Just a correction but in the *20 year follow up of participants in the Prosate Cancer Prevention Trial in 2019, it was found that high Gleason score cancers were in fact not associated with long term finasteride use as had been previously claimed after a much more earlier followup of participants in the trial. *EDIT: correction 18 years
@@drgarylinkov Goodman, Phyllis J et al. “Long-Term Effects of Finasteride on Prostate Cancer Mortality.” The New England journal of medicine vol. 380,4 (2019): 393-394. doi:10.1056/NEJMc1809961 In regards to the 18.4 year follow-up the authors had this to say about patient outcomes: "The early concerns regarding an association between finasteride and an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer have not been borne out."
My understanding (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that it's not that finasteride is causing high-grade prostate cancer, but rather it can mask detection and you should let your doctor know you're on finasteride so they can adjust for that in a prostate exam.
I think bald men are handsome,but to all men who aren't comfortable with hair loss,I'm sorry society made it a bad thing,but I hope whatever hair journey you choose , it works for you the way you want. Thank you to the plastic surgeon who helped after my car accident,I feel we don't thank a skilled surgeon enough.
I started noticing my hair thinning when I turned 30. Tried minoxidil for over a couple years but it didn’t really help me and my anxiety over my hair loss kept growing. I’ve been taking finasteride for a couple of years now and although I didn't recovered the fullness of my hair at its prime I’ve been able to retain it, and other people have pointed out a thicker and healthier density. It took me over a year to start noticing results. Hair loss can be very difficult to deal with. There is nothing wrong about either embracing it and adjusting your look or seeking treatment. In any case, it is so important to have information available so people can decide what’s going to help them feel better and happier.
iHola! Luis, you seem to have very full and thick hair and i mean Jewish deep rich dark black and thick. i don't understand. does it thin out on top on just the side.
Yeah rogaine is basically a gimmick, it really shouldn't be used anymore now that we have finasteride....now imagine if you skipped the rogaine and just got on Fin to start....
@@PHlophe, gracias :). I have curly hair which creates the puffy look. I have experienced thinning on the top and receding line, never to the point of creating a bald spot but I could tell the difference as I’ve always had super thick, crazy hair.
@@_baller, indeed my only regret with Finasteride is not having started on it earlier. I do understand that it is not for everyone though, so minoxidil may still be an option for people concerned or affected by fin’s side effects.
@@luisreyes1661 minoxidil isnt a good supplementation, it doesn't stop DHT, so it's a temporary thing like maybe delaying it by a few years, and then you're doomed, better off experimenting with high dose saw palmetto or low dose Fin than minoxidil
This is just a shout-out to you Dr. Grey! This has to be one of the most comprehensive, unbiased and well-balanced academic review's regarding the application of Finasteride for hair loss on youtube. Much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
@@drgarylinkov Dr. Linkov. How many days after hair transplant ( fue) I am able to start with finasteride 1 mg. I am on antibiotics now - 5-7 says after surgery. Thanks a lot. Wish u good luck.
28 years old and been on Finasteride for almost a year now. Absolutely no side effects whatsoever. While i didn't get that miracle reaction we all hope for, it does seem like my hair is pretty much at the same place it was last year so it seemed to have stopped my hair loss. I just started taking Minoxidil as well. Prevention is key!
ive been on it for 15 years..take a multi vitamin and drink water and try and eat healthy..if you feel like your energy etc is low..only way to over ride the side effects is to take a test shot once a week.only have to take 1/16th of the normal dose
I’ve been on finasteride 1mg for 13 years with no side effects since I was 21 years old. It basically stops the rot and your lucky if you get regrowth I wish I would’ve started it at 18 when I started noticing my hair receding and crown thinning as I would’ve saved all my hair
Finasteride regrew most of my hair. I was losing it bad and my intentions was to take it for a while then get a hair transplant. After a year of Finasteride, I no longer needed the transplant. And the second year, even more hair grew. Now I’m on year three and no one believes I was as bald as I was prior to using it. I’ve experienced no side effects.
I have taken 1mg for 10 months now and I have noticed quite some improvement. I am 29 and I started losing my hair when I was 23. Perhaps I would never get back the hair I had when I was younger, but I have noticed new hairs, thicker, and in places I did not have before. Side efects? None yet. - Dr. You are amazing! Love your videos.
@@1994dashi Finasteride, the generic kind. I live in a country in which Propecia is extremly hard to find, and the price can go up three times its regular cost. I purchase the 5mg pill and cut it in 4.
@@berternie6181 Finasteride indirectly regrows hormonal hair loss by lowering DHT, which in return keeps the hair follicle from shrinking and allowing a healthy strand of hair. If your hair loss is genetic balding, I’m not sure Finasteride will work for that cause.
