Stopped using Finasteride - Scalp tingly, hair and scalp feel "charged". Anyone else?

[Redfarm]

I have been a user of Finasteride for just over 10 years with great results. I got on the drug well before I needed to (I had a full head of hair), but sometime last year I decided to take a break from the drug. For some reason at that time the idea of being on non-essential meds the rest of my life sort of scared me. Last year I was off it for about 10 weeks. I noticed a big jump in my libido and more enjoyment from sex. I never had any major issues on the drug, I would just say I had a boost off it. That said, I noticed some significant changes in my hair and got back on the drug at .25mg. I have since been on it for about another year of .25mg or .5mg doses. Most recently I took another break for about 3-4 weeks. One of the things I noticed when I was off it was about 14 days later I would get a strong tingly feeling in my scalp, almost like my hair was being shocked. My hair would immediately start to feel more coarse and fine and would change very rapidly. Would you say this is normal? Is this from the surge of DHT to my scalp causing that sensation?


I have debated stopping a lot. My preference would be to stop but I am afraid of rapid hair loss in a short period of time. Typically how long does it take to get back to baseline? How long will the strong tingly feeling in the scalp stay there? Is there anything to do to treat that?

Again, I haven't really had any major issues but do notice changes in the body between being on it and not (testicle ache, minor hand tremors, lower libido, etc.).


Any info/insight anyone can offer is welcome.

 

[graker]

Difficult to say, expect to be back at the 'normal' level in 8-12 months.

It's up to you of course whether you want to stop or not, if the side effects are not that severe i'd say keep taking finasteride. When you suddenly experience a massive shed of hair you might just panic and then it's too late!

 

[Redfarm]

yeah, all in stopping and starting this last year I have been off the drug in total about 14 weeks. It definitely made a big difference. This last time was the most severe even though it was only about two weeks. Hair texture is way different. It almost seems like its trying to stand straight up now opposed to laying down. I am sure the stress of worrying about it hasn't helped.

 

[Dench57]

I never had any "male pattern baldness itch" before trying finasteride (tingly, burning, itchy, painful scalp).
I got an extreme case of that 4 weeks into finasteride. Quit finasteride after 3 months. This itchy "charged" scalp also coincided with increased libido like yourself, and oily/skin scalp. It's known as "reflex hyperandrogenicity" (google it).

Now been 5 months since I quit finasteride and I still have this reflex hyperandrogenicity. The itch/scalp pain is all day, everyday. No redness, flakiness or signs of inflammation.
My hair has become frazzled, thin and coarse. finasteride basically kicked my male pattern baldness into overdrive by massively upregulating androgen receptors, probably permanently.

This is a rare reaction to the drug but from the few people I've spoken to, this is supposed to resolve itself within a few weeks of stopping finasteride. If like me it doesn't, you're basically permanently screwed. People ranging between 6months-6years still dealing with this after stopping finasteride.