Finasteride 0.25 mg twice per week. Works for me.

[Jcm800]

Cheers. I think catching my baldness relatively early was key. Hopefully this proves that a lower dose is effective not just for maintaining, but re-growing too.

Could be the key mate. I'm one of the older guys around here, 44 tomorrow, started losing around age 27 very very slowly luckily. Think even if I get on fin now it'd be too late.
I have a lot or hair left tho, and even at this age/stage I care about my looks as I'm still looking good for my years.

On the other hand may just be wiser to say screw it, had a good run and buzz it, dunno really.

[ChrisM]

Could be the key mate. I'm one of the older guys around here, 44 tomorrow, started losing around age 27 very very slowly luckily. Think even if I get on fin now it'd be too late.
I have a lot or hair left tho, and even at this age/stage I care about my looks as I'm still looking good for my years.

On the other hand may just be wiser to say screw it, had a good run and buzz it, dunno really.

That depends man. Passing your thirties the testosterone level in your body reduces considerably thus the dihydrotestosterone conversion is lessened but by that time a good deal of damage is already done. But it depends on your Norwood scale of pattern baldness and what you plan of attack is. I am a NW5 and so far I am gradually reversing out my MPB over near 10 months on Finasteride with coverage returning to the front and crown of my head which were nearly see through bald with sparse peachfuzz hair coverage. Now this hair is darkening and thickening up so at this rate past a year and perhaps sailing onto Dutasteride next I will probably reverse my hair loss back to a NW3 or if I am lucky 2.5 on the scale which frankly would be a success story of epic proportions. The key though is whatever you try to maintain consistency.

[Shan]

That depends man. Passing your thirties the testosterone level in your body reduces considerably thus the dihydrotestosterone conversion is lessened but by that time a good deal of damage is already done. But it depends on your Norwood scale of pattern baldness and what you plan of attack is. I am a NW5 and so far I am gradually reversing out my MPB over near 10 months on Finasteride with coverage returning to the front and crown of my head which were nearly see through bald with sparse peachfuzz hair coverage. Now this hair is darkening and thickening up so at this rate past a year and perhaps sailing onto Dutasteride next I will probably reverse my hair loss back to a NW3 or if I am lucky 2.5 on the scale which frankly would be a success story of epic proportions. The key though is whatever you try to maintain consistency.

When will you start Dutasteride?

[ChrisM]

When will you start Dutasteride?

More likely in July after a year of gains on Finasteride and seeing responsiveness in the hair I have regained and grown back but still that hair has grown back on my vertex and crown though darkened and grown past the vellus peach fuzz stage has still not caught up in thickness or in density of the hair that was unaffected by baldness in the receptors that had no such DHT sensitivity. That is why I am making that conscious decision to take it up a notch.

But I will also cycle out and wean myself off of Finasteride in the month or two previous to that so that my system is clear for the new drug to take effect and hopefully work its magic

[Shan]

If you have maximum results on Fin, then what can Dut do?
Can it take you to up another NW level.

[ChrisM]

Dutasteride is shown in clinical trials to be far more powerful that Finasteride. Whereas Finasteride blocks out and inhibits 75 percent of DHT and prevents the 5ar enzyme from doing its dirty work.

Dutasteride blocks 95 percent of DHT and it blocks two types of the 5AR enzyme that contribute to DHT both type I and II . Finasteride only engages type I and not II. And therefore results on Dutasteride from those who have gone from Finasteride with marginal results and no side effects have been great to amazing in terms of hair coverage overall.

And that makes all the difference. I don't think that ten months has shown me the maximum results yet. But if it has then graduating to Dutasteride might make all the difference to raising the stakes of the fight.

[Shan]

Why is Dut then not FDA approved for hairloss?

[ChrisM]

Why is Dut then not FDA approved for hairloss?

I really don't know to be honest with you.
I grabbed this particular answer just now from yahoo and copied and pasted it here.



Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Dutasteride is FDA approved for benign prostate hypertrophy or prostate enlargement problems. The reason why it is not yet approved by the FDA for male pattern hair loss (MPTL) is because it is still in its testing stages. However, there are already doctors who prescribe this medication, especially for those who have tried and failed with finasteride.

Side effects of dutaseride include an increase in libido, but with a lowered sperm count. It is found to have a greater effect on the treatment of MPTL but of course, with more potent side effects.

The dosage will depend on what your doctor will prescribe for you, if he deems that you need it. The length of taking it will also depend on your condition. It is best to check with your doctor on this.

It is suggested to take finasteride first. If this does not work, then you can switch to dutasteride, but all with the advice and monitoring of your doctor.

[chrisis]

I wonder if they're unwilling to risk selling a stronger drug for male pattern baldness when there's already uncertainty about the safety of finasteride.

If they don't seek FDA approval for it but make it available off label, then the risk lies with the doctor and patient.

[Shan]

Thanks for answering bro

[Loomings]

I dunno why anyone would want to use DUT and further erode their prostate. You'd end up with a prostate the size of a shriveled sultana using that kinda stuff.

0.5mg of Fin twice a week is as much a compromise as I'm willing to make, and I already notice a change in my sex drive at this amount (although I do concede that being a bit less horny is actually kinda liberating).

Nevertheless I am keeping an eye on these lawsuits that are being filed against Mercke and seeing how they turn out. If the lawsuits start winning I will be reassessing....however it's likely Mercke will pull the drug if they start losing.

[PatientlyWaiting]

I don't know why so many people find it hard to believe that finasteride works so fast on slowing down/halting hair loss. I actually thought it was normal for hair loss to stop within a month since that's what always happened to me when I was on and off Propecia. It would be pretty noticeable and it was not stress related at all because stress related hair loss happens on the whole head, not in a receding hairline or horseshoe pattern.

[WarLord]

This is absolutely shocking advice. Do not take Propecia at all if you suffered sides on 0.25mg every few days. You were cautious and discovered it's not good for you, so back the heck away from it. Anything else would be sheer lunacy.

He has no sides. He is completely delusional.

[WarLord]

More likely in July after a year of gains on Finasteride and seeing responsiveness in the hair I have regained and grown back but still that hair has grown back on my vertex and crown though darkened and grown past the vellus peach fuzz stage has still not caught up in thickness or in density of the hair that was unaffected by baldness in the receptors that had no such DHT sensitivity. That is why I am making that conscious decision to take it up a notch.

But I will also cycle out and wean myself off of Finasteride in the month or two previous to that so that my system is clear for the new drug to take effect and hopefully work its magic

What? You want to interrupt the use of finasteride for 1-2 months? Then allow me to say "Good bye!" to your hair.

[Loomings]

He has no sides. He is completely delusional.

How is anyone supposed to take seriously the comments of a supposed War Lord?