40 Comments
 

Yes, fin works. It is the only solution to male pattern baldness and works better when combined with minoxidil.

You may get sides. I think I did, not immediately, but after 2 years. They weren’t as noticeable as you might think, but the best way I could describe it was that I felt 95% myself in terms of motivation, happiness with anything etc.

Switched to topical fin and feel completely better. Look into it.

 

Heard topical fin wasn't FDA approved, can you find a good doctor to prescribe it and is it safe?

Also I know docs before transplants want you to be on fin for 1yr and then afterwards for life. Can you use topical fin in both circumstances? I'd be fine even doing fin for life if was 1x a day and topical, the potential side effects from oral fin are just a non-starter for me

 
Controversial

This comment is not necessarily for the OP.  Before anyone take these drugs, it would be a better idea to first pursue natural remedies like increasing protein consumption, using shampoo that is natural and not loaded with harsh chemicals.  Have you ever looked at the typical bottle of shampoo or conditioner?  They are typically loaded with stuff I can't even pronounce.  You can also try taking some biotin, which in some people helps hair growth.  If you have bad hair genes, none of this may help but it is worth a try. 

 
greyarea23

Your eastern medicine witchcraft can't cure genetics lol

Yeah, genetics are strong and you have to be kind of lucky because one side of your family might have great hair while the other side could be balding at a very young age.   

 

I wonder how someone like Matthew McConaughey kept his hair. I remember seeing some old pictures of him form the early 2000s and he was balding noticeably but now he has a perfect head of hair. I wonder if he’s wearing a hair piece? Anyway, from what I’ve read, sides are pretty rare on fin and there was a study done that showed 85% of men maintained their hair after 10 years on fin. Dutasertide is more powerful and probably best to talk dermatologist about all of this so they can help come up with a treatment plan.

 

Lebron, Elon

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Try topical minoxidil mixed with finasteride - less side effects. This route is more popular outside the US but seems to be gaining traction (here). Couple of decent peer reviewed studies out there.

 

Check our More Plates More Dates - Derek has some great info and analysis. Finasteride + derma needling + ketoconazole shampoo + RU58841 seems like a pretty effective stack

 
Most Helpful

Look at MPMD, more plates more dates on youtube. Pretty sure he has several videos on this topic. I watch his videos frequently for supplementation and hormonal information, but not so much hair loss as I haven't yet experienced that. He will be the go to when the time comes though. Good luck. 

 

Give Dutasteride a shot if you haven't, but as always, keep an eye on sides.    

If you're not experiencing any regrowth, only a total stop or stalling, then you have three options: 

1) Shave and be done with it 

2) Continue with meds, but keep it short and neat. 

3) Get a HT, and continue with meds. This should buy you a good 10-15-20 years, depending on results.  

I see a lot of people doing microneedling now, but it's hard to say what works - as they're all also doing the big 2-3. But many swear to microneedling. 

Pyrilutamide by Kintor has moved to Phase III clinical testing yesterday, so if everything goes well there - that could mean it hitting the market in a couple of years.  

I know the field has been in a perpetual state of "in 5 years, there will be a cure" for decades now, but it finally feels like things are starting to gain momentum. 
 

 

I had some of the hallmark side effects and stopped after 5-6 months due to them.  Everything returned back to normal shortly after.  My derm, who is pretty young and experimental, prescribed oral minoxidil and I've had moderate results (with zero side effects and no liquid/foam mess in my hair).  Not the most effective of all time but it's insanely cheap, i can see somewhat of a difference, and it's easy.

 

I would just get a hair transplant. All of the celebrities get it Elon Musk, Machine gun Kelly, Matthew Mcconaughey, James Franco etc. The side effects aren't worth it in my opinion. Also try nioxin. They have different levels of balding shampoo, conditioner and scalp spray that helps a lot. 

 
Funniest
thebrofessor

fight mother nature all you want, she's undefeated however and fucking with your endocrine system for egotistical reasons has more potential downside than upside.

source: I've been balding since 19 and have been 100% bald since 25 and have been hit on by chicks as young as 20 throughout. hair matters WAY less than you think it does

Sounds like this is coming from non-alien headshape privledge tbh 

 

thebrofessor

fight mother nature all you want, she's undefeated however and fucking with your endocrine system for egotistical reasons has more potential downside than upside.

source: I've been balding since 19 and have been 100% bald since 25 and have been hit on by chicks as young as 20 throughout. hair matters WAY less than you think it does

I agree with you on the chemical stuff and it is great that you have been able rock the bald look but losing hair can be rough on a younger guy, hence why we have lots of topics dedicated to hair on WSO.  Not everyone is going to have the confidence to shave it off.  I think to pull it off, you need to have good body. A friend of mine who was a quasi body builder, shaved it off at about 30 and never looked back.  The look works on him

 

so your solution to someone who lacks confidence is to take a drug to stave off the inevitable? I've been balding since 19, it doesn't get much younger than that, agree to disagree sir

rather, I'd say do what you're suggesting in a roundabout way - get a better body and build more confidence (the body will help). also disagree that you need to be a bodybuilder, my body looks more like an out of camp FW/LW MMA fighter or pro surfer, so you don't need to be the Rock to pull it off, but being fit will help everything, including confidence

 

It’s funny. I have hair but balding, but people assume I’m mid 20s (late 30s).

If I shave completely I get carded, go figure.

Go bald, lift, and relax. I screwed around with finasteride, minox, and other drug therapies for hairloss over the years. Ain’t worth it. Took months before ED recovered, along with heart issues from minoxidil.

Fun fact - shaved heads are considered masculine in nature.

 

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