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 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
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.
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
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!
Side effects are vastly overblown and not supported by any meaningful science. It’s really tragic to see people from the PFS foundation actively discourage the use of Finasteride to people who don’t know any better, which could cause them to delay treatment and make bad hair loss situation even worse. Even though the overwhelming evidence suggests most people will respond positively to the drug and will experience little to no side effects. Been on Fin for 2 months and have had no side effects. “Post Finasteride Syndrome” is bullshit. Sorry, wanted to get that off my chest.
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
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!
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.
We all are different one thing that worked for you doesn't mean it would work in the same manner for others, You must have heard a lot of stories of its severe side effects sometimes irreversible.
@@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.
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.
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 UA-cam 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 %
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 ;)
Minoxidil had ZERO effect on me. Now on Finasteride, prescribed for prostate issues but I'm hoping to get some hair regrowth. Let's see how it goes. I hope to revisit this comment in a few months or a year and update my results.
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.
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.
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?
@@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'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😊
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
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'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.
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
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.
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
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.
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 👍😊💕🙏
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.
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 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’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 ☺️
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.!!
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.
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.
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?
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
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.
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 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.
@@Asiansxsymbol 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
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!
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?
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?
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.
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
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.
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 !
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
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.
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
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
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’ve been on generic finasteride for 2 years now. I never really noticed the process of my MPB beginning, but by the time I could really tell, it was probably over the course of time from when I was 20-22. I started fin when I was 22, and my hair seems to look the same as it does at 24 compared to when I was 22, however I never really noticed any regrowth. If it maintains for the next couple years I will probably look into hair restoration and fill in my temporal region when I’m 26. Haven’t noticed any side effects either. I have seen some people say that brand name fin works better than generic, and seemingly more people who say that the formulas are fundamentally the exact same chemicals. Is there any truth to this?
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.
Does anyone know if testosterone levels are a good indicator of hair loss? Is there a direct connection between the number and how rapid your hair loss will be ?
Testosterone and DHT both cause hairloss. DHT is just stronger. I got great results for about ten years from inhibiting DHT. At that point testosterone caught up and I had to get on RU.
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
Granted I’m on TRT, I have been using finasteride for about a year and haven’t noticed any sides. Id speculate that post finasteride syndrome is probably only found in males that aren’t receiving an exogenous form of testosterone
@@tintinmilou9471 (this is all speculating it is most common in hypogonadal or at least close to hypogonadal men)considering less androgen receptors activation is the cause of post finasteride syndrome, if you are only producing a small amount and you inhibit 5-a reductase, that’s less dht that your testosterone converts to but you’re probably going to aromatise more of the test into estrogen, but since you have a steady level of testosterone on trt even if you are inhibiting 5-a reductase 1. You will have a higher level of total androgens than without trt, and 2. Estrogen aromatization can be lowered on trt by things as simple as dosing frequency which would keep the total androgen load even higher. I’m no endocrinologist or urologist but it makes sense on paper at least to me.
i took Finasteride for years and yes, it did obliterate my libido. i quit taking it about 18 months ago after i came to the conclusion that keeping my hair wasn't worth the sacrifice.
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 was using both minoxidil and finasteride for about five years but had to stop the finasteride a couple years ago when I presented with a rather serious side effect that's never listed with it. I also have osteopenia, for which I take supplements to maintain bone strength, and it was worked out by my GP and an orthopedist that the finasteride was causing a rather steady decline in my bone density that was greater than the supplements could handle. I stopped taking it and my density immediately started to pick up again as shown on my next density test. However, since stopping the finasteride my hair loss has become noticeably worse over these past couple of years, despite still using minoxidil. I never knew that finasteride can be used topically before now though, so I'm definitely going to try and look into whether it's available down here in Australia and whether it could be used without the bone-thinning side effect of the pill form (I never experienced any other side effects from finasteride either, btw).
Hi, since you have this bone density condition do you know if bone density has affected your height ? I mean if you lost some bone density as you said and then you get back to your normal bone density, will your height be unchanged ?
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.
I wish I had known about post Finasteride syndrome (PFS) before I took the drug in 2019. If you’re reading this and thinking about taking Finasteride, please research PFS and all the medical research that supports it. It has completely changed who I am and how I experience life. I never thought something like this would happen to me but here I am. I think it’s a lot more common than the manufacturers and hair loss industry would like us to believe. Hopefully one day we’ll find a cure.
