Anyone Continue To Completely Bald While Using Finasteride?

[heretosee]

Hi, I know a handful of people continue to see a bit of slow recession on finasteride, particularly in the hairline/temples. But I was wondering if anybody has heard of cases where people have continued to become completely bald while using finasteride long term? Like using finasteride for 1-2+ years and going from Norwood 2 to like Norwood 4+? I've delved around the forums and can't find any anecdotes of people who have demonstrated drastic hairloss while on finasteride long term, which may be a bit of good news. Would like to hear if anyone has had an experience like this, though.

thanks!

 

[Roberto_72]

I lost so much hair while on finasteride that I had to go through two transplants. And I think @Dante92 can tell you a similar story.
The idea that finasteride works for everyone is not statistically correct, unfortunately.

 

[buckthorn]

yeah, lost literally 50% density within one year. it f*cked me for good.

 

[dm900]

Studies show about 1/10 men will continue to bald on the drug. There are stories of accelerated hairloss but no "clinical" evidence to back it up. Not discrediting anyone here, just saying its very unlikely for you to experience what these guys have. If you are one of the unlucky ones you can switch to dutasteride, but that comes with unknown risks so talk to your doctor and do some research.

 

[Sokubo]

The general idea is that somehow, in some people, Finasteride changes the Androgen receptors that you have, and makes them more susceptible to DHT, which would indeed cause hair loss. Some remedy this by getting on Dutasteride, and others just by quitting it, but when those receptors are changed, it could alter the path of your hair loss. Most people don't have those problems, but some certainly do and it's a huge shame.

 

[GoldenMane]

If finasteride causes AR upregulation then switching to dutasteride would likely only make it worse. I've always wondered though, finasteride and dutasteride reduce DHT but increase testosterone, which also binds with androgen receptors, so ARs are still being stimulated by androgens so why does AR upregulation occur?

 

[heretosee]

f*** - I must have the worst luck. I got on it 20 years ago, and have slowly lost more, going from a thinning NW1 to a diffuse NW2.5. Not only did I start losing my hair earlier than most, but finasteride didn't work for me either.

I would call that amazing retention. I would give a lot to only lose 1.5NW over 20 years.

Anyway, if you buy the theory that there are more Type I receptors in the hairline and more Type II as you move further back along the scalp - which is why finasteride tends to work better in the back, would it make sense that those who continue to lose their hairline on finasteride will eventually hit a point where the drug becomes effective (Type II receptors outnumber Type I receptors) and maintain at that point ad eternum?

 

[jetlife1]

My highly intelligent and experienced dermatologist who prescribed me finasteride said that he has never seen anyone go bald while on finasteride in the 15 years he has been prescribing it and also that most men do quite well with it.

 

[g.i joey]

I've been on it for 9 months excluding a month break 5 months in. At this point I'm hoping it's the month break that set me back because I'm losing ground on it too.

 

[Roberto_72]

he has never seen anyone go bald while on finasteride in the 15 years he has been prescribing it and also that most men do quite well with it.

I am happy with finasteride but don't you think that the patients who went bald did not return to the dermatologist who prescribed them a cure that did not work for them?

Also remember that, out of 10 million men who lose hair, 10% of non - responders would mean 1 million people who do not know what to do to stop hairloss.

 

[jetlife1]

Good point @Roberto_72 . It is very hard to answer the question in this thread OP, but I want to take a break from studying for finals and dig into it a little with this post lol

I just want to post this table from the 10 year finasteride study (hopefully we won't even have to be on the drug that long if better stuff comes out.) The table says that only 1 man of the 113 had greatly decreased (-3) from baseline, 2 men had moderately decreased (-2) and 5 had slightly decreased (-1). Going from nearly a full head of hair to bald while on finasteride is most likely the -3 category which would give you a less than 1% chance of going bald after 10 years. Given the high correlation of unchanged and improved hair counts, maybe that one man was misdiagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (thyroid issues, alopecia areata, etc.).

Lastly, a quote from the first paragraph in the study says "Its efficacy was not reduced as time goes on; in fact, a big proportion of subjects unchanged after 1 year, improved later on, maintaining a positive trend."

