Testosterone Therapy is Causing Hair Loss — Should I Stick it Out?

I recently did a 3rd procedure with you and it turned out great. You did a scar revision which has reduced my scar width by at least 50%. In some places more.

Now the problem: My doctor has prescribed testosterone replacement therapy for me because of permanently low testosterone induced by the use of anabolics at a younger age. I have read in your posts where propecia or dutasteride might help negate the effects of hormone replacement therapy. Furthermore, the goal of the therapy is to reach ‘normal’ testosterone levels, not outrageous levels. I have been taking propecia for years, but when I started the testosterone gel (testim 1%) I started shedding like crazy. I understand that this can be one of the side effects.

My question is: In the past, every time I have used something like testosterone, after I stop much of the hair that I lose grows back. Furthermore, I have read that any kind of abrupt change to the body’s hormone level (such as starting Propecia for the first time) can cause hair loss. So, is it possible that I should just stick with the therapy and that I will shed, but that these hairs will grow back? Were they just induced to go into a dormant phase early, but will return? In other words, after my levels normalize and are not abnormally high, with propecia in the mix, can I expect to return to normal? Or is it that I basically have a choice – low testosterone for ever or bald?

I will talk to my doctor and I will see an endocrinologist about this, but I was wondering if you had any anecdotes about this particular kind of treatment.

Thanks

I agree that you should discuss this issue with an endocrinologist, as the problem is a bit complex. Unfortunately, I do not have any anecdote to share with you. At the least your transplanted hair will not be affected with testosterone. In theory Propecia should counter the DHT effects.