After 10 years with finasteride...

[Balding_1]

I still have a good amount of hair; maintained a norwood 2 since I was about 22 (31 now) . I've been freaking out a little lately because my hair seems to look like it's starting to go again, but in a diffuse pattern this time. I've always had very fine hair, but it seems noticeably worse over the entire norwood region. Could this be a sign the finasteride is starting to lose the battle? Or has finasteride lost its effectiveness somehow? Any advice appreciated; I'm considering talking to a Doctor about Dutasteride.

FYI- my regimen has been the "big 3", but I sometimes go a few weeks without any treatments.

Any info/advice appreciated.

 

[abcdefg]

Yeah upping the dose or going to something like dutasteride are really the only options if it stops working as well. Losing some effectiveness seems to happen a lot of times after so many years. My personal opinion is sensitivities to the remaining androgens change over the years like your hair self regulates itself to the lower androgens, gets used to them like it did with your original DHT levels, and the process starts going again. I think in many cases if you took propecia for a while and then stopped you would lose hair faster then if you never took it. I wish we had studies showing how hair loss progressed after people stopped propecia compared to before they took it although male pattern baldness might speed up with age on its own.

 

[chrb]

I would advise against having gaps in your treatment. I know it can seem harmless when you're doing well but you have to remember that the only reason you still have a decent amount of hair is because of them so it's best not to take the benefits for granted. I know I've certainly made that mistake in the past.

 

[Balding_1]

Thanks, guys. I'm going to try upping the dose see how that goes.