I Take Finasteride Daily, Dutasteride Weekly, and Use Ketoconazole Shampoo
Hello,
I am 29 years old and since 21 I’ve been on finasteride 1mg every single day. I started going bald at 14-15 years old with progressive receding of the corners. At 18, 19 years I was clearly a norwood 3. At 20 I noticed that my hair in general and mainly the frontal line was becoming more and more thinner, so at 21 I started my treatment with finasteride. I have to say that the results were better than I expected.
After 2 years I noticed my hair has become stronger and its quality improved significantly. The results were kept for more than 3 years. After that, I noticed a considerable reduction of the general volume of my hair that I could see (over strong light). I think today I am still a Norwood 3 and for people in general my balding can be hidden well, but the fact is that the genetic process is still running.
At the moment I am on finasteride every day, dutasteride once a week and ketoconazole shampoo twice a week. I would like an opinion about my situation. What more can I do to keep my hair and what is your prediction for a case like mine based on your experience over all these years? My father is bald and his process started very early too. Otherwise, my grandfather (mother’s side) has a head full of hair even in his 87 years.
You are fighting your genetics… and your genetics will eventually prevail. Sorry to tell you the bad news.
I hope you are under the care of a doctor, because dutasteride and ketoconazole do not add much benefit in hair loss treatment. You are likely doing enough by taking finasteride daily. I don’t know how I can form an opinion about your situation without seeing you, though.
Oh I don’t know isn’t that pessimistic doc? Why just throw the towel in a say that eventually genetics will win?
What if…the genetics don’t completely win? What if finasteride keeps him from ever reaching his final norwood destination, even if hair loss does progress somewhat? And why isn’t minoxidil in this mix?
Maybe what this patient needs is not pessimism but realistic expectations plus a master plan. It is possible that medications can keep his hair loss from ever reaching its final stage. Hair transplants, then, can help him have hair in the front third of scalp while the medications help him keep enough in the middle to the back of the head to give him a good look.
Maybe he does have a chance if he uses all the treatments at hand in a steady way for the long haul. You never know.
One option would be is to ditch finasteride and just use Avodart. That’s your best shot besides transplants. But don’t go more than the regular Avodart dose because than side effects can definitely appear. But on the regular dose you will almost definitely be fine.
What is the recommended dose for avodart? From what I know, there hasnt been a correct dose that is recommended. I have read people taking 0.5 mg a day or taking 1 mg a day or 5mg once a week.
Best thing to do is to take the 0.5mg pill each day.
The only problem is, avodart hasnt been proved to be more effective in the frontal part of the scalp or the hairline compared to finasteride. However, the side effects of avodart are greater and its more costly of a drug. Also, people have documented increased hair shedding w/out those hairs growing back. I have always been tempted to try avodart but at this point I have lost enough hair that I cannot cover it up anymore with my existing hair. Whatever I lose now will make my hair appear thinner if I go through a massive shed on avodart.
In what doses do they sell avodart or does one have to break the pill?
This whole shedding thing about Propecia and Avodart is a popular internet sensation lol Most cases it doesn’t happen neither do the side effects. And avodart works for the front just as propecia and even much better so did my dermatologist even say. If propecia is starting to lose effect Avodart can definitely help As for the cost, you can order Avodart from legit canadian mail order sites for cheap. Just gotta make sure they are CIPA sites and you will be good
After about 15 months on finasteride and being a little underwhelmed, I went on dutasteride for a year and was similarly underwhelmed. You have to be very careful filtering out the unscientific chatter in hairloss internet forums. And the chatter about dut being brilliant is the loudest chatter of all. Just like I would not believe the idiotic internet fear mongering about propecia, I would not listen to the dutasteride hype.
Just look at all the hype there was about bimatoprost for regrowth, until just a couple of months ago when studies showed it to be a waste of time. Until that point, people on the internet were talking like it is not even questioned that bimatoprost is a coming miracle for regrowth. Like its a settled issue. Like it is fact.
Just nonsense. So much nonsense in forums.
Anon:
Drugs to work differently for different people. I, myself, have been on finasteride for 11 yrs with decent results. I am slowly losing hair in the front, but I bet if I didnt take finas I would be thinner on top. I thought about switching to avodart to help with my hairline even though its not as effective there. Im desperate for a miracle!