Dutasteride has a new #1 fan... AWESOME results!

[DutFan]

31yo male here. Began minor hair loss at about age 24. My crown was thinning on top very slightly at that age.

I began a Rogaine regimen about a year later at age 25. The Rogaine slowed my hair loss down, but it did not completely stop it, and that's why at age 29 (4 years later), I added propecia to my regimen. I continued using propecia for two years, up until age 31.

My crown thinning was worse for the two years (ages 29-31, when I was on propecia) than it was from ages 24-29 (while just on Rogaine). However, it wasn't the propecia that made things worse; my male pattern baldness just became more aggressive, that's why I added the propecia in the first place (I don't want to think where I'd be right now, had I not added the propecia). However, it only slowed it down, and obviously it did not not stop it. I was seeing my crown thinning getting progressively worse on Rogaine and propecia over those two years.

Just recently, I took the leap, I decided to switch over to dutasteride. MAN was that a good idea! I started a little over four weeks ago, and already, this stuff is working. It really is. I can seriously not believe how well it has done already. My crown is already filling in more, my hairline in front has improved (although there wasn't much of a problem up there, it's just gotten better), and the hair that I have is getting thicker (when I shed a hair, they are really noticeably thicker!). I feel really GREAT right now, and my mindset is good too. I'm hoping to get back to where I was at 24-25yrs old! Has anyone else had really good results with dutasteride?

I'm alternating between .25mg (half tab) and .5mg (full tab) per day. IE: today I'll take .25mg, and tomorrow I'll take .5mg, and then .25mg again, and then .5mg again, and so on. I might even be able to get away with .25mg only for now (so I can phase in .5mg when I need it). I've heard you can go up to 2.5mg/day of dutasteride for best results. So by starting with a lower dose at what I need, I hope to ride this stuff for 10-15years until the next good treatment comes along!

My advice is to fight the good fight, and phase things in as you need them! I have improving hair at NW3 (thinning crown, not so much in front)...I hope to at least get back to an NW2!

I have not even started using Nizoral yet... does anyone recommend it?

 

[Lead Farmer]

That's very early to be seeing cosmetic differences. I started about the same time as you and I can definitely feel the difference but I doubt I'll see anything for at least a couple more months. I'm not saying you are making it up but you know how the saying goes on the internet; pics or it didn't happen.

Definitely get onto Nizoral ASAP, grab the 2% and if it causes any problems step down to the 1%. Make sure you use a good conditioner with it as it dries your hair out and stick to the directions on the bottle.

 

[DutFan]

I know, it is early! (approx 5th-6th week right now). The cosmetic differences have been very-very slight so far...but they are starting to take shape. My crown has not filled in 100% just yet.

But again, in the past, when treatments have worked for me...the same things are happening now that I've switched over to Dutasteride...just a little bit sooner. IE: when I very first started Rogaine at 25 (my scalp/hair) had not seen any treatments...and my hair and scalp started feeling healthier, I started shedding less hair and retaining more, and I had good improvement in my crown for a while (years). I was really happy with the Rogaine for a while. When I added the Propecia, I did not see great results, it just slowed my hair loss (which was somewhat disappointing...I was hoping that adding the Propecia was going to be that boost I wanted to push things over the top and tackle the thinning...it never did). This dutasteride seems to be doing that (like starting Rogaine again). It seems like something totally different again... like a treatment that is "fresh" and working (unlike the propecia, which probably helped just slow some). The dutasteride is feeling like it's "taking effect" like treatments that have for me in the past.

I think I may have also had some minor sides (esp in the 1st 1-2 weeks)...they seem to be subsiding now. Nothing major at all... I think I had a little bit of "brain fog" early on, as they call it... where you're kind of "spacey" every once in a while (not all the time...actually very very little). But, when trying to think of a word or something, you can't pull it as quickly as you'd like...that happened a couple times to me. It also seemed like I had a little bit more sensitivity in certain parts of my body, but that's not longer becoming an issue.

I have not taken any pics yet (when I started), but I was thinking about maybe doing some from now going forward...to really see how well it works.

Good recommendation on the nizoral... I should probably add it!

