Started finasteride tonight, 20 years old. What to expect?

[Ryukil]

Just got a prescription for Propecia from my dermatologist...
I'm on 1 mg per day. Is this a reasonable dosage? Can I expect good results from this?
I'm honestly kind of hoping for some kind of regrowth miracle. I read something like people who lost it in the past five year have a good chance of regrowth, and I was 15 five years ago so obviously all of my loss has been then.
She told me that I could expect regrowth on my vertex (which isn't really a bad as my hairline...it's not noticeable unless you part my hair) but not on my temples. Hopefully she only said that because that's what Merck says. I've seen pictures of temple regrowth with finasteride... I hope to be one of the lucky ones. Even if I don't, at least I can stop my hair loss until I have enough money to add Rogaine on top of it.
I asked her if it ever stops working, and she said no, which is obviously not true from what I've read online.
I also asked her about gynecomastia, not because I'm worried that will happen but just because I'm curious. She said she has no idea how that could possibly happen.

Anyway, I'm happy that I'm finally on it. Hopefully I can at least hold on to my hair for a while and better treatments come out by 2024.

Should I expect early shedding, however?

 

[GoldenMane]

I've been on finasteride and minoxidil for exactly 3 months, my temples actually recovered first, my vertex recovered two, but it's still a bit thin. I've actually had better regrowth in my temples than my vertex! So yeah combined with minoxidil, you can regrow temporal loss, or temporal thinning to be more accurate.

 

[Benjamin36]

Everyone will have different results with finasteride, some bad, some mediocre, and some great.

 

[Ryukil]

I've been on finasteride and minoxidil for exactly 3 months, my temples actually recovered first, my vertex recovered two, but it's still a bit thin. I've actually had better regrowth in my temples than my vertex! So yeah combined with minoxidil, you can regrow temporal loss, or temporal thinning to be more accurate.

Hmm I wonder how much finasteride contributed to the temple regrowth, if any. Guess there's no way to tell.

 

[GoldenMane]

Unfortunately there is no way to know unless you stagger your treatments, adding new ones at 6 month intervals. Starting the big three all at once, I don't even know if both minoxidil and finasteride are working! Maybe only one of them is! But I'm not about to mess with things now. Since your starting on just finasteride, maybe you'll have a better idea of what finasteride alone can and can't do for you.

 

[Ryukil]

Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Ryukil]

Day 4
I feel like the Propecia has taken effect very quickly. Apparently it starts affecting your body within 24 hours, so this wouldn't be inconsistent with how it works. I feel like my hair feels thicker, definitely on the vertex. Also I noticed that one big strand of hairs that was formally kind of pulled back is now falling straight across my face. Don't know if that means anything or if I'm just crazy. All of this is questionable, I suppose, but here are two things I can note for sure:
1. I am losing a LOT less hair. For instance, before starting finasteride I would rub my head over the sink and a lot of hair would fall out. Now, one or two will fall out. I woke up this morning with NO hair on my pillow. I think it's definitely having an effect in that regard.
2. Side effect: I am less easily aroused and don't ejaculate as easily. I'm not sleeping with anyone at the moment however, so I'll worry about that later. I can still ejaculate, it just takes more work (maybe a good thing? I can last longer haha).
I'm hoping that the extremely miniaturized hairs on my hairline thicken up and grow. If that happens, and some more hairs grow in that area, I think I will have my hairline back. Suppose I'll have to wait months for that to happen though, if it's going to.

 

[Benjamin36]

You wouldn't have thicker hair already, it takes months for a hair to complete a hair cycle. As for the side effects, if you're looking for them you may trick yourself into believing that you have them. The mind is very strong when it comes to stuff like this.

 

[Ryukil]

Your avatar frightens me.

 

[Valiant]

Your hair would not thicken up in four days. I'm surprised that your derm told you that she could not see how finasteride could cause gynecomastia. Finasteride lowers your DHT. This causes both testosterone and estrogen to rise. In some men, this rising estrogen can cause gyno.

 

[Benjamin36]

Your avatar frightens me.

Okay, I'll change it.

 

[XXXXXXX]

I like Hawaiian pizza.

 

[Ryukil]

I like Hawaiian pizza.

That's...what?

 

[Helel]

I really wish people would stop saying that the side effects are all "in your mind". That is clearly not the case at all. A bunch of people quit finasteride (even the ppl who have had success) because of the side effects. It's a real thing.