I just wondered what your personal experience was with Finasteride - How long have you been taking it? Have you noticed any changes, and after what period of time? Did you have a shedding phase? Side effects?
Hey joe101
I’m a newbie to fin got a supply from the good Dr A early april, beforehand i brought 3 months supply online that infact cost me more!
Basically havent noticed much of a change of yet or any sides thankfully. Just going to bear my time cross my fingers and hope to hold on to what i have!
I’ll repost in a few months with an update of where i’m at etc.
AAH
I’ve been on finasteride since late 2005. Within the first 3 months I noticed a decrease in my daily hair shedding. Since then I seem to have maintained my hair at pretty much the same density, although there may have been some minor thickening around the crown. I’m very pleased - without it, I was probably on the way to a very early NW3 or worse.
aah - I started on it roughly the same time as you, so it would be useful for us to compare I guess.
In fact I think it’s exactly a month for me - I’m certainly not expecting to see changes for a long time, if at all. My only hope is that I don’t have a shedding phase - that would really knock me.
Pondle - great to hear you’re pleased with the results, hope it continues
Yes mate be really good to compare views and progress.
I’ve been told to stick at least a year before judging anything, good luck with it all mate hope it all works out.
Here’s to april 09 
AAH
I`ve been on proscar/fin for 3 years with no sides.
I do experience shedding as some months my hair looks worse but i have had a bit of regrowth and it has definately stabilised my hairloss.
hairdresser today said she thought my crown looked thicker. I didn’t prompt her or anything
maybe I can sum up the courage to get a mirror and look myself… fingers crossed
That is good news
11 month update
So it’s been nearly a year on Finasteride and I’m happy that the hairloss doesn’t seem to have got any worse.
Temples are still the same, crown is still thinning but the nanofibres cover it quite well. Hopefully I’ve halted the hairloss there for a while. I’m a bit worried that the front bit between my temples might go next. I have a narrow head so the ‘widow’s peak’ is already pretty narrow and the hairs look like they’re thinning there.
I realise that combatting MPB is a lifelong struggle and that the meds usually work best in the first few years, so I know that I’m probably just delaying the inevitable.
This forum has been great, I don’t know what I would have done without it. thanks to all the advice people have given.
Hi there newbie here thought i would share my Fin experience, I am about 9 months in on finasteride went through big shedding at about 1 ana half months then all the hair loss just halted no hairs in shower / on pillow etc and have maintained that ever since. I notice a few thin hairs come out when i wash my hair but thats normal right ? I was also on kirkland 5% for 6 months but i had to come off as the dandruf and flakey scalp was soo bad.
Looking to switch to rogaine foam but need to find a good cheap UK source any one got one ??
Also doing nizoral and tricomin.
I also agree with using a hair concealer instantly looks 1000% better and gives you the confidence whilst your waiting for propecia to do the magic.
I do find myself using tricomin less as a result of the hair fibers any one use tricomin whilst they hair the hair fibers in there hair ? i just don’t wanna have a big sticky mess.
Thanks Sunny.
when I use the fibres I tend do do it early in the day, and I use Tricomin in the evening when it doesn’t matter so much if my hair looks messed up.
13 months on it. Frontal third now considerably worse. Has to be covered now with Nanogen. Did not prior to Fin useage. No further loss anywhere else. No noticeable Side effects now.
8½ months on it so far.
Severe shedding for the first 3 months, which has been most noticeable in the frontal area (now really dependent on nanogen). Still waiting for the shed hairs to return…
May be maintaining the remaining hairs but my hair loss has been very gradual so very difficult to say in this time frame. Regrowth unlikely but overall appearance is much worse due to shedding.
No side effects to speak of, possibly slightly more watery semen but hardly worth mentioning.
Gav.
Iv been on FIN since September 2008. Not seen any results yet but i’ll give it a full year before i consider anything else i suppose.
The thing is, if it would only stop anymore loss id be happy and would just carry on using nanogen for the rest of my life. If it doesnt at least halt the loss, im buggered. Im just, only just still getting away with it.
Split up with the missus some months so have been doing the dating game since. None of the girls iv seen have twigged i use aload of nanogen every day. How the hell am i going to approach a subject like that when things get serious
I started on Fin in July last year. I had a massive shed a few months in and have had several bouts of mass shedding since then.
I was suffering from a much lower libido, watery seamen and the ‘morning erections’ changed to my bladder feeling pressured (morning erections are the indicator of a full bladder). Thankfully, In recent months, those physical symptoms have lessened. It’s either a case of my body getting used to the meds, or that the meds are no longer working
The bad news is that my frontal third has taken a battering, the temples are still receeding and the shape of my hairline as gone from a ‘U’ to a narrow ‘V’.
