New finasteride user

[TheNitwon]

I'm almost 22 years old. I first noticed slight hairline recession back in May of 2011, but I didn't think much of it until around November when I noticed it had progressed even further. I got pretty depressed about it for several weeks (so much so that I even stopped eating and dropped 10 lbs - yikes!). After about a month of self-pity I decided enough was enough and I went to the doc. She prescribed finasteride (in my case generic Proscar cut into fourths...much cheaper to pay $9 every four months than $900+ a year for brand-name Propecia), told me to use Nizoral shampoo twice a week and ordered blood tests. Tests showed my serum DHT levels were really high and free testosterone levels were very low, so the fin should be pretty good for me. I've been taking it for a month as of last week. No side effects whatsoever thus far. I added biotin to my regimen, just in case that might help...not expecting it to do much, but ya never know. I'm holding off on minoxidil for the time being. I wanna see how I respond to the fin before I decide whether I need the minox.

So my question to the seasoned fin users: what do I expect from here on out? I want to at least keep what I have. Despite my previous lapse of depression, I'm no longer terrified of going bald (I actually think I'll look pretty good bald), but I'd like to keep my hair if I possibly can. I noticed from the forums here that there may be new hair restoration treatments coming out in the next few years, so I'm pretty optimistic about it.

And to the people who scream about side effects and/or risks: I know what the side effects are, I know the risks, and I'm willing to take them. All of them. So don't lecture me about them.

[NotBelievingIt]

Actually I have to warn you: with low Free Test levels before the Fin, by freeing up Test because of 5ar blockage, that opens up the conversion of more free test into Estradiol (estrogen).

Just saying that I'm in the camp that believes when you reduce an estrogen anatagonizer like DHT and free up test to convert to estrogen, you better hope your system responds well to the increase in E that is (most) likely going to occur.

Talk to your Doc about *that* and see what she says.

[2020]

So my question to the seasoned fin users: what do I expect from here on out? I want to at least keep what I have. Despite my previous lapse of depression, I'm no longer terrified of going bald (I actually think I'll look pretty good bald), but I'd like to keep my hair if I possibly can. I noticed from the forums here that there may be new hair restoration treatments coming out in the next few years, so I'm pretty optimistic about it.

maintenance mostly... you just bought yourself another 5-12 years before your hair loss starts again.
Better hope for all those companies to come up with something before ~2020, that's what I'm hoping for

[TheNitwon]

Actually I have to warn you: with low Free Test levels before the Fin, by freeing up Test because of 5ar blockage, that opens up the conversion of more free test into Estradiol (estrogen).

Just saying that I'm in the camp that believes when you reduce an estrogen anatagonizer like DHT and free up test to convert to estrogen, you better hope your system responds well to the increase in E that is (most) likely going to occur.

Talk to your Doc about *that* and see what she says.

I'll wait and see what happens. I'm not too worried about raised estrogen levels right now. If it has a negative impact on my health/hair loss progress, I'll stop or reduce my dose...but not until then.

[TheNitwon]

maintenance mostly... you just bought yourself another 5-12 years before your hair loss starts again.
Better hope for all those companies to come up with something before ~2020, that's what I'm hoping for

Yeah, I heard it doesn't last forever. Oh well. I'll be okay if I start to really lose ground when I'm 30...I just don't wanna go bald by 25. That's a bit too young IMO.

[TheNitwon]

Okay update time. I kinda jumped the gun a bit and got on Rogaine foam. I said earlier that I was gonna hold off on it, but when I buzzed my head recently (see my other thread) I saw that the top of my head was a bit thinner than I had realized, so I started Rogaine to see if I'd get some thickening from it. No sheds to tell of yet, but my hair is really short so I dunno if I'll even notice sheds until my hair grows back out.

It's been 6 weeks since I started the fin. No side effects thus far other than a lack of morning wood; libido and performance are both great. Now maybe I'm crazy, but I think I'm starting to see tufts of vellus hair popping up along my hairline. They're very small and thin and only noticeable under bright light, but they're definitely there...and I'm pretty sure they weren't there two weeks ago. They're spaced about as densely as the hair at the top of my head. I'm not holding my breath, but I do hope this is the start of regrowth. My hairline recession is pretty recent so I'm optimistic that I'll get at least a little regrowth. *le fingers crossed*

[2020]

but I think I'm starting to see tufts of vellus hair popping up along my hairline. They're very small and thin and only noticeable under bright light, but they're definitely there...and I'm pretty sure they weren't there two weeks ago.

they were always there it's just that you never looked that close before you started balding... 6 weeks is nothing, try 6 months

[TheNitwon]

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I KNOW I'm not imagining this. I'm seeing a bunch of hairs popping up on my hairline that definitely weren't there a few weeks ago. They're thicker than vellus hairs yet not quite terminal hair quality, but they're definitely there. My hairline even FEELS hairier now than it did when I started treatment. I hope I'm not kicking myself in the ass by being excited, but I'm EXCITED!!!!

