Propecia, DHT, and growing a beard.

[JohnnyBBald]

Hi, folks.

I have a question.

DHT is what makes male-pattern baldness. But it also is what promote beard growth, right??

For those who are on or have used Propecia or any finasteride product, have you noticed a decrease in facial-hair growth?

I always sport a beard, and I'd rather be bald than lose my beard!!

Please give me feedback and input. Thank you,

Johnny

 

[kehcorpz]

Everyone is different. I actually noticed my beard is getting thicker since I have been on finasteride. Now, my body hair on the other hand is disappearing. I used to have a bit of a furry chest and now it's barely there. I would imagine that in my case my beard hair reacts to testosterone and not DHT.

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

My beard seemed to get thicker on it. It is unlikely it will have any effect on your beard.

There are reports that it seems to slow or prevent body hair growth, but beard hair seems to be different.

 

[JohnnyBBald]

Thanks for the replies. But in theory this makes absolutely no sense. DHT is what promotes beard growth. Propecia inhibits the change of testosterone into DHT, if I'm correct.
Can any more folks who take Propecia and grow beards weigh in on this??

 

[JordOfTheJungle]

Can't claim to be a "beard grower" but have noticed a slight difference in my facial hair, it's definitely been growing in quicker and thicker. Whether that's a byproduct of finasteride or the fact that I'm 21 so perhaps still developing on the facial hair front I am not sure.

 

[Rawtashk]

I don't have any problem growing a beard, and I've been on finasteride for 4 years.

 

[Northman]

A little over two months in I have noticed no changes in my ability to grow a beard or changes to my overall body hair with the exception of my head hair, which seems to be slowly improving.

 

[Hairforever]

I have a heavy beard. When I was on finasteride I found it grew more slowly during the day which meant my morning shave lasted longer.

 

[gh05]

I don't have any problem growing a beard, and I've been on finasteride for 4 years.

ratwashk, did you already have decent amount of facial hair prior to taking finasteride?

Or has your coverage of facial hair improved while on finasteride? Thanks

 

[Rawtashk]

I can't tell any difference in my body hair, or the growth of it, since I started Propecia.

 

[Kev123]

I wish this was the case. I get clean shaves, this would make shaving much easier. Unfortunately, 1 year and a half on finasteride, I have not experienced a decrease in facial hair.

 

[gh05]

I don't have any problem growing a beard, and I've been on finasteride for 4 years.

What I mean is, was your beard already fully developed prior to starting finasteride?

My facial hair is still patchy - DHT supposedly initiates body hair and facial hair and I don't really want patchy facial hair my whole life - especially if I will end up going bald anyway

 

[kehcorpz]

See I always had facial hair growing in a good pattern but most of it was super thin and vellus. It wasn't until I started taking finasteride where I developed a thick beard much like Jason Statham but well my hair is blondish. Interesting are the studies here. The correlation in the first would indicate that it is a combination of both testosterone and dht that are responsible for the hair growth. DHT for linear growth and testosterone is what will give you density. this completely explains why I got so much density after taking finasteride. It's possible that too much T was being converted to DHT and it could not do its job.

Relationship between plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone concentrations and male facial hair growth
M.J.G. FARTHING1,*, A.M. MATTEI1, C.R.W. EDWARDS2, A.M. DAWSON1
Article first published online: 29 JUL 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1982.tb00406.x

Linear facial hair growth and the density of facial hair were measured by a photographic method and their relationship to plasma testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentra tions was examined in twelve healthy men. In addition, we investigated eight men with coeliac disease in whom we had previously demonstrated reversible androgen resistance. The divergence of plasma T (increased) and DHT (decreased) concentrations in this condition enabled examination of possible independent actions of these androgens on facial hair growth.

Linear facial hair growth was significantly reduced in coeliac patients compared with controls and correlated with plasma DHT but not with plasma T concentration. Conversely, hair density was significantly greater in coeliacs than controls and correlated only with plasma T concentration. These abnormalities of facial hair growth and hair density appeared more marked in treated patients receiving a gluten-free diet.

These findings suggest that T and DHT may have independent roles in the control of male facial hair growth, i.e. T for hair follicle priming and DHT for promotion of linear growth. The relationship between hair growth abnormalities in coeliac disease and withdrawal of dietary gluten requires further investigation.

Now here's a kicker. Hairy legs seem to correlate with higher E2 levels! hah

Sex hormone levels and body hair growth in !Kung San and Kavango men from Namibia.
Winkler EM, Christiansen K.

Institut für Humanbiologie, University of Vienna, Austria.
Abstract
The relation between hair growth and levels of sex hormones in serum and saliva was investigated in 256 !Kung San and Kavango men (ages 18 to 39 years) from Namibia/Southern Africa. Serum concentrations of total testosterone (Tser), 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and estradiol (E2) as well as the level of bioavailable non-SHBG-bound testosterone in the saliva (Tsal) were determined by radioimmunoassay. The distribution and density of scalp and facial hair as well as the development of terminal hair on the chest, abdomen, pubic area, arms, fingers, and legs were categorized using objective criteria. Covariance analyses revealed marked differences in the distribution of body hair in the San and the Negro sample. This is partly explained by a significant influence of androgen and estrogen levels on the growth of terminal hair. DHT and the ratio DHT/Tser are significantly positively related to midphalangeal hair growth and negatively to pubic hair development. Tsal, the bioavailable fraction of total testosterone, exerts a weak positive influence on the degree of arm and leg hair growth; the most significant positive effect on the growth of abdominal, arm, and leg hair in our samples is caused by E2. The ratio Tser/E2 correlates significantly negatively with the arm and leg hair development and the ratio DHT/E2 with the degree of abdominal, pubic, arm, and leg hair, whereas lower DHT concentrations occur in men with stronger hair development.

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

Thanks for the replies. But in theory this makes absolutely no sense. DHT is what promotes beard growth. Propecia inhibits the change of testosterone into DHT, if I'm correct.
Can any more folks who take Propecia and grow beards weigh in on this??

There are a few studies that show beard growth responds to T more than it does DHT, which explains some reports of accelerated beard growth but slower body hair growth.

It's quite the confusing topic, but honestly facial and body hair are not going to be affected for most people.

 

[abcdefg]

I think T and DHT both play roles in it but I also I think a big part is stopping those before the hair growth it may not be a reversible process much like male pattern baldness. If you removed androgens before it happened you probably would not get any facial hair and most men with Norwood 0 at age 40 have very little facial hair because most men are susceptible to androgens over time so it makes sense Norwood 0 at late age have little androgens.