3rd year on studying computer science and lost most of my 17years old density, prisoner of toppik. I cured my scalp inflamation by like %90 and I am on finasteride for nearly 7 months but I am still going below baseline. When I touch my hair, I feel like it is thinner than before and feel some bald spots. I still have itch but it may be caused because of toppik. Last year I did not need a regrowth, I could go out without toppik, I was just trying to maintain but I really need regrowth right now because I am tired of using toppik, it makes me feel fake. Plus I did not have any hairline issues but under a bright light I started to see inside my hairline. It is not receeding but started to thin. I don't know guys. Today, I pulled my hair to sink for like 3 minutes and counted 80 hair strands. After taking shower I think the count reached 100+ strands, in 15 minutes Started dermarolling last week and waiting my 1 year mark on propecia for starting minoxidil or not but I am afraid it will be too late and probably minoxidil will not work on me too. Risking myself with dutasteride does not make sense because I already risked my development with finasteride because I was still developing. I am kinda pessimistic person. That stress, which had started 3 years ago, didn't even cured a little bit, I feel it everyday near my stomach.
I couldn't describe it but hope you will understand. Sorry for writing this much but writing something relieves me in a strange way. I am just tired of seeing this scene at sink (that dirt in photo is toppik).

First, I would be very gentle with your hair/scalp and not pull at your hair at all. Also, have you seen a dermatologist (and ideally one specializing in alopecia)? If your hair loss is rapid, esp at your age, you should make sure your doctor has considered other possible causes, which would involve some blood tests. Finally, as you know, stress is definitely a factor in hair loss. Do what you can do to minimize it.

 

[cyrusthegreat@hotmail.com]

I find it actually look better. Certainly can't say its worse. Anyways I think finast eliminates 90% of scalp DHT while Dutas eliminates 97%, could 7% make a tangible difference? Not much but it could. I would go with big three, finas+nizoral+rogaine

These numbers are way off, especially in the absence of dosage numbers. Finasteride comes nowhere near that even at 5mg a day.

 

[colony]

Bruh that looks like 30 hairs max. Do you have any current pictures? You were totally starting to thicken up in the crown in the last set of pictures you posted.

I will update photos on November. I am kinda sure that it is not going well because I started to shed hairs on my frontal scalp and mid scalp. I mean I know sometimes shedding can be a good sign but my shedding is same with before finasteride times.

@michaelsapin
Not just crown, I am shedding and thinning from all over my scalp

 

[colony]

It is November and I want to update my status. I got my dht levels tested and it is 117.7 pg/mL. The referance gap is 112-955 pg/mL. Idk guys, actually I think it looks worse in reality because it is hard to take photos on your own. When I compare photos, I think my hairloss seems worse. I still shed like crazy. I am still considering adding minoxidil to my regimen (because I don't want to use toppik anymore) but it is most probably more logical to give it a year

 

[Aleksa97]

your hair looks thin overall. Check your thyroid and iron levels.

 

[colony]

your hair looks thin overall. Check your thyroid and iron levels.

Exactly 1 year ago, I had my whole blood levels checked. There is a nodule in my right thyroid lobe but doctors said my free t3, t4 and TSH levels are normal so it is ok (Nearly all of my women relatives have thyroid condition). My iron levels are good too. So I think I already passed that denial stage but that nodule still confuses me.

 

[Aleksa97]

Exactly 1 year ago, I had my whole blood levels checked. There is a nodule in my right thyroid lobe but doctors said my free t3, t4 and TSH levels are normal so it is ok (Nearly all of my women relatives have thyroid condition). My iron levels are good too. So I think I already passed that denial stage but that nodule still confuses me.

Well I am no expert but it seems that your hairline is not receeding but your hair seems thin everywhere I mean it is diffuse. I would visit trychologist and let him do a pull test. Maybe you have telogen effluvium or chronic one. I know that it is a long shot, but my hair is thining all over like yours for like 2 years and at what rate it is falling out I was expecting to be slick bald for 6 months but I am not. When I visited my Doctor he diagnosed me with chronic telogen effluvium and now I am waiting for my blood test to come back. All I am saying is that you should visit a professional cuz this doesnt seem like a normal male pattern baldness. One more thing, do not stress about your hair, you are doing everything you can by taking finasteride stressing about it will just make it worse.

 

[colony]

Well I am no expert but it seems that your hairline is not receeding but your hair seems thin everywhere I mean it is diffuse. I would visit trychologist and let him do a pull test. Maybe you have telogen effluvium or chronic one. I know that it is a long shot, but my hair is thining all over like yours for like 2 years and at what rate it is falling out I was expecting to be slick bald for 6 months but I am not. When I visited my Doctor he diagnosed me with chronic telogen effluvium and now I am waiting for my blood test to come back. All I am saying is that you should visit a professional cuz this doesnt seem like a normal male pattern baldness. One more thing, do not stress about your hair, you are doing everything you can by taking finasteride stressing about it will just make it worse.

Yes you are right. My hairline did not recede any and it is thinning everywhere. I visited several dermatologists and they did not pay attention much so I don't want to waste money on doctors anymore. I mean if it was tellogen effluvium, shouldn't it supposed to stop for like after 6 months? I had serious inflamation on my entire scalp and itch. In photos it can be seen I still have some. I always think I am shedding because of this but I really don't know. Shitty doctors in my country don't know it either. All I know is my thick hair is now very thin and I have lost %50 of my density. It looks like propecia is useless for me. This makes me think that I don't have androgenic alopecia but I should not try to runaway from truth. There is only one solution left for me and it is minoxil but I am scared of shedding phase so I will give my hair a little more time before using it. Maybe a miracle happens, my shedding and itching stops and it starts to regrow

 

[Aleksa97]

Yes you are right. My hairline did not recede any and it is thinning everywhere. I visited several dermatologists and they did not pay attention much so I don't want to waste money on doctors anymore. I mean if it was tellogen effluvium, shouldn't it supposed to stop for like after 6 months? I had serious inflamation on my entire scalp and itch. In photos it can be seen I still have some. I always think I am shedding because of this but I really don't know. Shitty doctors in my country don't know it either. All I know is my thick hair is now very thin and I have lost %50 of my density. It looks like propecia is useless for me. This makes me think that I don't have androgenic alopecia but I should not try to runaway from truth. There is only one solution left for me and it is minoxil but I am scared of shedding phase so I will give my hair a little more time before using it. Maybe a miracle happens, my shedding and itching stops and it starts to regrow

Like I said, there is also chronical telogen effluvium with does not last 6 month but way more. Did your hair start to thin gradualy at the same pace over time or it was fast?

 

[Suswang]

Vitamin D status?