Help with sudden hair loss and possibly poor doctor advice:

[Nylarthotep]

Ok, so an update and hoping veryone can give me their thoughts.....

Hair loss has slowed at this point - about 2 months out from taking the Finasteride. Ended up shaving my head so not sure if any is really coming out, but when I wash my head/hair I'm no longer seeing little hairs.

I've been off the steroid for about a month now and all my tests are coming back good regarding my condition.

The hair loss is REALLY bad in front - I'd say about 1/2 the hair is gone there. You can see the dark follicles, but no hair growing back from them yet. VERY concerning.

Eyebrow hair also began falling out and still is. Filled the sink with eyebrow hair the other day by pulling on it to see how much would come out (figured it would fall out anyway), but now it seems to have slowed too. Lost quite a few eyelashes too. I was actually kind of encouraged by this - since I would HOPE this is from the Finasteride - meaning it will all hopefully grow back.

Sides of the head is fairly sparse and have patches missing here and there where loss is worse.

Back of the head by my neck has a giant patch missing.

The back area of my head where the hair loss originally started is starting to grow back and looks probably the best of anywhere.

So that's where I'm at now - have to shave it every few days since it looks terrible when it even grows a little with patches missing here and there.

The doctor says not to worry, it is from the Finasteride and will grow back. I don't trust a word he says. He won't refer me to anyone. My tests ARE looking normal, however, and I DO think ithe bad hair loss was from the drug and not from my condition or the steroid.

Basically I'm hoping people will give me their detailed thoughts and any ideas they might have. I considered Rogaine thinking it might start the hair growing back quicker - I'm sick of shaving my head already - but worried since some people say it can destroy your hair too - and that all your hair will become dependent on it.

Anyway, I'm at a loss of what to do and any ideas would be VERY welcome........even thoughts on any aspect or on your opinion of the chances of it coming back and time frame. It is a REAL disaster.

 

[Chris87]

I wouldnt get on rogaine because..the hair rogaine grows back is going to be dependent on rogaine. Hair grown by rogaine will fall out eventually again if you stop using it for a long period.


Ever have your thyroid tested? Eyebrow/eyelash hairloss can sometimes be a thyroid problem..maybe have this checked out.

 

[Nylarthotep]

Have had it tested and it is fine. The doctor says all the hair shedding including the eyebrows is due to the finasteride and that it will grow back. I'm hopeful but skeptical.......

 

[Nylarthotep]

I wouldnt get on rogaine because..the hair rogaine grows back is going to be dependent on rogaine. Hair grown by rogaine will fall out eventually again if you stop using it for a long period.


Ever have your thyroid tested? Eyebrow/eyelash hairloss can sometimes be a thyroid problem..maybe have this checked out.

I've heard that about Rogaine but it doesn't make any sense. Rogaine just promotes growth, right? So sure if the hair follicle had stopped producing hairs and Rogaine started it again, then it would be dependent. But if the hair had simply been shed and was going to grow back anyway I don't see why it would become dependent on Rogaine. At best it would make the hair come back faster and at worst I would think it would have no effect. If that were true about Rogaine, that would basically mean all one's hair would fall out if they stopped using it - not just the hair that had regrown from male pattern baldness loss but all hair it had come into contact with. Doesn't make sense. Anyone with medical knowledge on the subject able to confirm or refute?

 

[Chris87]

I wouldnt get on rogaine because..the hair rogaine grows back is going to be dependent on rogaine. Hair grown by rogaine will fall out eventually again if you stop using it for a long period.


Ever have your thyroid tested? Eyebrow/eyelash hairloss can sometimes be a thyroid problem..maybe have this checked out.

I've heard that about Rogaine but it doesn't make any sense. Rogaine just promotes growth, right? So sure if the hair follicle had stopped producing hairs and Rogaine started it again, then it would be dependent. But if the hair had simply been shed and was going to grow back anyway I don't see why it would become dependent on Rogaine. At best it would make the hair come back faster and at worst I would think it would have no effect. If that were true about Rogaine, that would basically mean all one's hair would fall out if they stopped using it - not just the hair that had regrown from male pattern baldness loss but all hair it had come into contact with. Doesn't make sense. Anyone with medical knowledge on the subject able to confirm or refute?

