So...do I really have to worry about finasteride not working forever?

[Ryukil]

My dermatologist said it never stops working, but all of the anecdotes I've read on the Internet say otherwise. I mean, I've seen a couple people who have maintained for 10 + years but that doesn't seem to be the norm.
Why does it stop working? If it were to stop working at some point in the future, would switching to dutasteride help? How long can I expevt it to work for?

 

[CursedMen]

I don't think it ever stops reducing the X% of DHT; the problem is that the body produces more enzymes to bring it back closer to homeostasis levels. Let's say that you have 100 units of DHT and finasteride reduces 50%, so you have 50 units of DHT flowing around. After 5 years or so, your body increases the enzyme so you are able to create 200 units without finasteride, but since you are taking the finasteride that reduces it by 50% you are back to that 100 units. AKA your back to where you started.. HAIR LOSS!

 

[Ryukil]

I don't think it ever stops reducing the X% of DHT; the problem is that the body produces more enzymes to bring it back closer to homeostasis levels. Let's say that you have 100 units of DHT and finasteride reduces 50%, so you have 50 units of DHT flowing around. After 5 years or so, your body increases the enzyme so you are able to create 200 units without finasteride, but since you are taking the finasteride that reduces it by 50% you are back to that 100 units. AKA your back to where you started.. HAIR LOSS!

I'm surprised it takes your body so long to react...

 

[CursedMen]

I'm just pulling that number out of my ***; it can be any amount of time varies from person to person.

 

[Ryukil]

Any stories anyone?

 

[9tfrizzco]

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/res...-to-investigate-long-term-effects-and-safety/

it doesn't appear to ever stop working. rejoice!

 

[Itsmeagain]

It doesn't stop working, but consider this scenario: You have to bust of a side walk. Without finasteride, it is like having a jack hammer, with finasteride, its like having a regular claw hammer. You can still bust up a side walk with a claw hammer, it just takes more time. Some people's heads are really hard and tough sidewalks, so it takes a lot longer with the claw hammer, and some, not so much. I have never seen an instance where finasteride worked forever, but I have seen over 10 years.

 

[Quantum Cat]

nobody really knows because finasteride has only been used for treating hairloss officially for about 15 years.

Occasionaly you get someone popping up here who say they've been using finasteride successfully for 15-20 years. One guy said he started in the early 90s and has managed to maintain most of his hair. But like everything else you read on forums, you never really know how reliable the stories are.

 

[abcdefg]

Yes, but you never for sure just enjoy what you got. I personally think its really nothing with DHT its always been about your hair sensitivity to androgens not the levels of the androgens themselves. I think lowering DHT with propecia your hair adjusts to the different amount and makes use of what is there to just resume balding again, but its your hair sensitivity adjusting not your androgen levels. Propecia keeps them at whatever they were at its the hair that adjusts to that over the years. Maybe if someone actually looked into receptors and why body hair reacts oppositely to androgenic stimulation we could get real answers instead of just guessing

 

[anxious1]

yep, only been around since the nineties. so the best ppl can say is about 15-20 yrs. it could cause us to grow testicles on our foreheads long term for all we know. but then again u could say that about alot of drugs.

i was once told a good strategy for drugs is only use drugs that have generics. because if they have generics theyve at least been on the market 5 - 10 yrs. new drugs are a bit of a crap shoot.