Have had absolutely no adverse side effects from either drug, currently on Avodart and was on finasteride for 20 years. I'm 58 and still need no pharmaceutical help for sex at all....now, my testosterone level last tested was well over 600, which according to this video, may help me. Great job on this content Dr. Linkov.
@@Milk-y I would imagine that is primarily genetic because I don't do anything special that would artificially boost my testosterone; the only part of my lifestyle that helps is that I'm very active, but I do hit the gym 3 to 5 times a week. I also bike and play tennis several times a week as well. Other than that, I wish I could give you more advice but good luck with getting that addressed.
@@Milk-y your testosterone at 200 is terrible. That's a level that a doctor would prescribe you testosterone if you wanted it. Things that can help testosterone: Get enough sleep and sleep at the same time every night. Don't eat a diet that consists of carbs soaked in fat. Don't eat any sugar. Eat meat, green veggies, fruit, saturated fats(animal fats, butter, coconut oil). Exercise 3 times a week at least. Preferably with resistance exercise and some cardio.
@@bobbymoore6013 Appreciate it man, gave me all the advice I needed. You're simply just an active man, always doing something instead of being at home.
@@jtcrook32 I agree it is horrible and my doctor emphasized that too. The reason he didn't recommend TRT was because of how young I was. Wanted to see if I can increase my T naturally before prescribing me anything. The tips you just gave will really help me out, thanks!
I have stopped reading ALL posts about Alopecia on men and have concentrated on Dr.Linkov . AND I have been battling Alopecia for 20+ years . Lately (6 months) as a fluke I was prescribed Finasteride for prostate issues AND after 3 months I am seeing regrowth on crown and front hairline.!!
A brilliant video. Of interest in studies that used a double blind placebo controlled methodology, the placebo group also reported that they experienced side effects. Also I do see merit in taking finsteride for Norwood 6 cases. My opinion is that it will still assist in preventing miniaturization in all hair (the donor region) and can still be of benefit. Thanks for sharing!
The donor region is used because the hairs there typically don't respond to DHT like the hairs on the crown. So transplanted hair will not miniaturize like the hair that was once in its place. In the case of nw6 I don't think you'd see much benefit from taking finasteride. If the person is bellow nw6 and still has a decent amount of hair before transplant, finasteride would be recommended for hair retention of non transplanted hair.
28yo, 1 year on finasterid, no side effects noticed, I had hair loss coming in from the crown and a little at the sides. After a shower I had 50-100 hair laying on the ground and I could see a pattern on my head. Now after 1 year the places that started balding stopped and even show more density, looking good ;)
Dear Dr. Gary, Thank you so much for sharing all of your knowledge and valuable information. It is evident that you are very passionate about what you do and helping others. I worked with cancer patients in hospitals for 21 years and loved my work helping others. It’s so refreshing to see someone who loves what they do and making the world a better place…not just making a living. Thank you for also sharing your personal journey and that of your wife. I believe we are all here for a purpose and it’s really not all about us. Keep up the great work! I look forward to to seeing more of your videos. They are so informative and interesting. Wishing you peace, blessings, success and lots of hair. Sincerely, Kevin LaMartina 👍😊💕🙏
A video on microdosing topical finasteride and your views on it would be interesting. I.e. using it to minimise systemic dht reduction but targeting dht on the scalp. And also your view on how to keep others safe while using it. Partner, kids. Risk of it rubbing off on others somehow via hands through subconscious touching, bedding, furniture etc. I think it's a really important topic for those of us who don't want to use oral fin. Never seen anyone properly cover it.
I like that you take the time and effort to do a thorough literature review. I find that a lot of people form opinions about things based on too little data.
I'm 25 & got a hair transplant in march & started taking finasteride in may. After about a month of taking it I thought I had some side affects so stopped taking it. This video & a visit to my doctor were really reassuring so I'll be back to taking it again asap.
Don’t do it man. U dodged a bullet. I have PFS, it killed everything about me man I swear. I never had issues before whatsoever. The hair surgeon doctors don’t know anything about the brain or endocrinology systems.
@@downo I’m not I swear man. I fully get that it worked for u, but I wish I had died before taking it. It ended most things in my life and maybe soon it’ll end the life itself too.
@@hhhvvdjdjrjdjjx5453 you should be more specific. What drastic changes have you had? Saying that you "never had issues before" suggests the subjectivity in your comment.
I've been on propecia 1mg for 19 years now, never had any side effects and helped me regrow some hair on the crown and keep what I had remaining (I had a small balding spot).
