Long-term potency of finasteride?

[scargo]

Sorry if this has been covered in another topic:

Has anyone come across research that shows finasteride becomes less effective over time? I mean, does the body get used to it after a while, or does it just keep impeding the dht at a constant rate over time?

Also, I know I've read that finasteride has not shown any long-term side effects (at least you are very unlikely to experience any), but I was wondering if anyone had come across something that suggests differently?

Cheers!

 

[scargo]

Sort of an unrelated follow-up that I thought I'd post here...

How do you guys feel about using finasteride proactively, like even before hairloss is very noticeable? To be honest, I'm not quite sure if it's my hair pattern changing a bit coupled with my naturally fine hair, but I don't really want to take a chance. It's something I think about many times a day and dread everytime I do my hair. I got a normal swirl, and then the grown goes off in a straight line either through the middle of my head, or off to the left.

I have the same type of hair as my mom--my older brother had my dad's hair, and was mostly bald by his late 20s. I'd like to be proactive b/c of what happened to him. Is this a bad idea though?

 

[jl8490]

Hi Scargo,

For the long-term potency of finasteride, the best clinical research so far is the five-year clinical trial. Read about it here: http://www.stophairlossnow.co.uk/products/Propecia-5year_results.htm

After 5 years, 48% of men had an improvement and an additional 42% had no additional loss, meaning 90% maintained from baseline at the start of treatment. This compares to only 25% of placebo who either maintained or grew (75% decreased).

While the hair count comparison to baseline seems to be trending down after the second year of treatment (indicating that some hair loss is still occurring), it is dramatically slower than those who received no treatment. There are stories on this forum of people on it for 6 to 10+ years with either no additional loss or minimal additional loss (90+% of their baseline hair). Considering a lot of these guys had very aggressive hair loss, this is a great achievement.

For your second question, I believe early treatment with finasteride is (as of right now) the ultimate hair loss treatment/maintenance plan. If you notice the signs (significantly increased hair falling, like on the keyboard of you computer or your hands while shampooing in the shower), even if it's not visible it's best to go to a hair loss doctor to see if miniaturization is occurring.

Very early detection plus the dramatic slowing effect of finasteride could postpone your "visible hair loss" date until very long in the future, possibly until you're old enough that's there's a better treatment or you don't care about the hair anymore. Waiting until it's "visible" could be a regrettable decision since authentic generic finasteride from Walmart/Target is so cheap now ($9 for 4 months) and you may not regrow hair count level, just maintain it.

 

[scargo]

Hi Scargo,

For the long-term potency of finasteride, the best clinical research so far is the five-year clinical trial. Read about it here: http://www.stophairlossnow.co.uk/products/Propecia-5year_results.htm

After 5 years, 48% of men had an improvement and an additional 42% had no additional loss, meaning 90% maintained from baseline at the start of treatment. This compares to only 25% of placebo who either maintained or grew (75% decreased).

While the hair count comparison to baseline seems to be trending down after the second year of treatment (indicating that some hair loss is still occurring), it is dramatically slower than those who received no treatment. There are stories on this forum of people on it for 6 to 10+ years with either no additional loss or minimal additional loss (90+% of their baseline hair). Considering a lot of these guys had very aggressive hair loss, this is a great achievement.

For your second question, I believe early treatment with finasteride is (as of right now) the ultimate hair loss treatment/maintenance plan. If you notice the signs (significantly increased hair falling, like on the keyboard of you computer or your hands while shampooing in the shower), even if it's not visible it's best to go to a hair loss doctor to see if miniaturization is occurring.

Very early detection plus the dramatic slowing effect of finasteride could postpone your "visible hair loss" date until very long in the future, possibly until you're old enough that's there's a better treatment or you don't care about the hair anymore. Waiting until it's "visible" could be a regrettable decision since authentic generic finasteride from Walmart/Target is so cheap now ($9 for 4 months) and you may not regrow hair count level, just maintain it.

I'm sorry but when interpreting those results, does that mean 52% and a separate 58% both saw their hair worsen? Or does it mean that over the 5 year trial, a total of 90% of those tested at least maintained?

Thanks for the info!

 

[dontleave]

Just thought i'd chip in here with what swayed my decision.

I was anxious about sides (and for a while thought i might have them, but this was definitely mental after having read so much stuff about them), and so i delayed getting on finasteride for a few years. I first realised I might be suffering recession at about 19, when I was 22 I thought to myself, ill wait and watch for one year, that way im a year further into my life and a year richer. I waited, nothing changed, better or worse, not visibly, and I decided at 23 (and a bit) i was old enough to go on finasteride confidently.

I did so, and I am 90% sure I've had minor regrowth on my hairline (note, not temples). I am 100% sure it has not gotten worse. I've been on it now for just under 6 months, and I dont feel I have any noticable problems, and my hair does not concern me nearly as much, as I feel I am doing the no.1 thing to retain it now.

In short, I was like you, crazy concerned about losing it. I think its better to get on it now, and if you decide to come off a year down the line as you've not noticed anything better or worse (my plan), then you know you've at least acted early, and youll know how you will react should you go back on in the future. It gives you a huge peace of mind knowing youve taken that step.

 

[Neoski]

Yeah i took finasteride too, and I had no sides at all yet. Including watery semen which seems to be the most common. Maybe my balls ached, but I couldn't really tell.

Concerning the OP's question. Finasteride shouldn't lose its efficacy since your body doesn't build a tolerance to it. Similar to a women using birth control pills, they are unlikely to build a tolerance to that. But... your hair follicles will become more sensitive to DHT, so hair loss will occur gradually anyways. I think that's why people up the dose with finasteride or use stronger drugs like dutasteride to compensate for the DHT sensitivity.

In terms of long-long term effects like 20+ years I don't think anyone knows. I know there are some people who were sides-free until seven years in and then started getting bad sides. It's a relatively new drug so I doubt we can base any solid conclusions on hypothetical claims.

 

[scargo]

Really appreciate the posts guys. I'm on it now. I'm gonna stay on it. We'll see.

I get my fine hair from my mom's side, and my crown actually looks a bit like my sisters. When you see it on a girl, you don't think twice, but when it's on a me (a guy), it raises concern.