Been taking Finasteride for about 10 or more years and seemed to be working well for a long time until recently when I started working out a lot and changed my diet to very healthy and high protein intake. Now i'm seeing a lot of thinning in the back and front. I've heard high protein could do this, i'm guessing Finasteride isn't able to counter this which sucks because I do like working out and having my body look better, just too bad its at the expense of my hair.
interesting. I plan to work out too but I was on the fence of taking a daily med twice a day , I just know it won't work for me in the sense of daily motivation to take it, and I'd be watching for side effects constantly.
Hi. Maybe your finasteride dosage is enough to prevent a certain amount of testosterone to be converted to DHT. But when you workout your testosterone rires so the preveouse dose of finasteride is now insufficient.
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.
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
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
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.
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 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 UA-camr 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.
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.
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 definitely started noticing the side effects after taking this medication for seven years. I had to stop taking it. I had a high sex drive to absolutely nothing. And it seem to happen over night.
Doctor, can you speak on the ocular side effects of Finasteride? People don't talk about them as often, but there were studies showing obvious signs retinal damage in those that used finasteride. It's something I believe isn't talked about as much. I love my hair, but I love my eyesight even more, so screw this drug!
For those of you guys worrying about infertility problems on finasteride get ur blood work done very often. Typically it’s recommended to do once a year but don’t be afraid to do it 2-3 times a year especially when you first start it. The reason why a lot of guys have this issue is because their T levels, FSH and LH are probably in a bad place to begin with. So that’s the reason why y’all maybe facing this issue. You can use ginseng along with a plethora of other supplement to help better your hormones and get in the right place before starting finasteride or you can even do it while you are on finasteride. Men are starting to have a low testosterone levels across the board and it’s come to the point where we are historically low, so please get yourself checked it can mean a world of difference for you guys!!!
It caused massive weight gain . I took for almost a year . Hair loss reduced significantly but and the weight loss was tremendous and distressing. I work out almost daily and watch my diet and still it did nothing to stem the weight gain. I stopped taking it for about 3 months and the weight melted off.
Yeah bro stay away from that shit. I also gained weight and it was hard to keep muscle on. I took for a year and ended up getting sides at the end which Is why I got off. Weight went away brain fog and ED gone. Fuck it I’ll buy a tupe. Fin and all these other products make you a woman basically by castration. I got Jaír but who knows for how long and don’t recommend it to anyone.
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.
I’ve been on finasteride for about 12 years and I noticed right away the change in ejaculation. It’s more of a dribble out than shoot in your eye effect now. Something I was willing to accept in order to keep my hair. Occasionally it shoots which is awesome but more often it’s a little shot with more dribbling lol.
@@bh5817 yuck? Lol 😆 what is so disgusting to you? You don’t like how the human body functions? Perhaps you’re an uptight female? Idk why else you’d say “yuck” to a normal body function.
I know this is about hair loss, but hoping you see this, I was wondering if you have ever heard of someone's grey hair reverting back to its natural hair color. I am 29 years old and spotted a grey and I pulled it, and it had about 1 inch of brown hair that came from the root with a clear line of demarcation between the brown and the grey.. I did not know this was a thing.
Greeting Dr.Gary i had a question. I'm getting a hair transplant later this year (im scheduled). I'm starting soon topical Dutasteride ( Dutasteride 0.1%, Pyridoxine 2%, Biotin 0.5%, 60 ml of Trichosol). Would it be best to use topical Dutasteride with oral Finasteride? Or is it unnecessary to use both because the Dutasteride already inhibits type 2. Just curious if topical and oral together offers extra benefit? I don't really wish to use Finasteride orally for long term.
@@lud6441 I will keep updates. Using Retinol cream will help absorption, from what i read. I ended up using oral Finasteride only a 2 weeks into everything.
So basically if I take a transplant. If I don't take finasteride I should have the same effect from the transplant than if I do take it. But if I take finasteride after a transplant, at least for a few months until the transplanted hair grows enough, this will ensure the "new" hair grows healthier and stronger the first time at least and no folicule is lost or dies during the transition. Then I can safely stop finasteride which will resume my hair loss of the non transplanted hair eventually naturally. But my transplanted hair wont fall ever again anyways. Is this correct?