 

[Roberto_72]

Given the high correlation of unchanged and improved hair counts, maybe that one man was misdiagnosed with androgenetic alopecia (thyroid issues, alopecia areata, etc.).

I do not agree with this way of thinking. When data does not support your theories, you do not question the data, you question the theory.

Who sponsored that study? According to that study, only 8 people out of 113 did not maintain. Which is a wonderful proportion. Most drugs have a much worse response.

However, do not forget that not only for the 8 out of 113, but for 100 out of 100 women finasteride is not the answer to Androgenetic Alopecia...

 

[Fullhead1day]

If you're still losing on Finasteride, it's slowing the process. And Finasteride is not strong enough as your hair loss is too aggressive. Meaning you either switch to Dutasteride, or take the topical AA route by using RU or CB.

 

[Fullhead1day]

Yes, I only got sides from it, and it did nothing, it merely slowed it down. My temples are completely gone and not even on the vertex I saw any result.

What stage was your hair at when you started taking medication? What sides did you get? How long were you on finasteride? We all know finasteride doesnt do sh*t for regrowing the temples. That's not its job. Its job is to prevent any further temple recession. If your temples continued to recede, then that's when you know you have to hop on stronger treatment, meaning Dutasteride. Or even RU depending on if your hair is test-sensitive.

 

[Fullhead1day]

I was Norwood 2 when I started, now I'm Norwood 4.

Your fault, should have hopped on dutasteride

 

[jetlife1]

My temples have slightly improved/thickened from finasteride but nothing major.

@Dante92 if it is true that you went from NW2 to NW4 with finasteride then you are one of the 8 people in the 10 year study below baseline. However, even the 8 worsened people had hairloss that stabilized below baseline from 5 to 10 years (one person even improving back to baseline.) Therefore, I think it is important for you to stay on the drug cause you're hair loss will most likely stabilize at some point and you can rebuild via hair transplant or future treatments.

 

[Roberto_72]

Your fault, should have hopped on dutasteride

It does not work like that.

Dutasteride lowers your sperm count for one year. Finasteride does not.

My derm has only some individual patients on duta. Those who are sure they will not procreate for one year. You cannot have a 24 years old on duta.

Like you cannot have a 16 years old (the year I started thinning) on fina.

And in general, we should stop saying it's one's fault if medications don't work and one loses hair.

 

[JHCL1990]

It does not work like that.

Dutasteride lowers your sperm count for one year. Finasteride does not.

My derm has only some individual patients on duta. Those who are sure they will not procreate for one year. You cannot have a 24 years old on duta.

Like you cannot have a 16 years old (the year I started thinning) on fina.

And in general, we should stop saying it's one's fault if medications don't work and one loses hair.

Shoot that lowered sperm count side is a HUGE plus for me. I'm on finasteride 1mg ED and dutasteride .5mg 4 day/week.

Honestly, my hair loss is very confusing. I THINK my right temple is above baseline, but my left temple is worse. HOWEVER, get this... I actually think my left hairline has grown new hair, but like I said, the temple is worse. It's bizarre.

 

[Roberto_72]

Shoot that lowered sperm count side is a HUGE plus for me. I'm on finasteride 1mg ED and dutasteride .5mg 4 day/week.

Honestly, my hair loss is very confusing. I THINK my right temple is above baseline, but my left temple is worse. HOWEVER, get this... I actually think my left hairline has grown new hair, but like I said, the temple is worse. It's bizarre.

I think it is perfectly understandable.
It happens to me as well. I see new hair below one of the two temples, but the general feeling is that the temple looks thinner in general!
New strands and general density probably follow different routes.

 

[michel sapin]

i am in the same case of dante , i started propecia realy early, my derm almost said no , but i insisted and he accepted to prescribe it to me . But now i am worse than baseline , 100% sure , at least 1 Norwood worse .

i know perfectly that duta would stop my hairloss , but I get sides like gyno with fina . SO for those who don't respond and fet sides with propecia , we are basicaly fucked .