Hair Loss, Parts I, II, and more

[Puc]

buffdoc... i have a quick one for you...

Are there noticeable variances in the effects of finasteride when you deviate from the recommended 1mg/day dose?

To what extent is more better, and to what extent is less effective?

Also, I have been on 1mg/day of finasteride for three years. When I first started taking it, i was a limp biscuit. The side effects subsided after about 9 months. I have had no sides since with the exception of a mild lessening of libido (not performance, though).

BUT, i think the 3% figure is Merck's. 3% that have complete loss of sexual function, perhaps, but a much higher percent will experience some sexual side effects (loss of libido, etc.).

 

[Puc]

sorry to bump a sticky, but i would like to hear from buffdoc and for some reason the topic list still has him listed as the last poster, so i doubt he knows there is a question waiting.

 

[buffdoc]

buffdoc... i have a quick one for you...

Are there noticeable variances in the effects of finasteride when you deviate from the recommended 1mg/day dose?

To what extent is more better, and to what extent is less effective?

Also, I have been on 1mg/day of finasteride for three years. When I first started taking it, i was a limp biscuit. The side effects subsided after about 9 months. I have had no sides since with the exception of a mild lessening of libido (not performance, though).

BUT, i think the 3% figure is Merck's. 3% that have complete loss of sexual function, perhaps, but a much higher percent will experience some sexual side effects (loss of libido, etc.).

Hey bro,
It seems that with higher doses, eg, 2.5 or 5 mg per day, the results in terms of hair loss were not significantly better, sides were higher. In fact, some docs, including my teacher/mentor, will often recommend EOD or even 2-3X/week dosing at 1 mg. He will do this especially if the person is experiencing sides.
Yeah, I've often wondered about Merck's sides reporting; I have no great trust in drug company ethics! This is one of the reasons I've been hesitant to recommend Glaxo's dutasteride (possibility of worse sides, definitely much longer half life than finasteride).
Now, the 3% was ANY sexual dysfunction, and I believe there was a lower (1-2%?) incidence of erectile dsyfunction. Don't have the data right here in front of me. Also, there was a fairly brisk pass-through: those with sexual sides who continued the med, had the sides resolve pretty quickly (unlike you). In my experience w/ patients, and with my self (I take 1mg ED), sides are pretty low.
In you case, I'd have switched you to EOD strightaway, and seen what happened.
There was a guy on this or another board who argued me blue in the face that dutasteride was a much more powerful 5AR inhibitor, (which it IS), and would therefore be hands-down the better drug. Sides did not seem to be much of an issue w/ him. I wish he could talk to you.
In short, however, there is some dose-dependency in side effects.

 

[drveejay11]

What's up Buffdoc

How long away did you say cloning would be availible? 5 years?

 

[Puc]

I doubt the 3% because of the 4 people who i know who used it, all had at least minor sides and 2 (including myself) went limp for a time.

Oh well... it sucked for a couple months, but it 3 years later, and my hair loss has slowed to a crawl. If I wouldn't have done it, i might have popped a couple more girls then, but i would not be now.

 

[buffdoc]

What's up Buffdoc

How long away did you say cloning would be availible? 5 years?

Yeah, roughly, from what I got at the last meeting ( and this was from the research scientists, not from some clinical doc's website who's trying to make a name for himself). That will be so cool, because, at this point, what limits our ability as transplant surgeons in giving men, even very young men, the DENSITY they want, is the finite nature of the donor area. There is only a limited number of follicular units that can be taken from the back and sides before THAT area will begin to look thin!
Cloning will mean that a very small sample of the donor area will give an unlimited supply of folliular units, and of whatever makeup (1, 2, 3, 4 hair units) desired, for transplantation to the affected areas in the hairline, frontal, and crown areas! Whoa!
The sobering caveat here is this (and this is what these guys out there telling me transplants are obsolete, etc, forget): once cloning is a reality, we will need to go through the process of figuring out how to get appropriate directionality of hair growth. This is of supreme importance in achieving an aesthetic transplant! Imagine hair growing in randome directions, or worse, growing backwards in the frontal region, or upwards in the crown, without the nromal "spiral" we see at the vertex. And we'll need to learn the best way of placing the grafts. This is all new territory for hair surgeons. Exciting, though, huh?

 

[nizoralman]

hair loss and proscar

Hi,

Sexual Dysfunction was a major side effect when I was using proscar. I still use proscar on occasion, but only when useing a high dose of test.(to protect the prostrate)
I have found a combination azelaic acid, spironolactone, and nizoral shampoo to be better than proscar.

Nizoral Man
[email protected]
http://www.wholesalehairproducts.com/

 

[buffdoc]

Re: hair loss and proscar

Hi,

Sexual Dysfunction was a major side effect when I was using proscar. I still use proscar on occasion, but only when useing a high dose of test.(to protect the prostrate)
I have found a combination azelaic acid, spironolactone, and nizoral shampoo to be better than proscar.

Nizoral Man
[email protected]
http://www.wholesalehairproducts.com/

Hi,
I've been to your website. I use finasteride, w/out problems, but I know some do have sides. I also use Nizoral. I'm interested in the others. My colleagues in the hair specialty tend to say the topical are worthless, w/ the possible exception of Nizoral (a lot of them recommend it); I'm not one to dismiss treatments out of hand due to lack of "acceptable" studies, I've learned how counterproductive that can be in my alternative medicine practice. Do you have some info for me on topical spiro and aa that I could read up on? I understand the theory, at least with spiro, but would like to educate myself, for my own benefit and that of my hair loss patients.
Thanks in advance

 

[drveejay11]

Exciting, though, huh?

Yes.........except for the fact it will be another 5 years!

Thanks Buff

 

[nizoralman]

Hair loss

BuffDoc,


There are quite a few abstracts on PubMed regarding spironolactone and AA. Unfortunately, most are concerning the treatment of acne, not MPB. However, a good number of studies show the ability of these compounds to inhibit DHT when applied topically.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2972662&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2150020&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3155605&dopt=Abstract


Topical Spironolactone and the lack of systemic side effects:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3411088&dopt=Abstract

Hopefully, studies will be performed in the future to help evaluate the effectiveness. Meanwhile, we will have to rely on the empirical evidence from others whole are using these compounds.

Nizoral Man