Losing hair fast on trt - considering finasteride

[mac34]

For the last 2 months I noticed hair all over the top of my head thin out more and more. It's common I see a hair or 2 go away with the water as I wash my head. One month ago I started using rogeine and nizoral, though just like I thought, they don't help at all.

I was a bit concerned about using Finasteride. I've got pretty bad issues with conversion to E2, if it increases it even more, then I would definitely need to add an AI to my TRT and run it for life. I just think, what could be the effects long term of using all these drugs for life?

Is it a no brainer if I don't want to get bald, or is it something I should think twice about? I'm willing to experiment with the side effects such as libido loss and just cut it off if it happens, stay if it's all good. But what I'm mainly concerned is, just running so many compounds day to day for life couldn't be healthy, could it?

By the way, is libido loss caused only be elevated E2 levels? Or is there some other mechanism at play?

Also, if I jump on Finasteride and keep using Rogeine, will some hair regrow?

[kelkel]

Did you see this thread by chance?

https://forums.steroid.com/hormone-r...ml#post7455707

Just saw that you did! Nevermind!

Yes, elevated E2 can cause libido issues in some men. Not all.
Studies have shown some hair regrowth over time with Fina.

[mac34]

It caused me problems, that I'm sure of. I was asking more like, if I maintain E2 in check with finasteride, should I worry about any libido side effects or are they only caused by elevated E2?

[mac34]

I switched from 40mg E3D to 20mg EOD, I didn't get finasteride yet but it seems like my hair loss stopped. It must have been the spike of T levels that caused the biggest damage.

Though honestly the former dose of 40mg felt better. But I have plenty of things to do, like adding HCG, and getting E2 in check. I will keep experimenting,

By the way, if I shoot some 300iu of HCG 3x per week, or whatever is recommended. Can it have significant impact on T levels?

[Youthful55guy]

I switched from 40mg E3D to 20mg EOD, I didn't get finasteride yet but it seems like my hair loss stopped. It must have been the spike of T levels that caused the biggest damage.

Though honestly the former dose of 40mg felt better. But I have plenty of things to do, like adding HCG, and getting E2 in check. I will keep experimenting,

By the way, if I shoot some 300iu of HCG 3x per week, or whatever is recommended. Can it have significant impact on T levels?

I think we've discussed this in another thread. I would not be adjusting T dose on the basis of a subjective assessment of hair loss. The rate of hair loss cannot be easily quantified. You are much better off basing on T dose on getting Free T levels into the desired range and simultaneously monitoring DHT (the driver of hair loss). Once Free T is optimized, layer in DHT control with finasteride, I would start with 0.5 mg topically in a minoxidil base 2X per day (1.0 mg total per day). Monitor DHT again after about 4 weeks and then layer in low dose oral finasteride if DHT levels persist above normal levels. Be careful how low you drive DHT because it's an important hormone for libido in men.

900 IU of HCG will probably increase T levels somewhere between 100 to 300 ng/dL. The effect varies depending on individual response. This is why you should monitor Free T levels again after layering HCG. You may need to adjust your T dose to compensate.

[mac34]

I think we've discussed this in another thread. I would not be adjusting T dose on the basis of a subjective assessment of hair loss. The rate of hair loss cannot be easily quantified. You are much better off basing on T dose on getting Free T levels into the desired range and simultaneously monitoring DHT (the driver of hair loss). Once Free T is optimized, layer in DHT control with finasteride, I would start with 0.5 mg topically in a minoxidil base 2X per day (1.0 mg total per day). Monitor DHT again after about 4 weeks and then layer in low dose oral finasteride if DHT levels persist above normal levels. Be careful how low you drive DHT because it's an important hormone for libido in men.

900 IU of HCG will probably increase T levels somewhere between 100 to 300 ng/dL. The effect varies depending on individual response. This is why you should monitor Free T levels again after layering HCG. You may need to adjust your T dose to compensate.

Thanks. That seems like the right way to do it certainly. For now I'm happy that making the injections more frequent and doses a little smaller reduced the problem.

The only problem is that 1mg propecia tablets will be the best I can get. I don't think there's any topical finasteride available in my country.


In the other thread you mentioned that it is possible to make a liquid with the crashed finasteride method for topical use. But you also mentioned that you can dissolve a tablet in vodka for precise oral dosing.

Could I just use the "daily eye dropper method for oral dosing" to make a finasteride liquid and then mix it with minoxidil? Or is the crushed method necessary?

[Youthful55guy]

Could I just use the "daily eye dropper method for oral dosing" to make a finasteride liquid and then mix it with minoxidil? Or is the crushed method necessary?