Thx for sharing this. In regards to Testosterone, does finastride bring down testosterone levels that bad? Some doctors mentioned to go on TST therapy, but would this affect it and make that therapy useless and are there any drug interactions?
Finastride has no affect on test levels, it only binds to the 5 alpha reductase enzyme preventing conversion of Testosterone to DHT, infact it actually increases overall test levels as less TESTORONE is being converted to DHT
@@symbiosisai I don’t know what my normal testosterone levels are officially , but I’d suspect they’re pretty high because I’m became a very hairy person at like 18/19 and my facial hair growth starts showing the next morning after I shave. If these are good indicators I think I’m safe
@@zainm5919 you'll never know untill you try, you probably have more chance of having a heart attack then have irreversible side effects, ive been on it for a year now and it is the only reason i still have long shouder length hair, the key is to start early becaise i never really grew back any hair that i lost but have been abke to hold on to what i have now
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.
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.
If men with lower baseline Testosterone levels are more likely to experience side effects, shouldn't the combination of Finasteride and TRT reduce the likelihood of side effects in theory? Since TRT can be used to stabilise T-levels in middle aged men, or older.
I was quite low on test levels and took finasteride for a month, exactly one month ago. Started becoming very depressed, nothing interested me, not even a heavy workout supplied me with serotonin it seemed. Discontinued it and considering topical finasteride now and applying for a trt treatment also atm. Should be well underway by this time next month
I was balding at 17, I had very thick hair and it was just falling out on my desk at school. I read all the forums about the negative effects of fin. During that time I got my test levels checked and they were low! Lol I was screwed. Luckily I decided to do something about it and started TRT with finasteride 3 years ago at 20 years old. I am 5’11 200 pounds with a great head of hair! My life changed drastically
@@78percent34 in your opinion man since starting, I graduated college got a great job. I workout and am talking to multiple girls. But then again I don’t drink very often and don’t touch drugs. I would not be where I am today without taking Test. It gave me confidence and I also believe it developed my brain/body faster.
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
Link to article please
@@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."
@@LiamL763 Thanks for pointing this out. Your original comment has been pinned! People should know the latest on this topic.
80
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 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
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.
it's not because of our society. bald men look older and sicker and have been made fun of throughout history, sadly.
1% of women think like you
Hair loss causes men to look older and in worse health than they actually are, it's not a societal issue, it's a deep psychological issue
@@Hervarar that's not true, I also think bald men are handsome
@@mcchilde2903 "this percentage isnt true because i'm also part of this 1%" lol
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!
How much mg do you take in a week? U should consider to microneedle :)
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 used minoxidil for 2 years it helped but once I stopped I lost all my hair where inwas applying the cream
@@amfff219 minoxidil is a growth stimulate. You’re supposed to use with along with finasteride.
Yep, 28 years old. Wait until you're 58 and you struggle with libido.
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!
Thanks! It’s Dr.Gary!
@@drgarylinkov dr plz tell me finastride save life time my hair plz😔
@@drgarylinkovmy doctor suggested me 1mg finestride daily for 3months will I face any side effects
@@drgarylinkov😂😂😂
They say Finasteride causes depression but not having hair is a natural depressant lol
So true, the benefits far outweigh the side effects
Side effects are vastly overblown and not supported by any meaningful science.
It’s really tragic to see people from the PFS foundation actively discourage the use of Finasteride to people who don’t know any better, which could cause them to delay treatment and make bad hair loss situation even worse. Even though the overwhelming evidence suggests most people will respond positively to the drug and will experience little to no side effects.
Been on Fin for 2 months and have had no side effects. “Post Finasteride Syndrome” is bullshit. Sorry, wanted to get that off my chest.
@@Satan-j9kpeople rarely get the side effects. Most people will be fine
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 works best when hair loss is at its earliest but it’s hard to tell if you started losing hair.
Was it aggressive hair loss
how you know it worked,could just be what was supose to be
@@TheMatrixgod This is a question i always ask with any product, how would you know if you aged the same without moisturizer etc etc
Same here, around 12 years now I am 33 years old, amazing stuff. Got all my hair back. Have bald genes on both ways
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.
i’m 22 and recently found out my testosterone is a bit above 200. wtf are you doing in life that i’m probably not doing
@@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!
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.
Can we have à look for York results after and before
That's great! Are you taking 1mg daily?
hey do you already take it? any sides? :)
We all are different one thing that worked for you doesn't mean it would work in the same manner for others, You must have heard a lot of stories of its severe side effects sometimes irreversible.