Well if the hair is going to grow back anyway, it wouldnt make sense to use Rogaine, as Rogaine takes months to even begin seeing results and by that time the hair would be grown back. If you're looking to just speed up the natural growth I've heard things like Biotin and MSM supplements work well.

By the way I don't think you're doctor knows what he's talking about as far as finasteride. It sounds like at this point he's just trying to say stuff to make you calm down and appear as though he knows what he's talking about. I've never heard from anyone on this message board or any other talk about finasteride making their eyebrows fall out.

 

[Nylarthotep]

I wouldnt get on rogaine because..the hair rogaine grows back is going to be dependent on rogaine. Hair grown by rogaine will fall out eventually again if you stop using it for a long period.


Ever have your thyroid tested? Eyebrow/eyelash hairloss can sometimes be a thyroid problem..maybe have this checked out.

I've heard that about Rogaine but it doesn't make any sense. Rogaine just promotes growth, right? So sure if the hair follicle had stopped producing hairs and Rogaine started it again, then it would be dependent. But if the hair had simply been shed and was going to grow back anyway I don't see why it would become dependent on Rogaine. At best it would make the hair come back faster and at worst I would think it would have no effect. If that were true about Rogaine, that would basically mean all one's hair would fall out if they stopped using it - not just the hair that had regrown from male pattern baldness loss but all hair it had come into contact with. Doesn't make sense. Anyone with medical knowledge on the subject able to confirm or refute?

Well if the hair is going to grow back anyway, it wouldnt make sense to use Rogaine, as Rogaine takes months to even begin seeing results and by that time the hair would be grown back. If you're looking to just speed up the natural growth I've heard things like Biotin and MSM supplements work well.

By the way I don't think you're doctor knows what he's talking about as far as finasteride. It sounds like at this point he's just trying to say stuff to make you calm down and appear as though he knows what he's talking about. I've never heard from anyone on this message board or any other talk about finasteride making their eyebrows fall out.

I don't think he knows what he is talking about either - but I really don't know what else it could be from. All of this started almost 1 month to the day that I started taking it. I've heard of massive sheds on Finasteride quite regularly, but I've never heard of eyebrow loss either.......but I was losing it from everywhere else.....even the back on the neck....so......?

On a positive note, the hair and eyelashes aren't falling out anymore - both have stopped - but the eyebrows continue to fall out.......my right one is about half gone.......

 

[Nylarthotep]

Hey everyone.......

Just wanted to give you an update on my status.......

As you know from reading my recent posts, I started shaving my head the hair loss had gotten so bad. I kept it shaved for about a month. Didn't like it at all - but it looked better than having patches of hair missing........

Even when shaved, I noticed the little tiny hairs falling out quite often. Well about 6 weeks ago now the hair loss stopped abruptly. I decided to start growing it back out at that point. At first it looked pretty bad, as there were still obviously patches that had fallen out and weren't growing - especially in the front center, front right, right side near my ear, top of the head, and a patch in the back near my neck. Well as it has grown out the last 6 weeks hairs have begin to sprout everywhere. It doesn't look the greatest, since it is all different lengths - the hairs have been sprouting back up every day and lots are still just starting to sprout up even after 6 weeks - but its starting to look better as it fills in. In a few weeks I'll probably cut it all to the same lengths.

Anyhow, it seems to be growing back quite nicely and aside from a couple small spots, you can't really tell there was a problem anymore.

There is no doubt in my mind at this point that the Finasteride caused the issues - wish I had never started it but glad I realized and stopped only a month in. I can't imagine what would have happened had I kept using it.

On another note, sex drive still hasn't returned as of this point. Function is fine, but drive just isn't there. I'll keep you all updated......

Anyway, mostly good news so I wanted to come back, share with you, and thank you for your help. Much appreciated!