Still no side effects. I might be shedding, and I might not...frankly I don't care. My hair is so short that I don't notice any hair falling out at all, not even the normal shedding. Buzzing my hair is the best thing I've ever done for it.

[sausage]

maintenance mostly... you just bought yourself another 5-12 years before your hair loss starts again.
Better hope for all those companies to come up with something before ~2020, that's what I'm hoping for

1 person says this stuff does not work forever, another says it does last for as long as you take it.

1 person says side effects are nothing to worry about, another says side effects are a serious concern.

ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

Its so fecking impossible to know what to think!

[chrisis]

1 person says this stuff does not work forever, another says it does last for as long as you take it.

1 person says side effects are nothing to worry about, another says side effects are a serious concern.

ARGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

Its so fecking impossible to know what to think!

It's really quite simple. Its effectiveness varies from person to person and so do side effects.

[Tracy C]

Its so fecking impossible to know what to think!

Nothing works for everyone - and not everyone gets the exact same results. Some people have more aggresive hair loss than others. Some people start treatment too late to gain the most benefit. Studies show that it does work for most who use it. Studies also show that most maintain the hair that they have with it while some are able to grow some hair back with it. Studies also show that the sooner you start treatment, the more effective the treatment is. All this makes sense. It really does. I wish this stuff was known back when I started losing my hair.

When you read medical professionals talking about Rogaine and Propecia and stating that they will maintain the hair that you have, they are doing that to help you keep your expectations realistic. This is so you are not disappointed if you don't grow any hair back. Maintaining what hair you still have is important. Sure you might grow some hair back, many people do. The bottom line if there are no guarantees. Guarantees are not possible in this area. Focus your expectations on maintaining what you have. If you do grow some hair back, it's icing on the cake.

[Tracy C]

The bottom line if there are no guarantees.

This was a typo. it should read:

The bottom line is there are no guarantees.

[TheNitwon]

UPDATE!!!!!

Remember those vellus hairs I spoke of a few weeks ago? Well, I've been monitoring them a bit...they look thicker now, kinda like "intermediate" hairs (not vellus but not quite terminal). There aren't very many there, but they're there, and they weren't there in January before I started my treatment. I was balding in this area (corners/temples) at least 6 months before I got on fin so I'm pretty confident that this is the start of some regrowth. I'm not even 3 months into treatment now, and I can't wait to see what I'll have a year from now. Even if I have half the density in my balding areas that I had before my hair loss, I'll be happy.

No side effects to report. Oh, and my hair is long enough now that I'm starting to notice hair fall again. Before fin I was shedding like a cat, and now I can rub my head vigorously and only see one or two hairs fall out. I think I did have an increase in shedding about a month into fin, but I buzzed my head not long after it started and didn't notice shedding after that so I dunno how long the shed really lasted.

[Maradona]

UPDATE!!!!!

Remember those vellus hairs I spoke of a few weeks ago? Well, I've been monitoring them a bit...they look thicker now, kinda like "intermediate" hairs (not vellus but not quite terminal). There aren't very many there, but they're there, and they weren't there in January before I started my treatment. I was balding in this area (corners/temples) at least 6 months before I got on fin so I'm pretty confident that this is the start of some regrowth. I'm not even 3 months into treatment now, and I can't wait to see what I'll have a year from now. Even if I have half the density in my balding areas that I had before my hair loss, I'll be happy.

No side effects to report. Oh, and my hair is long enough now that I'm starting to notice hair fall again. Before fin I was shedding like a cat, and now I can rub my head vigorously and only see one or two hairs fall out. I think I did have an increase in shedding about a month into fin, but I buzzed my head not long after it started and didn't notice shedding after that so I dunno how long the shed really lasted.

Good news indeed...getting regrowth can only mean you WILL mantain for SURE all the other follicles so....

Congratulations Bro !!! I always said you looked good with a shaved head though. But that should buy you time till replicel/CB !!!

hopefully u dont experience any major sides

[TheNitwon]

3 Month Update!

So tomorrow marks my 3rd month on finasteride, and a month and a half on minox foam (recently switched from Rogaine to the new Equate minox foam). I haven't missed a single dose of fin since I started taking it. Hair fall has stopped dead...I barely notice ANY hair fall anymore. I can't even remember a time where I shed so little. Since buzzing my head in late Feb and letting it grow back out, my hair shafts have gotten noticeably thicker and healthier. It looks like the thinning spot in my mid-scalp is starting to thicken back up...not too sure of it though. I still see some "intermediate" hairs popping up in my hairline, but they're sparse. We'll see how that goes.

All is well, ladies and gentlemen. I'm not worrying about hairloss like I was before I started the regimen, and that's the best part of all this. I have a LOT to look forward to in the coming months/years (graduating college next month, moving out on my own, starting a job, possibly getting engaged) and I'm not letting something like hairloss ruin it all for me.

I'll update again in a month or two and possibly include pics...we'll see how things go.