What a well researched, and well presented video. Thanks for all your great work
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@drgarylinkov great video again! Wheres the best places to buy topical finasteride or dutaseride online?? Can’t you make it at home??
@@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.
Look up Dr. Russell Knudsen from Sydney Australia, pod cast The hair loss show 👍
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.
@@ricardosempresussa my friend told me the key to not get finasteride symptoms is using alpregnolone orally
@@geraldovicofslavia1832 could be something.
Its probably not the DHT but 5-alphareductase is responsible for synthesis of neurosteroids in the brain/CNS
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 UA-cam 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 %
I chooses scientific evidence over anecdotal bs
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 ;)
@Rammus53 Arşiv still on it obviously. Got 120 1mg pills in my closet. I dont see any reason to stop. God bless modern medicine
How is it going now?
@@blessdr952 ehm... I stopped it for no reason now
@@lovelaugh7299 what do you mean for no reason?
@@lovelaugh7299 Why?
Minoxidil had ZERO effect on me. Now on Finasteride, prescribed for prostate issues but I'm hoping to get some hair regrowth. Let's see how it goes. I hope to revisit this comment in a few months or a year and update my results.
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.
What are you exactly using
Thanks
@@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.
Add in minoxodil, fin will only reduce thinning but can't grow hair back
@@berternie6181 finasteride can definitely cause regrowth, it does so in 60% of people.
@@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.
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.
You’d probably be a NW 4 or 5 without it so congrats you’ve done really well
Do you have kids?
@@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.
@@j0nnyism My balding was one of those weird ones, where my hairline is intact, but balding on the top.
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
Thanks for sharing!
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?
... why would you try saving your hair if you've already let it get to NW7? What's the point at that stage?
Anyone else notice this persons profile picture is a female? Not sure if i can take this anecdote seriously
@@Bathrezz1 my icon is a hamster, I’m not a hamster
I use finesteride since I was 21, now I am 33 and have even more hair than I was 21. So baldness is not noticeable at all. Amazing drug.
Nice. Are you taking 1mg a day? And are you on Propecia or generic?
@@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
@@dieglhix Amazing, i'm happy for you!
@@dunes1011 Thanks, hope you the best!
Did you continue to see progress even after 5+ years?
If I was guaranteed to get the results like the guy in the thumbnail I would advice everyone to start taking Finasteride!
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😊
Still using bro?
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 ...
what was your dosage and how many times per week?
@THERE WAS NO CHECK!!! ive had it checked out by a doctor who said it was a fat accumilation , still got it
@@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
@@justinstocks1255 damn I was thinking to try .5 mg 3x week, kinda similar dosage. Thanks for sharing and good luck with yours
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 plan on doing the same, you take 1 mg 3x per week?
@@MrShingekinokyojin yep
Was that the hair loss show with the doctors from Australia?? I too am taking 1mg Finasteride three time a week
@@kswiss702stacker7 exactly.
What days do you take your dose? I experienced horrible sides, so I’m willing to give this a go
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.
Your libido probably increased because you are more confident now than before. Psychology is also important
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.
@@tydish thank you,this was very helpful
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
any side effects?
@@moimoi4725 he is still his man so probably no sides experienced haha
@@ghettoshuriken lmaoo
@@ghettoshuriken any updates? still no side effects?
Hi, doc! Could you please do a video of your skin routine? Might as well do scalp routine alongside. They look FLAWLESS!
For real💯
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.
how long after quitting did your sexual side effects go away
@@oscardaloyal About 1-2 months
I heard a small perfentage of men are affected by this 😪😢
its a placebo
@@oscardaloyal mostly 1-2 months but if youre taking it for years maybe 3 months
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
what dosage?
@@Martin-mh1xe1 mg a day is the recommended dosage
@@Mari0.187 what happens if you stop taking it?
@@subinj9174 you will eventually start losing it again if its genetic hairloss.
@@subinj9174 guess
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.
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 👍😊💕🙏
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?
You can also try adding pregnanolone and dhea a lot of people i know prone to depression add it to finasteride and feel great
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.
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.
Hi, how severe was your balding process and at what age did you start taking finasteride ?
@@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.
@@stevec8861 Ok so you had not severe AGA I suppose. As for the age I wasn’t looking for a precise age but something like 30´s ? 40´s ? …?
