What really happens

[Mikey]

Just a question out of curiosity really. I was taking my propecia like every other day, but was wondering how that little pill is physically makes my hair regrow.

Like I know the scientiffic explanation for how it works. It stops 5alpha reductase combining with testorerone, stopping it from forming DHT bla bla bla.


But what PHYSICALLY happens from the time I swallow that medicine to the time it regrows my hair. If anyone could explain like step by step what happens in the body that would be luffly


This maybe a good/bad/hard/easy/stupid question to ask, but im gonna ask it anyways

 

[VoRteX]

After you take your pill, the finasteride enters your blood stream and binds up the type2 5ar enzyme rendering it useless. Since the 5ar is bound, it cannot perform its function of converting testosterone to DHT. The half life of finasteride is supposedly only around 8 hours but apparently, the effects of it take at least 2 weeks to completely subside.

Reduced DHT means less DHT can attach to your follicles which means less of a trigger towards male pattern baldness progression

 

[powersam]

my question is , if castration ceases hair loss but brings on no regrowth , why do these drugs finasteride and avodart work?

 

[bombscience]

my question is , if castration ceases hair loss but brings on no regrowth , why do these drugs finasteride and avodart work?

My theory on this one is that the hair follicles that are being affected by the DHT produce thinner hairs which yields cosmetically yeilds a thinning or balding appearance. The other hair follicles that are 100% vellus are done producing terminal hairs. When the weaker terminal follicles are exposed to less and less DHT over time they begin to produce thicker stronger hairs giving the appearance of a fuller head of hair.

 

[powersam]

that doesnt really address the question dude. if one is castrated then almost all dht in your system will disappear. and so you would expect hair to grow back , especially those weak terminal hairs you mentioned. however no hair grows back , you just dont lose any more.

 

[bombscience]

that doesnt really address the question dude. if one is castrated then almost all dht in your system will disappear. and so you would expect hair to grow back , especially those weak terminal hairs you mentioned. however no hair grows back , you just dont lose any more.

I think you are confusing the difference between a very thin hair that is still terminal and a vellus hair. I'm only believing that the follicles that haven't completely died will slowly improve over time when exposed to less DHT.

 

[Axon]

my question is , if castration ceases hair loss but brings on no regrowth , why do these drugs finasteride and avodart work?

We don't know exactly. There are more powerful anti-androgens than Finasteride and they're really not more effective for regrowth.

Testosterone probably plays a role; how large of a role is unclear.