Potential side effects of 5AR inhibitors like finasteride and dutasteride. Users debate risks, benefits, and personal experiences with these hair loss treatments.
Being overweight may increase finasteride side effects due to higher aromatase activity converting testosterone to estradiol. Maintaining a healthy weight could reduce these side effects.
A new product, a retinoic acid solution (0.3%), is available to enhance minoxidil products like Rogaine and Kirkland by converting them into a tretinoin-containing solution for improved hair loss treatment. One unit of the product is enough for a year's supply.
The conversation humorously discusses hair loss treatments, including topical finasteride, oral dutasteride, topical minoxidil, RU58841, peppermint oil, and microneedling. It also mentions lifestyle changes like converting to Islam and avoiding smoking, drinking, and partying.
A 29-year-old is using oral minoxidil, finasteride, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and microneedling for hair regrowth. They started balding at 20, worsened at 25, and are transitioning with testosterone blockers.
A user's experience with hair loss treatments, specifically Minoxidil (topical) and Finasteride (oral), over a period of 1 year and 4 months. The user reported best results after 6 months, a significant hair shed 4 months ago, and current regrowth, while also using a 1.25mm dermastamp. The user adjusted Finasteride dosage over time and experienced high testosterone and nipple sensitivity.
Finasteride can affect hormone levels, potentially causing symptoms like puffy nipples and testicular pain, and may result in elevated prolactin and high testosterone. The user is seeking interpretation of these changes after taking finasteride.
The user shared positive results using Minoxidil and microneedling for hair regrowth, choosing not to use finasteride due to concerns about hormonal effects. Other users debated the necessity of finasteride for long-term hair maintenance, with some suggesting alternative treatments and expressing skepticism about pharmaceutical influences.
A 44-year-old man experienced significant hair regrowth after switching from topical to 1.25mg oral minoxidil and 0.5mg daily finasteride, with no side effects. He noticed hair thickening after two months and credits the oral form's effectiveness.
The user switched from finasteride to dutasteride due to side effects and is experiencing fewer side effects with dutasteride, though some scalp itching has occurred. Blood tests show elevated testosterone and estrogen, low DHT, and normal liver and cholesterol levels, leading the user to feel confident in the long-term benefits of dutasteride for hair regrowth.
A user is concerned that using rosemary oil after microneedling might cause gynaecomastia due to increased absorption and potential DHT blocking. Other users believe rosemary oil is unlikely to affect hormones or cause gynaecomastia.
A user is making a 2-Deoxy-D-ribose solution and asks if it can be put into an oil instead of a gel, considering adding hydrocortisone and retinoic acid. They seek advice on the best carrier oil for hair growth.
A user started taking finasteride due to increased hair shedding and sought advice on coping with the anxiety of starting the treatment. Responses included personal experiences with finasteride, minoxidil, and tips for integrating the medication into daily routines.
After 12 years of success with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, the user is experiencing hair thinning and scalp discomfort. They are considering options like switching to oral minoxidil, adding dutasteride, or using ketoconazole shampoo, topical caffeine, rosemary serum, and supplements.
The conversation discusses preferences for hair loss treatments, specifically finasteride over dutasteride. Users share personal experiences, cost considerations, FDA approval status, and potential side effects, with some switching between treatments to find what works best for them.
The user has been using topical finasteride and minoxidil for five months with little progress and is considering oral dutasteride to lower DHT levels, questioning if minoxidil is more effective with reduced DHT. They also use microneedling and tretinoin in their treatment routine.
A 25-year-old male is concerned about his blood test results, particularly the low percentage of free testosterone, and is questioning whether starting finasteride for hair loss might worsen this issue. He also notes a slight vitamin D deficiency and lack of sleep before the test.
A user on finasteride for 7+ months shared bloodwork results, questioning if high DHT levels and testosterone could affect cholesterol. Replies suggest consulting a doctor and question the high testosterone levels.
The conclusion of the conversation is that the user, AdamC11, has been using finasteride (0.5mg daily) and topical minoxidil for 2.5 years and has seen good progression and maintenance with no negative effects. They plan to continue with their current treatments as long as their hair holds, and will consider more potent treatments if they start losing ground.
The efficacy of taking 1mg finasteride three times a week instead of daily for hair loss, with some users arguing that it is just as effective because finasteride has a long half-life in the scalp tissue and lower doses have been shown to be effective. Other users suggest experimenting with various treatments such as minoxidil and finasteride to achieve best results.
A user discovered CosmeRNA, a new hair loss treatment with clinical research backing, set to release soon. The conversation revolves around its potential effectiveness, cost, and how it compares to existing treatments like Minoxidil and Finasteride, with some users expressing hope for a side-effect-free option.
User switched from Fin to Dut for better hair loss results, using 0.5mg Dut and 1ml Min daily. Some discuss potential side effects and benefits of Dut compared to Fin.
A user's experience with a hair transplant procedure and the resulting appearance of their hairline, which included some micro irregularities to make it look natural. Other users asked questions related to cost and safety of similar procedures at different clinics.
The conversation provides a guide on using finasteride for hair loss, suggesting to start with a quarter of a 1mg pill daily after ensuring estradiol levels are within a specific range, and potentially increasing the dose if no side effects occur. It also recommends supplements like DIM, Calcium d-glucarate, and Zinc to manage high estradiol levels and side effects from finasteride.
The user experienced significant hair thickening after using topical minoxidil and oral finasteride for about 5 months and is considering switching from finasteride to RU58841. Other users encourage the original poster to continue the current treatment due to the positive results.
A user experienced severe side effects from finasteride, including mental health issues and physical symptoms, and sought advice on managing post-finasteride syndrome. Suggestions included checking vitamin levels, considering dopamine agonists, and avoiding further psychiatric medications.
A user shared their 3-month progress using 0.5mg daily dutasteride and 3mg oral minoxidil for hair loss, reporting significant improvement after an initial shedding phase. The user experienced no side effects and noted that dutasteride might have fewer side effects than finasteride.
A long-term finasteride user experienced side effects like sexual dysfunction, dry eyes, muscle weakness, and brain fog, which improved when they stopped the medication. They decided to stop finasteride again, questioning if maintaining hair was worth the negative impact on their well-being.
The conversation discusses hair regrowth after 3 months of using 2.5mg oral minoxidil and 0.5mg dutasteride, with mixed opinions on the effectiveness and suggestions to increase minoxidil dosage or consider a hair transplant. Some users recommend additional treatments like dermarolling and micro-needling, while others share personal experiences with side effects and alternative treatments.