@@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 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’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 ☺️
Hair growth IS the side effect - why would ANYONE think there wont be others when you mess with your hormones ?
@@CFox.7 valid. But I have no other symptoms. And I take it because I have Benign prostatic hyperplasia, so I “killed two birds with one stone”
@@CFox.7 But why do you consider hair growth a side effect? For men that are balding having something that can fix that is great.
@@lucasdegennaro great hair and great voice man, happy for you
@@ghettoshuriken thanks so much!! 🤓
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.!!
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.
@@hhhvvdjdjrjdjjx5453 you're being very hysterical.
@@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.
@ what do u mean?
@@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.
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.
Bump
Following.
Interesting question
push
.
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.
Keep coping
@@bh5817thats uncalled for, im happy for him
@@navalgrippage2099 is he not displaying a coping mechanism?
@@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?
@@navalgrippage2099 nice cope
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
Because they are both medical therapy options for hair restoration.
@@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 ?
@@money.markets he pointed that out, using both together gives better results.
But u should balance the outcome with the undesirable effect.
@@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
It doesn't increase the risk of cancer, it just lowers the PSA so cancer can go undetected, but that has nothing to do with finasteride doing that...
yes, it does increase the risk. Read the manual.
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.
Just take 1mg 3 times a week, that's it, and take a week break every 3 months, that's it...
Sounds ineffective
@@Sharpshooter649 you sound ineffective
Is there's any results?
In your Dreams maybe 😂😂😂😂
@@AlaaEzzeldin-z6w yes of course, if you want no results don't take it
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.
ED is very common because of the crap diet modern men have
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.
@@Tate525 yes and because of internet porn addiction
do u have kid bro
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.
@@Asiansxsymbol 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
just like TRT shots Finasteride is a lifelong commitment don't hop on it if you're not ready. PS. you'll never be ready
@@Ciupanezu1923 do you have recommendations for shampoo/conditioner?
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!
replying here so this comment goes higher up. I'm curious too
MPMD did a video on this with a couple other guys. I'm on TRT right now and taking Finasteride
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.
Time for a hair transplant?
@@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.
@@DavidAlsh How about Dr. Jayaprakash or Dr. Knudsen? Have you checked out The Hair Loss Show here on UA-cam?
@@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?
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?
I literally finished watching all your videos 2 days ago and was waiting for another one. Best channel on UA-cam
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.
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
Wonderfully laid out thank you! Very detailed and very well explained.
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.
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 !
Source ?
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
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.
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
Love your videos, educational & your voice is relaxing to listen to! ❤️
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
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"
lol wtf
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 purchased some professional quality clippers, and have been extremely satisfied with the results.
Great stuff I’ve been documenting my finasteride experience on my own channel! Keep it up mate
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!
1mg every 3 days??
Can you post your before and after results on reddit
@@jasonm9825 i take daily
Any update? Im planning to go down from 1mg per day to 1,25mg every 2nd day. (Quarter of a 5mg pill)
Hello. Just started the same thing. Can you tell me how it goes?@@MrZer000
I’ve been on generic finasteride for 2 years now. I never really noticed the process of my MPB beginning, but by the time I could really tell, it was probably over the course of time from when I was 20-22. I started fin when I was 22, and my hair seems to look the same as it does at 24 compared to when I was 22, however I never really noticed any regrowth. If it maintains for the next couple years I will probably look into hair restoration and fill in my temporal region when I’m 26.
Haven’t noticed any side effects either.
I have seen some people say that brand name fin works better than generic, and seemingly more people who say that the formulas are fundamentally the exact same chemicals. Is there any truth to this?
Never noticed MPB beginning but you've taken Fin since 22... odd.
@@wzz2891 I never noticed when it began, but I started fin a couple years after it presumably started is what I meant
I have had 3 separate doctors tell me that brand name will not give you an edge over the generic. It's not worth it.
@@airsoftbeast11234 hey do you already take it? any sides? :)
@@airsoftbeast11234Any update bro?
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.
Does anyone know if testosterone levels are a good indicator of hair loss? Is there a direct connection between the number and how rapid your hair loss will be ?
look into DHT
Usually dht correlated with t levels. Look at total t and free 2. Total dht is usually about 10% of total t
@@Phukyoududehonestly but if you’re prone to hair loss, high DHT levels will increase male pattern baldness
Testosterone and DHT both cause hairloss. DHT is just stronger. I got great results for about ten years from inhibiting DHT. At that point testosterone caught up and I had to get on RU.