I don’t think that my crown has neither got thicker or suffered any more loss.
It’s a frustrating time really, as after one year it was suggested i’d know if the meds are working for me or not. I’d really like to get a small HT on my frontal third to make my hairline into a fat ‘U’ shape from the narrow ‘V’ that is currently is. But if I’m to have futher loss on the front third, I guess i’d be better off waiting for it to get really bad before having a HT to ensure I get coverage all over this area. However, all the time it’s in this state, my confidence is totally shot to pieces and I feel very depressed about it all.
QUOTE(chappers @ Jun 13 2009, 03:34 PM)
I was suffering from a much lower libido, watery seamen and the 'morning erections' changed to my bladder feeling pressured (morning erections are the indicator of a full bladder). Thankfully, In recent months, those physical symptoms have lessened. It's either a case of my body getting used to the meds, or that the meds are no longer working ![unsure.gif]()
Chappers, finasteride never 'stops working' - I've never seen any evidence of men developing a 'tolerance' to it. Of course, about 10% of men taking Propecia continue to lose their hair, but that's because of their highly aggressive MPB, not because their bodies are immune to the drug.
http://www.baldingblog.com/2008/08/14/deve...l-and-propecia/
QUOTE
The bad news is that my frontal third has taken a battering, the temples are still receeding and the shape of my hairline as gone from a 'U' to a narrow 'V'.
I don't think that my crown has neither got thicker or suffered any more loss.
I don't think that my crown has neither got thicker or suffered any more loss.
Have you been taking genuine finasteride over the entire period? I find a lot of guys who complain that the meds aren't effective have been using stuff they bought from internet pharmacies - a lot of these products are almost certainly fake. Fake drugs can probably induce an initial placebo (and 'nocebo') effect, but not much else!
QUOTE
However, all the time it's in this state, my confidence is totally shot to pieces and I feel very depressed about it all. ![sad.gif]()
![sad.gif]()
![sad.gif]()
Keep on hanging in there, make sure you only take genuine drugs and think about adding Regaine and Nizoral into the mix.
QUOTE(Pondle @ Jun 14 2009, 12:24 PM)
Have you been taking genuine finasteride over the entire period? I find a lot of guys who complain that the meds aren't effective have been using stuff they bought from internet pharmacies - a lot of these products are almost certainly fake. Fake drugs can probably induce an initial placebo (and 'nocebo') effect, but not much else!
I got my Finasteride from Dr Ashcroft, so unless he's been peddling fakes, then I guess it's authentic!
I do own Nizoral but I stopped taking it as I was reading on forums that people think it can now do more harm than good for the hair. I'm not sure what to believe!
QUOTE(chappers @ Jun 15 2009, 04:38 PM)
I do own Nizoral but I stopped taking it as I was reading on forums that people think it can now do more harm than good for the hair. I'm not sure what to believe!
There are several studies on PubMed that suggest ketoconazole (the active ingredient in Nizoral) could be helpful in treating male pattern hair loss.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1472901...Pubmed_RVDocSum
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1222748...ogdbfrom=pubmed
All I can say in general is keep up your regimen and take photos - ideally from the same angle, in the same light conditions - at regular intervals. It's hard to compare without a record; your memory can be deceptive!
I’ve been on Fin (supplied by Dr A) since April 2005. i’m 31 now and i’ve had no drastic negative side effects. the shedding eased up after a few months and my crown thickened as did the middle vertex. my temples certainly haven’t receded as rapidly as they were beforehand. I was able to keep what i had and add some. although i always styled my hair in a certain way due to an very uneven hair line- somewhat of a comb over. I was happy until end of last year when the temples started receding more so than ever. Most weekends in the last 12 months i would use hair straighteners as well which probably isn’t ideal.
In the earlier years i did use minox 5% and also tried the foam but felt it was significantly beneficial to continue. ebay is a gooda place as any to stock up.
I’ve used niz a couple of times a week ever since the beginning and originally found it improved the condition of my scalp no end. lately my hair’s been very greasy even after washing it the previous night. have been using a 2n1 shampoo/conditioner but gonna make the switch to Lock Stock & Barrel
Reconstruct Hair Thickening Wash. something a bit more quality.
Back on the forums now to see the latest goings on. had pretty good run for over 3 years, now depressed about my temples and uneven hair line. am thinking about making the switch from FIN to DUT when i’ve used up my current supply. Am wondering about a potential HT as well but have the same concerns as chappers about further loss.