What was your first indication of balding ? I have a full head of hair but feel I've been shedding more than usual I think, wanna hop on as a precaution, my dermatologist is a big proprietor of fin.
@@THOMAS2910able I would say I started noticing greater than usual shedding of my hairs in the shower starting around age 27 or so. Started taking propecia age 29.
The risk of sides, even low, are almost too much for me. The even potential raised risk of high impact prostate cancer for instance is too much. Brain fog, depression, etc also deal-breakers. Hairloss SUCKS, cancer, depression etc suck worse
So I did a lot of research into PFS(post finasteride syndrome) and I’ve come across some people telling stories. First of all, I’ve concluded it’s real as I was previously skeptical. It literally ruins people lives and scary enough for me to never touch the drug, regardless. Some of these men’s stories on RU-vid and the forums are tragic and I truly feel it’s important to give informed consent before giving a patient this drug. I get people are skeptical but please be careful and ask yourself if it’s worth it. Even if it’s a low %
@@dunes1011 I use a Chilean brand, 1mg a day works phenomenal. 90 pills (3 months) cost me around $45 US dollars so It's extremelly cheap for what it does
I started losing my hair around 20 years old, I’m 39 now. I fell into a pretty deep depression for the better part of a decade. I have since learned to embrace it and learn to live with it. Although, I still wish I had hair, still am self conscious about it, I have learned to be grateful for the life I have and I’d rather not deal with all these side effects or surgeries. My girl loves me for me and a lot of women dig the bald head bearded look.
@@bh5817 How is it coping, hes telling us about how he managed to be happy with his situation even though it was difficult at first. It can help other people in the same situation with feeling confidence, and is not "coping". Why are you even coming to this video saying that about a guy commenting a positive post?
When I was 23 and started my hair transplant journey.. my Dr told me I am committing for life. You will take this medicine forever and you will need more surgeries. Of course as a young man going bald I didn’t care about anything but having hair. I was a NW 7 but I still had my hair. But that would be my end result if u didn’t take my meds. Here I am now at 34. I’ve had 3 very very conservative transplants just so I can maintain coverage. I just scheduled my 4th and final strip surgery. Then I guess I will use beard grafts. But anyways.. I’m gonna be almost 40K into this after the 4th procedure. If you are high risk for diffuse thinning... think long and hard about a life time commitment before you dive in! I never in my life thought I would have spent this much $ on my hair. I love that I have coverage. Its thin but I have coverage and I’m so grateful I had a conservative approach over the decade
Your story was informative and inspiring. 36-year-old male here. I lost my hair up to a Norwood 2 within the same couple of months when I was about 23 years old. Since then I have had no noticeable additional hair loss. I was considering starting minoxidil and finasteride but I am a person who does not want to take ANY drugs every day with my lifestyle. Since I've shown extreme stability with no further hair loss in many years can I go ahead and get a hair transplant without taking any drugs?
I’m 30 and noticed a reduction to the density of my hairline, so started finasteride yesterday. Hoping to restore some of the density, but if it prevents it worsening I’ll still be grateful.
@@omyrromefontelar194 Sorry guys, I do have an update - I've had decent restoration of density to be honest, much greater than I thought. Nothing like the wall of hair I had in my early 20s, but no sign of diffuse thinning, or receding. I actually stopped taking finasteride 6 months ago, on the advice of a doctor who prescribed an antibiotic for a different issue - my hair has continued to thicken and has retained it's strength. I say that to say that stress may have been a factor in my thinning, so don't take it as gospel that it'll work in all instances. I definitely recommend trying it though.
Side effects : I took finasteride from age 20 to 29 (1.25mg per day). I'm 34 now. From my experience, it was very effective for hair loss but I think it gave me anxiety and mild depression so I stopped taking the medication. When I started, there was no infomation of those particular side effects. Although, I found out years later that other people experienced similar effects. From my understanding, they don't know for sure the role of DHT in the body. I think by reducing your level of DHT, it might create an imblalance in your hormonal system. Also, I think that the big pharmaceutical compagnies are hiding some information to the public. They only publish studies to sell their products that minimize the potential side effects.
While i agree that you shouldn’t exclusively trust all the studies of big pharmaceutical companies, there have been plenty of studies done that are not pandering to oral finasteride in particular (but to a topical, low dosage alternative for example) which also show the side effect rate to be ~5-6. 2% is definitely bullshit, though. Out of 50 people using finasteride, more than 1 is going to have sides.
I'm glad you figured out what could've been causing you problems. It's definitely not perfect for everyone. Personally, I'm good with lowering my DHT levels. I think my levels are naturally high from weight lifting. I also have slightly high blood pressure, and finasteride lowers it.