Taking Finasteride was the worst decision of my life.
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
@@MT-nu3vl what’s PFS
@@ruthhnjengaaa Post Finasteride Syndrome. I thought it was BS because there are big industries who deny it even exists and it has cost me my life.
How long were you on it? Did you stop when you noticed sides?
Granted I’m on TRT, I have been using finasteride for about a year and haven’t noticed any sides. Id speculate that post finasteride syndrome is probably only found in males that aren’t receiving an exogenous form of testosterone
based on your expert opinion no doubt...
@@tintinmilou9471 he said he was speculating, calm down
@@tintinmilou9471 (this is all speculating it is most common in hypogonadal or at least close to hypogonadal men)considering less androgen receptors activation is the cause of post finasteride syndrome, if you are only producing a small amount and you inhibit 5-a reductase, that’s less dht that your testosterone converts to but you’re probably going to aromatise more of the test into estrogen, but since you have a steady level of testosterone on trt even if you are inhibiting 5-a reductase 1. You will have a higher level of total androgens than without trt, and 2. Estrogen aromatization can be lowered on trt by things as simple as dosing frequency which would keep the total androgen load even higher.
I’m no endocrinologist or urologist but it makes sense on paper at least to me.
I belive your absolutely right with why it would mitigate sides while being on trt.
Are u taking generic fin?
Thanks again for another well presented talk.
i took Finasteride for years and yes, it did obliterate my libido. i quit taking it about 18 months ago after i came to the conclusion that keeping my hair wasn't worth the sacrifice.
did your libido increase right after stopped using finasteride or it took few months?
After how many years of use did you notice the side effect ? And how long did it take to go away after you stopped ?
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 was using both minoxidil and finasteride for about five years but had to stop the finasteride a couple years ago when I presented with a rather serious side effect that's never listed with it. I also have osteopenia, for which I take supplements to maintain bone strength, and it was worked out by my GP and an orthopedist that the finasteride was causing a rather steady decline in my bone density that was greater than the supplements could handle. I stopped taking it and my density immediately started to pick up again as shown on my next density test.
However, since stopping the finasteride my hair loss has become noticeably worse over these past couple of years, despite still using minoxidil. I never knew that finasteride can be used topically before now though, so I'm definitely going to try and look into whether it's available down here in Australia and whether it could be used without the bone-thinning side effect of the pill form (I never experienced any other side effects from finasteride either, btw).
I crush 60 1mg tablets at mix in 60 ml of minoxidil 5% and apply topically nightly. No side effects
@@difencrosby Wouldn't that leave grit all over your scalp and pillow though?
@@MardukGodSlayer it dissolves very well in the minoxidil and does not leave a grit.
@@difencrosby Hmm, well that's something to bring up with my doctor then. Cheers
Hi, since you have this bone density condition do you know if bone density has affected your height ? I mean if you lost some bone density as you said and then you get back to your normal bone density, will your height be unchanged ?
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.
how in the world did you develop BPH if you were on Finasteride for so long?
Wow. Am I on youtube, or in a university lecture?
Amazingly high quality content here, it's crazy what you can access for free!
Thank you.
I wish I had known about post Finasteride syndrome (PFS) before I took the drug in 2019. If you’re reading this and thinking about taking Finasteride, please research PFS and all the medical research that supports it. It has completely changed who I am and how I experience life. I never thought something like this would happen to me but here I am. I think it’s a lot more common than the manufacturers and hair loss industry would like us to believe. Hopefully one day we’ll find a cure.
Been taking Finasteride for about 10 or more years and seemed to be working well for a long time until recently when I started working out a lot and changed my diet to very healthy and high protein intake. Now i'm seeing a lot of thinning in the back and front. I've heard high protein could do this, i'm guessing Finasteride isn't able to counter this which sucks because I do like working out and having my body look better, just too bad its at the expense of my hair.
interesting. I plan to work out too but I was on the fence of taking a daily med twice a day , I just know it won't work for me in the sense of daily motivation to take it, and I'd be watching for side effects constantly.
Hi. Maybe your finasteride dosage is enough to prevent a certain amount of testosterone to be converted to DHT. But when you workout your testosterone rires so the preveouse dose of finasteride is now insufficient.
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.