Yes. I do both. I dose 1 mg per day topically (in 2 divided doses AM and PM) and 0.5 mg orally without the minoxidil (in 2 divided doses AM and PM). HOWEVER, I am using a larger dose of T than you are because I have very high SHBG. I suggest you simply skip the oral dosing at your level of T.

[mac34]

Yes. I do both. I dose 1 mg per day topically (in 2 divided doses AM and PM) and 0.5 mg orally without the minoxidil (in 2 divided doses AM and PM). HOWEVER, I am using a larger dose of T than you are because I have very high SHBG. I suggest you simply skip the oral dosing at your level of T.

What I meant is if I can use the liquid oral solution to apply on hair? Since I don't imagine I could get the liquid or powdered finasteride.

[Youthful55guy]

What I meant is if I can use the liquid oral solution to apply on hair? Since I don't imagine I could get the liquid or powdered finasteride.

You can't just use pure alcohol as the solvent, because it evaporates too fast. You'll will end up with flakes of finasteride on your scalp that will never be absorbed.

Here's a protocol for making your own that I found on line. It's not how I do it, but it looks reasonable.

Use 5 mg finasteride pills (Proscar). You will need to pulverize 12 pills and then put the powder into a bottle of 60 ml minoxidil solution. Shake it very hard for 10 minutes. Let the bottle stand still for overnight and pour the clear solution to another bottle for use. The reason why it is recommended to dissolve the powder into a minoxidil solution is that it has right solvent that ensures the good absorption of the topical finasteride.

I've not tried this method but I think it might work. Liquid minoxidil (Rogain or some generic) should be easy to find.

[mac34]

Thank you. If I try it, I will let you know.

For now I don't have Finasteride yet. Worse problem is I put off blood work because the lab in my town was so convenient compared to others I tried in big cities, and I just realized they don't offer Free T or DHT. So I will need like 2-3 weeks before I return to a bigger city with more labs.

But the lesson for me now is, that it's a huge difference with E2D vs. E3D dosing and the spikes and hair loss. I think it is not a coincidence. Sure it will be better to look at the levels, but for now it works great as a quick fix.

[mac34]

Update: I started to notice hair falling out again. I think it could be that since I lowered the T dose and increased the frequency, it simply took more time to kick in the same increase T and DHT levels. I will check dht as soon as I can and if it's above the range I will get oral finasteride to try maintain it within range and see if the fall out stops. If it's within range or not too far above range, I will try to prepare topical solution to reduce chances of sexual side effects.

[mac34]

Sure I will. Actually I was at a generic doctor today to discuss a cough issue. Using the occasion I asked him about hair loss treatment. He didn't refer me to a specialist or anything (until I asked). He's take on it was "hair loss is caused by testosterone" and that "hair transplants work pretty good", and when I mentioned to him I'd like to get a medicine to prevent hair loss - he said "that there are no meds for it. If there were, nobody would be losing hair". I was just like "aha".

Maybe these hair loss meds aren't that popular in my part of the world, but it's pretty common occasion when you know more about the topic than the doctor (because you can research the specific issue deeply and care about it more than your doc) , and it especially goes to topics we discuss here. Something is broken in that industry. Just give us the ability to self-prescribe, cut out the middleman!

[Youthful55guy]

Sure I will. Actually I was at a generic doctor today to discuss a cough issue. Using the occasion I asked him about hair loss treatment. He didn't refer me to a specialist or anything (until I asked). He's take on it was "hair loss is caused by testosterone" and that "hair transplants work pretty good", and when I mentioned to him I'd like to get a medicine to prevent hair loss - he said "that there are no meds for it. If there were, nobody would be losing hair". I was just like "aha".

Maybe these hair loss meds aren't that popular in my part of the world, but it's pretty common occasion when you know more about the topic than the doctor (because you can research the specific issue deeply and care about it more than your doc) , and it especially goes to topics we discuss here. Something is broken in that industry. Just give us the ability to self-prescribe, cut out the middleman!

Your doc is not up to date. Propecia (1mg finasteride by Merk) is available pretty much world-wide (and I know in Europe) with the approved indication of preventing hair loss. Finasteride is also available is a 5mg tablet by a variety of manufacturers with indications for BPH (prostate treatment). I don't think the higher doses carry a hair-loss indication.

[mac34]

I noticed my hair stopped falling out again. I couldn't get to check my DHT levels yet. But I did T levels, and it seems like I have 70% more total T than the maximum of the natural range (13.6 compared to 8, in scale 2.8-8). So I have plenty of room to come down on T, if hair don't fall out now, it surely won't when I lower T dosages by 30 or 50%. I have yet to see Free T results, but I think they will be ok, since I have low shbg.

I think my problem was the "high" dosages ran every 3-4 days. Those 40mg was a very high dose for me apparently. Everyone works different. That, or maybe the ugl lab made a typo with the gear concentration