Had always heard about this 5A-reductase and all when it comes down to balding but did not know the mechanism of how all that worked. Dr. Gary always explains it in terms that even I can get LOL. Thanks Dr. Gary
Finasteride 3 times a week is working for me it completely stopped my hairloss and I'm having very significant hair growth. Initially I tried daily but I was expecting unbearable side effects so I stopped until I saw a video talking about 3 a week so I decided to give a try and I'm glad I did cause now I don't have any side effects.
I'm 2 time breast cancer survivor. Alopecia to help grow hair make a concoction of slippery elm bark paste and hyaluronic acid mix both in distilled water. Rub into scalp put a thin cotton cap wear over night repeat and you can also add a daily hyaluronic treatment rub into scalp, next day small amt. Slippery elm paste into scalp
Thanks for an informative video Doctor.. This video dealt with the side effects of Oral Finesteride. Can you please add some information about the topical use of Finesteride or (Minoxidil+ Finesteride) with their side effects?
This is the first time I've seen a video on this by a professional. I've been on Propecia since sept 2004 with two transplants. I've never used any topical except the Bosley shampoo's. I find it hard to know if I'm suffering from this post FP because these are standard issues.Thanks for this video.
We started finasteride at the same time. Does it still work for you in preventing hair loss? In May 2021, I had to upgrade to 0.5mg of dutasteride every day because I was losing hair rapidly while on finasteride. I've added 2.5mg of oral minoxidil, too.
@@dualscreengrant Good question. I have slowed down my dosage by only taking it only a few times per week for a numbers of years now because I felt like it was effecting my sexual pleasure and during ejaculation about 5 years ago. My Bosley surgeon told me to slow down the dosage since its been in my body for many years because I've had situations where I didn't take it for a week when traveling because I forgot to bring it with me. That all being said, I feel like it's still working as I don't see hair all over the place like it did before I started this journey.
I been on finasteride for 3 months now. No side effects and I already started seeing results. My hair was thinning on the crown, now it's starting to fill.back in with hair and also my front temples are starting to grow back. It's pretty amazing
WARNING for minoxidil. I started losing abit of hair at the temples when I was 21 other then that had a healthy head of hair, said I’d get on minoxidil and get ahead of the issue. Little did I know the topical would make me shed a huge amount of hair in comparison of what I was used to, then that stressed me out to the point I defneitly was losing even more hair, cleared up after 2/3 months but my mental health was messed up. I learned now that I should have just been taking finasteride but it’s something people with early stage of hair loss to consider
I have a receding hairline and I don't give a f*. I have a nicely shaped head and it looks good without hair. I do sometimes miss my long hair that I used to have, but things change and I am going with the flow and enjoying the ride. Thanks Dr Gary, your videos are entertaining and informational and I think you're a good ethical dr. If someone really wants to get medical surgery to change how they look, I think this doctor will counsel you and help you make the best decision for the best outcome for you.
When you said fenasteride lowers dopamine was that study on humans? The only one I could find was on rats and they were given huge ( 45-50x) doses! Please post the study if otherwise. Thanks for your informative videos.
The only side effect I had with it for a while was my left nipple was sore, went away, sometimes I wonder if my libido is off a little, but I am older too
Just saw your response to my question 4 months ago about alopecia barbae and if FUE or FUT was safe option, just wanted to say thanks for your response and thanks for your informative content. Best of luck to you!
i used fin for approx 10 years , screwed my body up badly ! weight gain and feminised my body , 1 swollen breast , extreme facial flushing at certain times of the day ... came off it 6 months ago facial flushing almost gone ( this was the worst side effect for me ) , weight going down ( and muscle tone returning ) still got swollen breast though ... have lost the hair i gained from it as expected but its a small price to pay to get my health back ...
@@angrydinosaur8plus9 i was on the standard 1mg per day ... ive just been trying 1/4 of a pill a day for the past 3 weeks , missing out a few days in between ... all was well until about 5 days ago when my face started to break out in huge red patches that itch really badly around my eyes and mouth , and the biggest one is under my jawline - approx 3cm by 5cm and very red ! this is exactly what was happening before when i decided to stop using it the first time and it never happened again after stopping, my skin was fine afterwards . i seem to wake up every day to new ones appearing now so ive stopped the fin and am now on prednesone to try and calm it back down. seems i cant tolerate it at all these days so looking for alternatives and a transplant ! hope this helps
I've getting the proscar and splitting it into 1.25 daily doses going on about 20 years now. It's finasteride and it has helped a lot with keeping my hair from falling out a lot of it was able to fill in with continue minoxidil use and it really does make a difference it's so simple just when I'm taking my morning vitamins and supplements and protein shakes I just take one of those
What are the costs of it per month? I have to buy it in Italy (not available in my country, and even if it is, I don't trust any product sold here). I just need to find out the price I'm gonna get given. Thank you in advance😊
Dr Gray, thank you for such a brilliant channel. It is informative and very well explained, which makes it easy to listen to. It immensely helped with some concerns.
