Wanted To Share My Shedding Experience

[Kbs1515]

I've been through all the shedding threads available, but wanted share my experience, and will post updates with progress or lack thereof.

I started Finasteride 1mg daily July, 2018. Almost a year in, and I achieved great results, noticed at the end of October, don't know if I shed when starting since already was buzzing my head.

I'm probably a Norwood 2.5, but my hair quality was garbage, hairline was rapidly going, and diffuse on the top. So I decided to give finasteride a shot.

My hair went from garbage, to regrowing hairline, basically turned into a healthy looking mature Norwood 2.5, I was really astounded!

Starting the end of May, starting shedding, now I would have sheds pre treatment, but the amount of shedding is startling.

I buzzed the dome again, actually like the look, but I believe the shedding has stopped.

Now I believe right around baseline, but the hair that didn't shed is healthier, so I take that as a positive.

So for all you shedders at 1 year in after a great response - I will update progress good or bad.

I find it hard to believe with such a great response, the drug to just stop, so stay strong folks!!!

 

[rj barrett]

Ima definitely be waiting on your update, I'm going through the same thing, i looked like a healthy norwood 2.5 but shedding after a year on the big3 this sh*t sucks, hoping ill stop shedding soon

 

[Danny-kins]

I've heard that there tends to be "anniversary" shedding, since the new hairs came in all at once, they'd naturally tend to shed about the same time. By all accounts, it's nothing to be super worried about and things are working just fine!

 

[The bald gene]

I am on big three for almost 7 months.I have got good results but my shedding never stopped.Its almost 100 hairs per day.I am very worried about the shedding

 

[Danny-kins]

I've read from people that said they had shedding to 9 months before it slowed down (a few people said it continued, but it's said that it's common to lose 50-100 hairs a day, so perhaps you've increased your hair count to reach the normal threshold?)... In the end, I think if you're getting some good results, then that means you're gaining more hairs than losing, which is definitely good!

 

[Kbs1515]

It does make sense that with all new hairs starting at the same time, they would shed similar since they are on the same cycle.

Before I started Finasteride, my scalp would get weird tender spots, and go through itch spells. And 4 months into treatment, that totally went away. When I started this shed - the tender spots and itchy scalp returned, makes me think all it was caused by the shedding process. But that has all cleared up, which may mean the shed is over and growth is returning.

First post I didn't mention that my hairline has been receding since I was 21, noticed it in college, hair definitely was in advanced miniaturization process, may take a while to it to completely stabilize, I've read some posts where it took a full 2 years to stabilize. Told myself when I started treatments, if current hair is maintained I'd be super happy, the #1 buzz cut looks better with a shadow, and wanted to hang on to that, and not quite a year in with the same hair.

I didn't take any pictures in the beginning, however knew my hair was getting better when I started buzzing the head with a #2 and it looked healthy, before I would have to buzz it with no guard or #1/16 weekly. (Current hair is still better than before because #1 buzz looks good to the eye)

To summarize, shedding has stabilized, and my hairline is at base, shed the gained hairs but even though you can talk yourself into how bad it is, don't believe I've lost any ground, and hairs are still growing on my starting hairline - be interesting to see if it fills in similar to before. This has kind of turned into a science experiment for me - I can detail this experience out and give to the masses, ease a mind or two.

Here's the weird thing, I have noticed new colored sprouts, a couple of them are dang near an itch down my hairline. Couple follicles dormant for years but not dead, it's bizarre

On a side note, I started buzzing my head 3 years ago and had accepted that I was going to be bald and to go ahead and move on. Psychologically it was the best thing, hit the gym, cleaned up the diet, lost 30 lbs and felt real good not worrying about my hair falling out. This is was probably my brain making up stuff, but seemed people viewed me differently, probably because the extra confidence I exuded. Now look, worrying about my hair again and posting on forums.

I accept again that treatments may put a pause on it, but eventually the inevitable will occur and baldness with overtake me, and when you decide that, a weight lifts and you can get on with real life. But that is me, 34 married with kids, I remember in my middle 20's being so frightened that I was going bald, but didn't want to alter my hormones with meds, so I understand. If hair is important, then you darn well start treatments, and do everything you can to not be hair challenged!

I've rambled on long enough, thanks for reading, and I'll try to jump on here weekly and see if any responses are necessary.

Later

 

[I'mme]

I am on big three for almost 7 months.I have got good results but my shedding never stopped.Its almost 100 hairs per day.I am very worried about the shedding

Man, mine has worsened after starting big3. Did you shed equal or more hair before big3?

 

[The bald gene]

Man, mine has worsened after starting big3. Did you shed equal or more hair before big3?

I used to shed more hair before big3.It used to be around 250 or more everyday.

 

[Kbs1515]

So it's been a bit since my last post, but I post with good news. It seems my hair is (mostly) growing back in.

On my right side, all hair that was shed on the hairline has been growing in, started with hairs with no pigment but now have color and are getting thicker. Weird is on the left side, it doesn't seem that all the shed hairs are returning like the right side. The front of my hair that shed near the peak has all come back, and overall hair is starting to look healthy and thick again.

Previously I could rock a #2 guard buzz cut and it looked like I had a stable mature hairline, which is returning now. I will not make a final judgment until the end of October as this will give enough time to really know what I'll regain.

I wonder if that is how it'll be, every year I stay on medication, when I shed, I won't quite get back all the hairs so really just slowing down the balding process. But my hair is 10x better than when I started.

So after the crazy shed, my hair is now stable, and is looking like it is growing back.

On a weird note, I didn't have serious side effects with finasteride. But, I did have weird peeing sensations in the morning, not pain, but odd with the first pee of the day. That all resolved within a month. All of the sudden, those symptoms returned, but that coincided with my hair starting to look healthier recently. These have since resolved, but definitely weird.

Another oddness, is when I first started meds, my eyebrows grew crazy fast, and when I noticed my hair looking healthy, brows started growing fast again. I am beginning to think it is just my normal shed/growth cycle, summer being shed and winter growth and the medication just pushes that narrative extremely.

Believe I am definitely in the growth phase as in my previous post, I mentioned how I would get weird tender scalp spots, those have cleared up and overall hair is looking much darker.

So recap. Started Finasteride 2018 mid July, and crazy shed starting end of May 2019 after great growth results. Hair now is stable, if I hadn't started meds I would basically be bald I believe. My final assessment of the meds will be at the 2 year mark, but I think at the end of October I'll know if all lost on the shed will return.

I noticed when reviewing online pics of before and after, there is a bunch of 1 year and 2 year pics for hair growth, but there is also many 15 month photos, I am beginning to think that is because many people go through a shed at the year mark, and it takes 3 months to grow back, which will be at the end of Oct for me.

C-ya.