Realistically, What Are Chances dutasteride Will Work After 8 Years On finasteride?

[Wave]

To keep this short, I started finasteride 1 - 1.5 mg/day in 2008 (I split up a 5 mg finast tablet). It only took about 6-7 months for it to stop my hair from receding further and shedding. I've maintained brilliantly over the last 8 years. Over the last two years or so, however, I have noticed an increase in the amount of shedding. Mostly in the frontal areas, but throughout the crown as well. I do want to note that during these last two years of increased shedding, my hairline has NOT receded one bit. I find this odd as I am thinning out overall and I was receding before I started taking finasteride. What do you think the reason for that is?

Anyway, so here I am, 8 years later. I decided to add dutasteride to my regimen in October 2015. It's been about 9 months so far on it, 0.5 mg/day without missing a beat (I have continued to take 1 mg of finasteride/day in fear of messing up what I know has worked). Unfortunately, 9 months later, my shedding continues and with no sign of stopping. I'm still thinning out overall, mostly in the front area. There is mild itching in trouble spots of the hair. My beard growth has slowed along with chest hair. This is something I noticed when I first started taking finasteride and that turned out to mean it was working. And still surprisingly, my hairline is NOT receding.

So should I continue to give dutasteride 3-5 more months? Or am I just going to have to accept that my hair loss will continue and deal with it?

 

[Roberto_72]

Over the last two years or so, however, I have noticed an increase in the amount of shedding

I'm not sure "shedding" is the right term. "Shedding" typically occurs when you start a new regimen that, during the first months from inception, "synchronizes" the life cycle of the hair. Maybe just your body is not responding to finasteride like at the beginning? Hope I'm wrong though.

As @WangMQ witnessed in his thread, it's possible that your body started responding differently to finasteride (and somehow contrasted it).

If your body is prepared "against" finasteride, maybe it is prepared against dutasteride, though...

Maybe some pics would help?

 

[JHCL1990]

To keep this short, I started finasteride 1 - 1.5 mg/day in 2008 (I split up a 5 mg finast tablet). It only took about 6-7 months for it to stop my hair from receding further and shedding. I've maintained brilliantly over the last 8 years. Over the last two years or so, however, I have noticed an increase in the amount of shedding. Mostly in the frontal areas, but throughout the crown as well. I do want to note that during these last two years of increased shedding, my hairline has NOT receded one bit. I find this odd as I am thinning out overall and I was receding before I started taking finasteride. What do you think the reason for that is?

Anyway, so here I am, 8 years later. I decided to add dutasteride to my regimen in October 2015. It's been about 9 months so far on it, 0.5 mg/day without missing a beat (I have continued to take 1 mg of finasteride/day in fear of messing up what I know has worked). Unfortunately, 9 months later, my shedding continues and with no sign of stopping. I'm still thinning out overall, mostly in the front area. There is mild itching in trouble spots of the hair. My beard growth has slowed along with chest hair. This is something I noticed when I first started taking finasteride and that turned out to mean it was working. And still surprisingly, my hairline is NOT receding.

So should I continue to give dutasteride 3-5 more months? Or am I just going to have to accept that my hair loss will continue and deal with it?

It's supposed to be more effective. The main thing, though, is that you're already on it, so whether or not your hairloss is continuing is kind of irrelevant in terms of whether or not you should continue. You might as well stay on it, because if you stop you'll just lose your hair even quicker.

 

[Wave]

I'm not sure "shedding" is the right term. "Shedding" typically occurs when you start a new regimen that, during the first months from inception, "synchronizes" the life cycle of the hair. Maybe just your body is not responding to finasteride like at the beginning? Hope I'm wrong though.

As @WangMQ witnessed in his thread, it's possible that your body started responding differently to finasteride (and somehow contrasted it).

If your body is prepared "against" finasteride, maybe it is prepared against dutasteride, though...

Maybe some pics would help?

Thanks, I have uploaded some pictures to my original post.

 

[Roberto_72]

Thanks, I have uploaded some pictures to my original post.

I see some thinning but to a very minor extent.
I would go on with dutasteride

 

[Wave]

Thanks. I've been on dutasteride for the last 9 months. But still no sign of hair loss stopping. I've continued to take my 1 mg/day of finasteride.

The main question I had is if I should hope for a cessation of hair loss after 12+ months on it. And what JHCL1990 said is right, I might as well keep taking it regardless of whether or not it'll help. But at this point, I'd like to hear from others to see if they have any similar experiences.

Would adding RU help?

 

[salamander]

Your hair looks great! Can I ask though, has one side of your hairline always been a bit 'deeper' than the other side?

I ask as my frontal hairline is pretty much exactly like yours. I have a normal hairline on left side but the right size is a bit deeper.

What hairstyle do you go with and how old are you?

Thanks

 

[Wave]

Thanks

Your hair looks great! Can I ask though, has one side of your hairline always been a bit 'deeper' than the other side?

I ask as my frontal hairline is pretty much exactly like yours. I have a normal hairline on left side but the right size is a bit deeper.

What hairstyle do you go with and how old are you?

Thanks

Nope, before I started receding, they were both pretty much even. However, when it started receding, only one side would recede at a time. So when finasteride finally kicked in, one side remained receded further back.

I usually do a comb-over to the right side and then keep the two sides and the back short. I'm 30 years old.

 

[abcdefg]

I would just stay on dutasteride you cant really do more then that for male pattern baldness anyways. Just give it time and dont obsess over it. You have pictures so get out of here and take pictures in a year to gauge your progress. You cant count hairs everyday or every week compare hairs shed. It works in terms of years not weeks or months your in this for the very long haul.
IMO after 8 years your hair is probably just getting more sensitive to androgens as you get older. Probably not anything more then that. The front and temples are the most sensitive and its possible testosterone plays a more important role for temples/frontal hairline where things like propecia work, but not as well.

 

[abovedagame]

I think your hair looks great. I might give dutasteride one more shot but try your method (using finasteride and dutasteride both).

Do you take them at the same time?

Brand name avodart?

Are you taking dutasteride daily?

Any sides?

 

[Wave]

I think your hair looks great. I might give dutasteride one more shot but try your method (using finasteride and dutasteride both).

Do you take them at the same time?

Brand name avodart?

Are you taking dutasteride daily?

Any sides?

Thank you. Yes, relatively, my hair does look good, however it has looked better. I know many of you see my hair as great, and believe me, I do too, but I don't want it to get worse. I caught it super early and jumped on finasteride. I would for sure be almost bald over the last 8 years if I hadn't jumped on finasteride.

I usually take dutasteride in the morning, then finasteride in the afternoon or evening.
I use generic duprost from Inhouse.
I take 0.5 mg of dutasteride daily along with 1.25 mg of finasteride daily

Sides? No sexual sides, perhaps better sex drive, but could be the same, can't tell. Beard growth has slowed a little and appears little thinner, but not significant. Same with chest hair. Balls ache every now and then, but nothing too severe.

If after 12 months my hair doesn't show any signs of improvement, I might give RU a shot. Crossing my fingers I don't have to resort to topicals.