Thank you, I've been agonising over whether to take fin for the past few months about this having seen a lot of anecdotes, conflcting studies and assessments through my own research. Though I am still considering whether or not to take it, seeing a professional like yourself give a fair and level headed take on it (especially when many other doctors are accused of ignoring PFS) has removed a lot of stress from making a decision.
Been on Finasteride since 1997 as Propecia 1mg then started taking 2.5-5mg Finasteride for BPH and hair retention. TBH name brand Finasteride did work way better , but I was also a lot younger. I also do Minoxidil 5% twice a day. Both worked better when I was 25 years younger.
It is actually a good thing to remind people to subscribe to you. I have been watching your stuff for a couple years now, I thought I was subbed but when you mentioned it I glanced down and saw I was not. Anyway, thanks.
I've been on finasteride about 7 or 8 years. Never decreased my libido. If anything I feel my libido increased. He mentioned Propecia possibly being superior to generic brands. I've never heard that. I've only once used Propecia, I usually use a generic brand I pick up when I go to Thailand. Has worked for me and I literally pay about $160 Canadian for a year's worth. Propecia is much more expensive. Also he kind of compares monoxidil to finasteride. They don't do the same thing and they are good to use at the same time. Minoxidil doesn't stop hair loss, it just enhances what you have. Finasteride actually slows down the natural speed of hairless.
Wait really? Minoxidil did seem to grow more hair and make it thicker and denser. I’m 21 so maybe I haven’t seen it become less effective over time yet. Side effects of the other stuff seem awful tho
@@zainm5919 I didn't say it won't enhance your current hair situation. Minoxidil does that, it doesn't retain it. If you have androgenic alopecia, which is typical male pattern baldness, your hair folicals will still be getting damaged through the same causes that made you start loosing/thinning your hair in the first place. So if all you use is minoxidil, in 5 years your hair will still be in decline albeit being enhanced by minoxodil. Until the hairs gone and then minox would be useless after that. Whereas finasteride/dutasteride actually protects the folicals by blocking the conversion of bydihydrotestosterone, which causes the folicals to be damaged. In turn slowing down hair loss process. Do your research and read the studies to show how finasteride affects people to make a more informed decision. Sometimes just hearing people's horror stories doesn't give a good picture of how common these side effects are. If you want to try something else with minoxidil with lesser known symptoms which I think was very effective for me, try nizoral shampoo. Or atleast a anti dandruff shampoo with the active ingredient of Ketoconazole 2%. When the hair loss community refers to the big three, in terms of most effective hairloss solutions, Ketoconazole shampoo is one of those 3.
Great info. I was taking this drug to slow down the loss of my once crazy-thick hair, and I think the depression effects are really dangerous and not acknowledged by the manufacturers of Finasteride. It was admittedly fairly effective at slowing the hair loss train down, but I also became extremely depressed and borderline suicidal. I do have chronic low grade depression, but never medicated and its never been severe. Taking this drug, I was thinking about how I'd be better off dead and had my first-ever panic attacks. (I am the opposite of an 'anxious' person) I had no choice but to stop taking it... this drug was literally ruining my life. Luckily, it seems like I've dodged any lingering long-term effects as far as I can tell. No more anxiety for unexplained reasons and no more suicidal thoughts. I'd say anyone thinking of taking this for hair loss should DEFINITELY talk to their doc and checking testosterone level beforehand. It may really help some guys, but gonna be "poison" to others.
I`m only 7 months in with finasteride and similar happened to me. I've been more on the edge with fluctuating emotions with anxiety. I decided today to stop taking it and maybe just go bald.
@@aaron7352 Yeah probably not a bad idea. It's really borderline criminal that severe depression isn't listed as a major side effect. I had no clue. I'd rather be a balding content guy than a corpse with a full head of hair after self-deleting. The topical foam will just have to do. It kinda works.
@@ptown77 it is listed as a side effect. You said you were already prone to depression, why the fuck would you take a drug that alters hormones if that was the case?
This is exactly what happened to me. Unexplained anxiety attacks, suicidal thoughts, crying for no reason. Within 3 weeks of stopping all of these stopped.
