We can’t be sure if dutasteride mesotherapy is effective since it’s based on some dubious Egyptian studies. If you’re planning to use oral minoxidil, you should also consider taking an ARB.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596657/bin/IJT-9-143-g002.jpg
I would avoid oral dutasteride and finasteride due to the risk of post finasteride syndrome. The risk is small, but the condition is serious so IMO these drugs should not be approved for hair loss. Topical RU54881 does the same thing without this risk. It has held my hairline for about six years and is cheap from china. Micro-needling also works.
So there is such a thing as post dutasteride syndrome?
No, dutasteride doesn’t cross the BBB. You might experience sexual side effects, but taking tadalafil before you go to bed can prevent permanent changes (lack of nocturnal erections can lead to penile hypoxia).
Dutasteride is the gold standard, and it stops hair loss in 98% of patients with AGA. Nothing can be compared to it.
Here is an interesting study… New Study Suggests Rapamycin Can Reverse Hair Graying and Promote Hair Growth
It is unknown whether dutasteride crosses the BBB. And dutasteride can raise estrogen levels which can cause temporary ED in rare cases, but you would quickly detect that and either lower the frequency or quit the drug altogether.
It seems like another complex situation to manage. It’s cool that there are these emerging DTC vertical care providers like Midi Health for menopause and all the different ADHD and men’s health providers. I even got a note about a GI DTC company called Oshi. The problem is that primary care is hopelessly broken in the United States, and none of these DTC companies are any good at coordinating. So you can get a rapamycin script from Ageless or Healthspan, but they aren’t writing scripts for managing your lipids and glucose. Then if you want to treat your hair loss, but you need an aromatase inhibitor and a PDE5i, it’s like – who is going to quarterback all that stuff? There is a ton of great information on this forum, and I’ve learned so much here, but I have some reservations about how far I want to go in managing all these different medicines based on Google and this forum when my PCP is busy worrying about everybody else on her panel with “real” problems.
It’s a similiar situation with rapamycin where you need to control blood sugar and lipids with additional medication in some cases.
Ultimately, it’s your choice how much effort you want to put in. I’m on over 20 medications and have trouble buying beer at 35.
Here is a clinical trial for anyone interested in potential treatment for AA.
https://clinago.life/study/androgenetic-alopecia---p-aa01?id=19
Not Rapa but I didn’t want to folks to have to chase a random additional thread. Hope it’s ok.
“Sustained improvement in sexual function after 12 months of tadalafil administration is associated with increased T:E ratio mainly related to reduction of E levels. We hypothesize that androgen-estrogen cross-talk and possible inhibition of aromatase activity during chronic exposure to tadalafil “
Interesting effect of tadalafil—lower estrogen. I’m surprised
I woke up in the middle of the night that I had lost 30% of my hair, rarely I have nightmares.
Took 1.25 mg finasteride now and starting it.
I think looking one’s best and feeling one’s best is both important (and hopefully youthful). That’s probably why partly Bryan increased his CR%.
I’m going to be the Polypharmacy King.
You will also find the benefits of a smaller prostate, which is something you’ll be very thankful for in your fifties, sixties and seventies.
I have been on finasteride since I was 32, so almost 34 years. My urologist says my prostate is amazing he can hardly find it. At 66 no issues in prostate… urine flow… or my nut load.
So you’ll keep your hair, you’ll have a better functioning prostate, sex and recently they discovered that finasteride seems to have an effect on cholesterol in one’s blood, so maybe slow down your arthrocleurosis, plaque in your heart and arteries.
Four benefits.
Welcome to the group mate.
So you could measure nocturnal erections with a device like Bryan uses before/after finasteride or dutasteride.
Yep, if you don’t get side effects from it it is a great drug for multiple organ systems. Helps offset some of the disadvantages of being male on aging without castrating yourself! I started it more for prostate health than for hair but I have noticed a marginal improvement in my hairline also. Again your point about cardiovascular health is correct and may even benefit the heart directly as well as through potential cholesterol improvement.
One thing I would add about finasteride is that after I started it my HDL dropped a little. Not a huge cause for concern but was interesting. My LDL did not change substantially but it was already low.
I have not monitored “nut loads” but will take your word for it!
“Nut loads” Are improved with sunflower lecithin, 2 capsules.
Another person on this site took my recommendation 3 months ago and confirmed that loads are looking good, so that is an N=2.
Tried tadalyfil and the side-effects were impossible. Felt like I had a cold the sinus congestion was so bad. And I swear my eyesight was impaired. Total disaster.
Maybe sildenafil at night is sufficient?
The sexual side effects can be severe and permanent. I think it is more common and serious than earlier clinical results indicated.
Maybe I will try a pill once every third day to see how it affects me. But even a minor effect and any intelligent person would stop in this case.