@alphonser272, did you ever start taking fin? If so, how did it go?
@@krachead1Seeing he didn't reply I will. I took it many years ago, I would never take it again,ever. Its frightening the damage it will cause.
I’ve been taking Finasteride 1mg for 8 years after FUT hair transplant and Zero side effects for me 😁.
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
8 years? Just let it go
no increase of cholesterol level?
I know many ruined by the drug. Many who tried to come off it.
@@JohnnyZenith ruined how
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
0.5mg per day should be enough from what I know
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.
Almost certainly unrelated to the finasteride
@@brettf8133 Almost certainly uneducated on the topic.
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’d like to know this as well, thanks 🙏🏻
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 UA-camr 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.
VERY handsome 💯
Which female youtuber is that?
@@koppythat1221 She's young college age. Pursuing a singer career on the side of UA-cam. Her channel is Hey I'm Shannon. Her voice is blessed. ❤️
It’s not societal. It’s a biological thing.
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.
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'm watching as I just unboxed a box of Finasteride tablets today at work....I'm a pharmacy assistant. BUT have been following you before this.
I definitely started noticing the side effects after taking this medication for seven years. I had to stop taking it. I had a high sex drive to absolutely nothing. And it seem to happen over night.
Did you recover? And was it possible there was another factor for that cause?
@@Dux4cup2028 for many the effect is permanent.. I was lucky and my sex drive came back after a year or so. Not worth it..
Update?
Doctor, can you speak on the ocular side effects of Finasteride? People don't talk about them as often, but there were studies showing obvious signs retinal damage in those that used finasteride. It's something I believe isn't talked about as much. I love my hair, but I love my eyesight even more, so screw this drug!
What? I looked up on pubmed and there are only studies showing a protective effect for the retina.
Why risk messing with your endocrine system?
For those of you guys worrying about infertility problems on finasteride get ur blood work done very often. Typically it’s recommended to do once a year but don’t be afraid to do it 2-3 times a year especially when you first start it. The reason why a lot of guys have this issue is because their T levels, FSH and LH are probably in a bad place to begin with. So that’s the reason why y’all maybe facing this issue. You can use ginseng along with a plethora of other supplement to help better your hormones and get in the right place before starting finasteride or you can even do it while you are on finasteride. Men are starting to have a low testosterone levels across the board and it’s come to the point where we are historically low, so please get yourself checked it can mean a world of difference for you guys!!!
Thank you
It caused massive weight gain . I took for almost a year . Hair loss reduced significantly but and the weight loss was tremendous and distressing. I work out almost daily and watch my diet and still it did nothing to stem the weight gain. I stopped taking it for about 3 months and the weight melted off.
Yeah bro stay away from that shit. I also gained weight and it was hard to keep muscle on. I took for a year and ended up getting sides at the end which Is why I got off. Weight went away brain fog and ED gone. Fuck it I’ll buy a tupe. Fin and all these other products make you a woman basically by castration. I got Jaír but who knows for how long and don’t recommend it to anyone.
Everything useful i needed to know in a video that did not shy away from the facts. Thank you so much for what you do doc!
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.
hows it going so far?
@@HasanView he died
Tell us, how it's going?
Any updates?
@@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.
I’ve been on finasteride for about 12 years and I noticed right away the change in ejaculation. It’s more of a dribble out than shoot in your eye effect now. Something I was willing to accept in order to keep my hair. Occasionally it shoots which is awesome but more often it’s a little shot with more dribbling lol.
You just need more zinc and maybe some maca. Fills my load right up
Yuck
@@bh5817 yuck? Lol 😆 what is so disgusting to you? You don’t like how the human body functions? Perhaps you’re an uptight female? Idk why else you’d say “yuck” to a normal body function.
I know a guy that would love it over the small of his hairy back😂
@@MrCites1 love what over the small of his hairy back? I hope you’re not talking about my dribble and light shot of ejaculation.
I know this is about hair loss, but hoping you see this, I was wondering if you have ever heard of someone's grey hair reverting back to its natural hair color. I am 29 years old and spotted a grey and I pulled it, and it had about 1 inch of brown hair that came from the root with a clear line of demarcation between the brown and the grey.. I did not know this was a thing.