After 2 years of taking oral finasteride along with using topical minoxidil I have observed absolutely no hair growth. Ergo, I have stopped these ineffective meds.
On NPR a couple of weeks ago a new drug that's in trial was brought up that was discovered as a side effect from an osteoporosis medication. Program said it helps hair grow as well as preventing hair loss. Do you know of this new drug trial. Thanks for all the videos, on finasteride now.
I’ve been thinking Finasteride for about 7 years now. And never had any side effects ever. My hair is still very thin (always was) but it doesn’t fall out as much and it’s a little more fuller. I’m probably going to take it till the day I die ☺️
It's hard to tell if depression is caused by finastiride because the people who take this drug are dealing with hair loss which can lead to depression.
My man in his 40’s, he’s white and genetically tend to loss hair, should’ve lost his hair at 25 but finasteride kept his hair all this years, its a personal decision to take a pill on a daily basis
Getting my transplant in december. Just ordered the topical fin and min to get started before the surgery. Skeptical of fin but im gonna try it. Excited for the journey. Been a long road finally taking action.
Why do we compare finasteride to minoxidil ? They're both different compounds and have different mechanisms of action. One is a dht blocker and the other a stimulant
@@drgarylinkov I understand but they do different things, finasteride on its own would only stem hair loss and minoxidil on its own will stimulate the hair you have, don't you think it's better to take them together ?
@@torstenheling3830 Issue is with a hair transplant, if you did not take any other medication, your other hair would fall out and you would just have the transplanted hair which on their own are not enough
Dr.Gary looks very attractive. He doesn't need hair. He has nice symmetrical facial features and a nicely shaped head not to mention he's also smart. Smartness makes a man very attractive. I like looking at him as I take in gems of knowledge. Thank you Dr Gary.
I wish society didn't make baldness out as unattractive. I've seen so many attractive bald people. Including those born with Alopecia. Dr. Gary is the 3rd man I've seen with Alopecia. The other 2 are actors. All 3 of these gentlemen are super attractive to me. 😍 I also follow a female RU-vidr that has been open about her journey with it. She's beautiful with and without hair. 🤩
My cousin’s husband got alopecia universalis when he was 30. He’s of South Asian ethnicity and previously had a thick head of hair. He lost it all - head, brows eyelashes beard and body hair. He looked so different from before, but honestly it looks really cool on him, very striking.
Great video, I've been on Fin for two years now with no sides. The only advice I would give to anyone debating taking the pill is to do it asap, If you take finasteride you can maintain your existing hair but it's very unlikely you'll regrow lost hair. If I had taken Fin earlier I would have delayed some heavy recession.
Not everyone has that experience. Took it for years with pretty much same rate of loss, plus side effects. If it lowered the rate of loss, it wasn’t noticeable enough to be worth it. They need to invent a good topical anti androgen that doesn’t spread to rest of body
@@HeyhitmeBAM I started to see results at around 7 months, got some density back and haven't noticed any further loss. Extremely happy with results, wish I started taking it sooner. I'm sorry it wasn't very effective for you - did you try dutasteride?
I have been on it for 8 months now. it's done great at keeping what I have (no further loss compared to no fin days) but the density is still the same for my crown. Hopeful as finasteride can take 12-14 months for maximum results.
Thank you for such informative videos as always you explain everything so well that even the youth can understand and that's the number one most important thing because if younger one can understand then we all can much love 👍
I've started taking Finasteride twice before ultimately deciding to discontinue it altogether. The first time I stopped taking finasteride, I did experience the negative sexual side effects. The side effects did eventually go away. The second time I was worried about experiencing the sexual side effects, but I did not. In the end I was not consistent and did not wish to continue taking Finasteride indefinitely. Both times I did see growth, but then it looked like I started thinning again.
@@Reper123100 Hey, just because women (including your mother) refuse to look in your direction because you're gross (which you are) doesn't mean you have to be jealous. One day you'll find a woman (or blow up doll) desperate enough to date you. ⁽ᵇᵘᵗ ᶦ ʰᵒᵖᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ⁿᵉᵛᵉʳ ᵈᵒ⁾👍😊 Goodbye. ✌ Get lost.
Hi Doc, great content. Thank you for the very informative vids, you have been very helpful. I have a question please... I'm on 1mg Finasteride already and have been for a while. I'm cosidering on trying a T booster called (Aphro-D). will that work against the finasteride? will it repromote hair loss or can I be on both at the same time ? Thanks in advance!
Thank you for your informative videos always.If Finasteride is not the first choice for post menopausal women , then what is the name of the the best choice medication?
