Anyone have experience with finasteride / propecia / proscar

[HH]

I was doing some research these past 2 weeks on using one of these products to help out the thinning/shedding of my hair. Most of the research ive come across was mixed: Being that some say it lowers your libido drastically, and can sometimes be permanent. Ive read experiences that say you must take these products for a lifetime of your results will be long gone and you will be back at square one...


With that being said, i would like to hear first hand experiences using such products and the results you have gained from them.

 

[username1]

Just like most drugs it varies from person to person. Cashout has been using it for 17 years (I believe) with no side effects. I think there are reports out there with it causing issues with libido, again varies person to person and I have also heard that you have to take it for the rest of your life or once you stop the hair that you would have lost without it, you will start losing it. I started taking it when I started my first blast and I didn't notice any side effects as far as libido is concerned but, after realizing that you have to take it forever, and then I also heard that it can hinder your gains (could be bro science) so I just said fuck it and made up my mind to shave my head once I start losing it. I'm already getting grey hair and I don't like my grey hair so might as well just get rid of it all. Anyway as it is I trim my head to a 0 so not like I'm that far away from just completely shaving it. Plus it has no effect on 19-nors and I want to run NPP in the future, so another reason I just said fuck it.

 

[Christosterone]

I know for bph issues, it takes awhile to kick in, and using Dht derivatives, this won't work for hairloss I believe

 

[DF]

You may want to do a search on here. I know Cashout has posted on this topic as he has been using it for years.

 

[63Vette]

I know for bph issues, it takes awhile to kick in, and using Dht derivatives, this won't work for hairloss I believe

There are a couple of shampoos we talked about here specifically for the DHT derivatives. I cannot for the life of me find the thread and wanted to know what the ingredient was that started with a "K" to look for.... do you remember Chris??

OP- yes, you have to stay on it... there are oral solutions as well.... in addition to the rare, but possible, side effects you have the cost and inconvenience. BUT, the killer for me was it ONLY treats the monk cap (MPB) area in the back top of your head (cowlick region). I am thinning all along the top so I have held off thus far.

I would love to read more about this so I hope Cashout will post up for us. I don;t mind if my hair turns grey, I just don't want it to turn loose! lol

Much Respect,
Vette

 

[Cashout]

Here is the summary version of what I have written over the years on this subject. Someone may want to pin it to save me the trouble of repeating myself over and over in the future.

I’ve used finasteride for almost 18 consecutive years now. I started using it in 1994 as a participant in the Phase III clinical trials for the drug as a hair loss preventative.

To date, there have been more than 16,000 subjects studied in 254 peer-reviewed, double-blind, placebo-controlled, studies. I’ve read them all and from that sizable population base, I can tell you the following things.

1) Like all drugs, there exists the potential for side effects. With this drug, sexual dysfunction is one of those reported side effects. The incident of sexual side effects in otherwise healthy men is low – approximately 3% was the reported incident of occurrence of reported sexual side effects. This figure comes from a meta-analysis of the reported side effects of users of the drugs. The report of sexual side effects increase in men who are not healthy prior to using the drug – i.e. overweight, smokers, drinkers, unhealthy diet, non-exercisers. Interesting the highest report of sexual side effects reports comes from men who reported sexual function issues prior to ever using the drug (well duh!)

2) The drug works to inhibit the reduction of testosterone to DHT by binding to the 5-AR enzyme. It works on for testosterone and will offer no protection regarding hair loss against other androgens that do not undergo 5-AR reduction. Similarly, finasteride actually increases the androgenicity of nandrolone compounds that interact with the 5-AR to reduce to a less androgenic compound dihydronandrolone (DHN). So, it is not particularly useful to use finasteride in conjunction with nandrolone bases.

3) Finasteride will prevent the loss and in many cases stimulate the regrowth of hair on all areas of the head. The hairs that fall out of the head (terminal follicles) do to MPB do so because of scaring of the follicle from excessive binding of androgens to the androgen receptors on the follicle. This is a cumulative process and occurs over time. If you stop taking finasteride, your hair doesn’t just fall out. The normal process of scarring resumes and your hair will fall out once the follicle is scarred sufficiently to inhibit the growth of hair. Using finasteride only “pauses” the normal process while you take it.

4) The normal dosage is 1 mg daily. I always suggest that you ask you physician for a script for 5 mg Proscar. It is a generic version of finasteride and therefore much cheaper. You can then take the 5mg tabs and cut them into 4 pieces and take 1.25 mgs daily. Also there is no real benefit to taking higher dosages of finasteride than 1 to 1.25 mgs daily. At 1 mg daily, finasteride reduces the conversion of test to DHT by about 70%. That is more than enough to greatly impact the negative impact of DHT on the hair.

5) There is no reason that one should use Avodart as opposed to finasteride. Yes, Avodart is much more powerful 5-AR inhibitor but more power is not necessary to accomplish the goal of maintaining your hair. I can give a lengthy and detailed pharmacological explanation for this but for time, I won’t do it here.

6) Using finasteride will not reduce gains. The theory that has been put forth is that it reduces DHT and DHT is need to stimulate muscle contractions. True. Remember, finasteride dosen’t eliminate all DHT – in fact it only reduces one iso-enzyme type of DHT. Long story short, there is still plenty of DHT in the body to facilitate the required neuromuscular processes.

7) Finasteride can be used with other hair prevention products. From my own experiences and the many studies I’ve read, the combination of Rogaine and finasteride offers the greatest measurable effect for both hair regrowth and loss prevention.

8) Lastly, you will find lots of “information” on the web that reports all the negative issues associated with the use of finasteride. As you read this “information” consider the source and what they have to sell you. Most of the sites that I’ve seen hopping up the negatives of finasteride are offering some alternative product on their site so they themselves can make a buck. Base your decisions on the science available – read the studies for yourselves – there are literally 250+ studies by independent researchers like me.

So those are some summary points from my research and 18 years of personal experience. I hope provides you some support in your decision making regarding the use of finasteride.

 

[username1]

There are a couple of shampoos we talked about here specifically for the DHT derivatives. I cannot for the life of me find the thread and wanted to know what the ingredient was that started with a "K" to look for.... do you remember Chris??

Ketoconazole. Nizoral 2% has it, I've been using it not sure if it really works or not but, most people seem to be satisfied with it so I just use it but, not expecting much. If you get Nizoral you have to be sure it's the 2% since in US it's only scripted now, you can't find 2% OTC anymore. I get mine from ebay.co.uk get it shipped to the US.