 

[Lead Farmer]

Cheers for the extra info, sounds like you are a good responder to meds. I know exactly what you mean by feeling the difference, for the first time I genuinely feel like something is really working. It feels as though my hair loss is coming to a complete halt and hopefully reversing.

Make sure you get onto nizoral as soon as you can. It will help a lot more than you think and it leaves your hair feeling really healthy. Also a big help with aleviating the DHT itch.

 

[DutFan]

I'm using generic dutasteride.

And I know, different, right?! When I was 24-25 years old I had really really good hair. I'm a white guy...but I had dark brown, fro'ish, healthy-healthy hair (that's why it was so devastating to start losing it at that age...when you have good hair, it's harder to lose! haha).

When I started the Rogaine, my scalp was "virgin"... it had not seen any treatments, and I think that's why it had worked for me so well for a few years. I'm confident the propecia really did help slow too, but it was gradually getting worse (I thought that would be the one where I'd really see results...I'm thinking that's the dutasteride right now).

As far as genes go, I'm opposites on both sides of the tree. My Dad's fam (three brothers in the fam), all had thick, good, healthy hair into their 50's... literally NW1-2's...at worst, NW3. However on my mom's side (her brothers and cousins), were all bald... not thinning... talking Norwood 5-6-7's. So I have the potential for those genes to grab hold at any time. If I didn't start treatment early, I would definitely not have as much hair as I do right now now.

- - - Updated - - -

I know Wiki can be up for debate on reliability of source, but check out the hair counts for Propecia 5mg. And that's 5mg, not 1mg...which is that standard dose...which was what I was on for two years...and compare thatto dutasteride .5mg! That's why I was thinking I could get away with .25:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutasteride

 

[abcdefg]

That is great, but it still confuses me how dutasteride works so much better then propecia when the type 1 is thought to not really play any big role. dutasteride does not really inhibit the type 2 that much more then propecia but maybe removing more androgens like nearly all DHT is more like what it takes to stop male pattern baldness long term.

 

[abcdefg]

When I read a big success story on dutasteride it makes me feel we are still missing something that is important that finasteride fails to address. If type 1 is minor role like we assume why does dutasteride make such a big difference for some is it just the type 2 being inhibited a little more that makes all the difference or is it something else we dont yet understand?

 

[WarLord]

I know, it is early! (approx 5th-6th week right now). The cosmetic differences have been very-very slight so far...but they are starting to take shape. My crown has not filled in 100% just yet.

But again, in the past, when treatments have worked for me...the same things are happening now that I've switched over to Dutasteride...just a little bit sooner. IE: when I very first started Rogaine at 25 (my scalp/hair) had not seen any treatments...and my hair and scalp started feeling healthier, I started shedding less hair and retaining more, and I had good improvement in my crown for a while (years). I was really happy with the Rogaine for a while. When I added the Propecia, I did not see great results, it just slowed my hair loss (which was somewhat disappointing...I was hoping that adding the Propecia was going to be that boost I wanted to push things over the top and tackle the thinning...it never did). This dutasteride seems to be doing that (like starting Rogaine again). It seems like something totally different again... like a treatment that is "fresh" and working (unlike the propecia, which probably helped just slow some). The dutasteride is feeling like it's "taking effect" like treatments that have for me in the past.

I think I may have also had some minor sides (esp in the 1st 1-2 weeks)...they seem to be subsiding now. Nothing major at all... I think I had a little bit of "brain fog" early on, as they call it... where you're kind of "spacey" every once in a while (not all the time...actually very very little). But, when trying to think of a word or something, you can't pull it as quickly as you'd like...that happened a couple times to me. It also seemed like I had a little bit more sensitivity in certain parts of my body, but that's not longer becoming an issue.

I have not taken any pics yet (when I started), but I was thinking about maybe doing some from now going forward...to really see how well it works.

Good recommendation on the nizoral... I should probably add it!

I would be curious, if you did some bloodwork. It seems to me that you had too much DHT in your blood.

 

[nikemata]

Dutasteride is 3 times more potent than finasteride. What side effects have you experienced from using this?