I took finasteride for several years without issues. Then several problems kicked in including severe fatigue, strange joint pains and libido challenges. I had been taking it for seven years at that point and didn’t make the connection until I spoke with my doctor. The issues fortunately resolved within a few weeks of stopping. I will never again take any meds that mess around with my hormones just for more hair. It was really scary while the side effects went on. I’m happy for those who haven’t had any problems taking it. Unfortunately you don’t know how it will affect you until you try it. Just because you’re ok after even a year or two of taking it doesn’t mean you will never get side effects.
I’m so sorry you’ve had problems. I hope u can accept your hair loss and get on in life. Hair is not the be all and end all that society makes you think it is. Theres plenty of men who are bald and happy. Wish u all the happiness
@@j0nnyism it's already too late. I have severe neurological, physical and sexual problems from PFS. I have lost everything and now suffer 24/7. A fate I can only say has been worse than death
NW3 - I started finasteride 5 years ago, a few years in I switched to dutasteride. I haven't noticed any meaningful side effects and intend to continue using it. Sadly I haven't recovered any lost hair and my hairline is exactly where it was - but I haven't lost any new hair so that's good.
@@KingRockets I was actually going to! I'm in Australia and it turns out that we don't really have any quality surgeons. I decided to wait until international borders reopen then I will fly to the US, Canada or even consider Turkey.
@@KingRockets If you imagine my hair looks pretty similar to machine gun kelly's. Dr Gary suggests that MGK had ~5k grafts over two procedures - Dr Knudsen suggested I go with 1.5k grafts into the frontal scalp.
@@DavidAlsh Fair enough, but who's to say who's right? I am well researched, but certainly not an expert. To me, 5k grafts for MGK seemed like an overestimation by Dr. Gary. I would also value more the opinion of someone who actually examines my hair in person. Did you have at least couple in person consultations with two different docs?
my last haircut ever a woman came up to me a put a note in my hand, I thought I got a phone number, but when I opened it the note simply said: "Propecia"
I’m 25 years old been taking finasteride for 2 years now. I don’t plant on taking finasteride forever. I’m saving for a hair transplant. Better off waiting until turkey gets better, cause that’s looking like my only affordable option. The best option is retaining your hair before you start losing it, 2nd best option is a hair transplant
I have been taking fin’ for about a year now . It’s the one pill 💊 every 3 days dosage. It works for me and So far I see no side effects! And I definitely see a major improvement in my hair!
I started losing hair when I was 19. I would shower and have tons of hair on my hands and my temples started receding, which was really scary because I love my hair. I got on finasteride soon after which stopped the shedding and the recession! Now I am 26, my hair is about the same as it was when I was 19, no one can tell that I have had any hair loss, although when I run my hands through the top of my head it does feel less dense. I may have noticed a slight decrease in libido, which was a welcome change TBH, although this may have been from aging as well. I started taking Dutasteride last year after I started to notice a little shedding, and I hardly shed any hair now. Hopefully I never need a hair transplant.
@ishaan3517 I've changed as I've gotten older, can't really say if it's from age, my life situation, or fin. My sex drive is still very high, just not uncomfortably high anymore.
Have taken finasteride for decades now. Had sexual side effects at 1mg/day that resolved cutting back to 1mg only on Mondays and Fridays. Continues to arrest my hair loss at that lower dose. Maybe even once a week would be enough? Have not tried using a pill cutter and taking a quarter of 1mg pill everyday (0.25mg/day). The 0.5mg/day dutasteride dose seems way too high vs. the 1mg/day finasteride that most people take! You should have mentioned the much longer dutasteride half-life vs, finasteride, so any side effects from dutasteride are going to take much longer to resolve. Also, because of the half-life difference, you can't give blood without being off finasteride for 30 days and off dutasteride for 6 months. This last point is to prevent pregnant women for receiving transfusions tainted with finasteride or dutasteride that might harm a fetus, especially a male fetus.
@@gd8316 Don't remember at what age. I'm in my sixties now with full hair and remain fully functional in bedroom. Started early upon noticing receding hairline that never proceeded to noticeable bald spot in back. My understanding is finasteride mostly arrests the problem with some limited hair restoration. My advice to anyone starting is go with the recommended 1mg/day dose and cut back dose if they encounter undesirable side effects. For me it wasn't an either-or thing but rather just getting the dose right.
@@gd8316 I remember first tried topical Minoxidil, which doesn't work well for receding hair line before trying systematic Finasteride which worked great. Finasteride had been out for a couple years before I started, so age wise, I must have been mid to late 30s. Again, it is my understanding for most people Finasteride arrests the problem and will only partially restore what was lost beforehand. So if a guy is losing hair in high school, that is the time to start. Such a kid can always change his mind later and stop taking it for his hair loss to resume.