I have the same
U can get temporary grey hairs from shock. Permanent ones normally come with age
yea it's prob due to stress and/or shock so don't worry
Greeting Dr.Gary i had a question. I'm getting a hair transplant later this year (im scheduled). I'm starting soon topical Dutasteride ( Dutasteride 0.1%, Pyridoxine 2%, Biotin 0.5%, 60 ml of Trichosol). Would it be best to use topical Dutasteride with oral Finasteride? Or is it unnecessary to use both because the Dutasteride already inhibits type 2. Just curious if topical and oral together offers extra benefit? I don't really wish to use Finasteride orally for long term.
Some people in yt says topical dut doesnt work bescuse its compound is hesvy compared to topical fin
@@lud6441 I will keep updates. Using Retinol cream will help absorption, from what i read. I ended up using oral Finasteride only a 2 weeks into everything.
@@majik_manwhat happened??
@@kouroshzakipour8903 Everything when well. Use oral Finasteride & Oral minoxidil. Great results
So basically if I take a transplant. If I don't take finasteride I should have the same effect from the transplant than if I do take it.
But if I take finasteride after a transplant, at least for a few months until the transplanted hair grows enough, this will ensure the "new" hair grows healthier and stronger the first time at least and no folicule is lost or dies during the transition. Then I can safely stop finasteride which will resume my hair loss of the non transplanted hair eventually naturally. But my transplanted hair wont fall ever again anyways.
Is this correct?
There is never a point in temporarily taking finasteride.
I’ve never had any side effects with finasteride or minoxidil.
So much fear mongering on finasteride. I have zero side effects. You don't know unless you try.
No side effects for me either, but I am using it for BPH.
How has it effected your hair growth?
No side effects for me as well after years on finasteride.
@@crocsNsocks-0drk30 I have not seen any hair growth but then again, its only been 2 months.
Thx for sharing this. In regards to Testosterone, does finastride bring down testosterone levels that bad? Some doctors mentioned to go on TST therapy, but would this affect it and make that therapy useless and are there any drug interactions?
Finastride has no affect on test levels, it only binds to the 5 alpha reductase enzyme preventing conversion of Testosterone to DHT, infact it actually increases overall test levels as less TESTORONE is being converted to DHT
@@symbiosisai yes but it also incrises estrogen and thats what is causing all those side effects
@@morning_staar in a small amount of people
@@symbiosisai I don’t know what my normal testosterone levels are officially , but I’d suspect they’re pretty high because I’m became a very hairy person at like 18/19 and my facial hair growth starts showing the next morning after I shave. If these are good indicators I think I’m safe
@@zainm5919 you'll never know untill you try, you probably have more chance of having a heart attack then have irreversible side effects, ive been on it for a year now and it is the only reason i still have long shouder length hair, the key is to start early becaise i never really grew back any hair that i lost but have been abke to hold on to what i have now
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.
I was on it for 3 months and it took me 4 years to feel 100%
why not reduce the dosage
@@jss.2020 With the severe reaction I had to it, I wouldn't want any of it in my system.
@@dahur u were on 1mg?
@@jss.2020 I don't remember, it was Feb. of 2018, when I tried it.
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.
What dosage how often? And did you felt any side effects?
Thank you
Great informative intro
Not sure if I missed this information, but is finasteride topical gel, at lower risks for side effects ?
If men with lower baseline Testosterone levels are more likely to experience side effects, shouldn't the combination of Finasteride and TRT reduce the likelihood of side effects in theory? Since TRT can be used to stabilise T-levels in middle aged men, or older.
I was quite low on test levels and took finasteride for a month, exactly one month ago. Started becoming very depressed, nothing interested me, not even a heavy workout supplied me with serotonin it seemed. Discontinued it and considering topical finasteride now and applying for a trt treatment also atm. Should be well underway by this time next month
I was balding at 17, I had very thick hair and it was just falling out on my desk at school. I read all the forums about the negative effects of fin. During that time I got my test levels checked and they were low! Lol I was screwed. Luckily I decided to do something about it and started TRT with finasteride 3 years ago at 20 years old. I am 5’11 200 pounds with a great head of hair! My life changed drastically
@@whatsthatmagic TRT at 20 is insane
@@78percent34 in your opinion man since starting, I graduated college got a great job. I workout and am talking to multiple girls. But then again I don’t drink very often and don’t touch drugs. I would not be where I am today without taking Test. It gave me confidence and I also believe it developed my brain/body faster.
@@whatsthatmagic I’m glad it worked out this much for you