@@stevec8861 Ok thank you for the insight. I’m gonna start with the standard dosage and then try to lower it, even though I’m not so sure it will work at stopping my hair loss, being mid-20’s and having lost a good amount of hair.
I have been taking finasteride for over 3 years. I still have my hair but it got thinner and I lost density over this 3 years course . The doctor who prescribed it to me told me that a very small number of patience gets back some of their hair. It is usually prescribed to prolong your hair's life. It can't stop the hairloss progression, it just slows it down.
yeah so you have to either take minoxidil with dermarolling to increase hair density or have a hair tranplant. but either way finasteride is needed to stop hairloss
@@ahmet6144 Finasteride is not strong enough to stop hair loss because it only suppresses about 60% of DHT. The rest of the remaining can cause hair loss, but at a much less level than before. Now, Dutasteride suppresses 90-99% of DHT and can stop hair loss because there's pretty much no DHT left to cause hair loss.
@@ytsux9259 depends on your genetics. For some people it's enough to stop it for years and can even grow some hair back without other medication. For people who are less fortunate it doesn't work at all. Some people see 9 sides from dht. Some see very severe sides. I personally wouldn't take dht because fin is bad enough for me 😂 my libido has definitely gone done slightly which I don't mind but if it goes any lower I'll be upset. Hairloss is a balancing act
Hello Dr. Linkov, I sought my primary care physician for a finasteride prescription and he gave me 5 mg to take daily. I felt that this was a bit overkill since keeps and hims all distribute 1 mg daily. I have been cutting the pills into quarter sizes that are roughly 1.25 mg. What are your thoughts on this method, what should I do? thanks! I love the objective analytical approach of your videos, very easy to understand and glean knowledge
Would be handy to know, as a hair surgeon, how many of your patients that take finasteride have had side effects so we can see how common it is. The guy from the hair loss channel says that in over 20 years working in the industry, he hasn’t had a single patient not recover from side effects. He said if the sides start later then it takes longer to get over them but they always have.
I'm 32 soon and I'm going to get my hair cut short next month and keep an eye on it over a 6 - 12 month period. I haven't had a proper haircut since lockdown and so my hair has grown quite long. I started to notice my hairbrush filling up and a little bit coming out when I shower. I have been told that it's normal for someone with long hair and that if I really want to see if it's thinning/balding or if it's just because of having long hair, I should get it cut short again and keep an eye on it while it grows. Given I've never had long hair in my life except for now, I have very little experience with how much hair naturally falls out. It's something I never noticed because I've usually always had short hair. I'm going to get my hair cut and if I notice a lot less hair coming out in my hairbrush and when I shower, I'll know it was just a side effect of having poorly kept long hair, but if it continues to come out, I'll know I'm thinning/balding. Now, I'm open to trying Finasteride should it turn out I'm thinning/balding, but the list of side effects really worry me. How common is it for men who take Finasteride to get ED, low testosterone, low sex drive and so on?
My Dr. gave me a prescription for Finasteride. I thought I was going to die. Truly. I felt so miserable, it was like I was on Chemo everyday. Strong flu like symptoms, including sexual dysfunction. I stuck with it for about 3 weeks, fortunately there was no permanent damage. But it took another 2 or 3 weeks to get back to normal. Wow, did it ever make me feel bad. Good luck to those who can handle it.
but 0.5 mg of finasteride can decrease the DHT lvl of your serum over 61% just like 1 mg dosage of finasteride ( 68% effective on your serum DHT lvl ) even 0.25 mg of finasteride can decrease the serum DHT lvl over 57 % so as you can see the benefits are the same . so why dont we use it at the lower dosage !
Very Interesting comment section. Many have had no sides, many have had sides. It seems like the dosage is important in how much dht should be blocked for each individual person. 1mg may block too much dht causing the person to experience sides. Where as some may require 0.5mg. And even a frequency in how many days out the week it should be taken. It seems like doctors didn't complete there homework here. Every individual person has different testosterone levels and dht levels. Shouldn't bloodwork be done before recommending fin? This way the doctor could then prescribe a certain dosage and frequency to take for each person mitigating sides.
Yup, you are exactly right. That is the problem with the medical community, unfortunately. They don’t take into consideration the unique individual sitting in front of them, even though they have the tools at their disposal to do so. They prescribe blanket medicine to everyone and then act surprised when not everyone responds the same way.
I do not having any side effects on dutasteride like decrease libido as finasteride did, my brother and my friends who went bald also did not suffer any of the side effects from dutasteride
