Finasteride Non-Miniaturized Hairs

[waterdoggds]

I know that Propecia eventually loses its effectiveness on hairs that were undergoing miniaturization at the start of the drug but what about hairs that would eventually be exposed to MPB but had not began the process before the drug was started? Are these hairs preserved for many years because they have not yet been weakened by the miniaturization process and the low amount of DHT from propecia inhibition will keep them from starting?

[Lain]

Experts say that the earlier you start with Propecia (considering you were diagnosed with male pattern hair loss) the higher your chances are in maintaining your hair. So yes, I guess you are pretty right that hair which might be targeted by DHT impacts in the future (hair which is not miniaturized) will surely likely live longer if Propecia inhibits some of the DHT compared to miniaturized hair. One not very scientific theory of mine is that this is the reason why the back hair gets rather maintained than the front. The time how long Propecia can maintain these hairs however can vary tremendously.

[Mark]

I know that Propecia eventually loses its effectiveness on hairs that were undergoing miniaturization at the start of the drug but what about hairs that would eventually be exposed to MPB but had not began the process before the drug was started? Are these hairs preserved for many years because they have not yet been weakened by the miniaturization process and the low amount of DHT from propecia inhibition will keep them from starting?

Lain is basically right, but I just wanted to add that in medicine there is rarely a 100% correct answer. Drugs interact with different people in different ways. There is no way to definitively tell you exactly how the drug is going to work with your body chemistry, so the best we can do is speak in probabilities.

[waterdoggds]

good info guys...I have a problem with people saying that you develope a "tolerance" to dht inhibitors after about 8 years. Usually if someone either had and increase in hormones because of the drug or increased sensitivity at the androgen receptor this would develope within the first few weeks or months of taking the drug. I believe that each hair has a limited number of cycles (say 25-30 hypothetically); example is if you pluck a healthy hair over and over eventually it will no longer grow when you have expended it's cycles. When someone begins to take a dht inhibitor, hairs that are near the very end of their life cycles through miniaturization are rejuvenated. This could possibly extend the cycle's life and possibly add a couple like minoxidil does. I believe this is the reason people see increase loss after say 8 years. The hairs are just "dying" through the natural growth process which was extended on these advanced miniaturized hairs, this is why I believe that hairs that were possibly susceptible to DHT miniaturization but had not undergone the process yet will be protected well into old age because they now continue with normal cycles like hairs on the back and sides of the head. Any ideas on theory?

[Mexican Hair Off]

Makes a brutal kind of sense waterdoggds, although I'm not sure I'm happy about my hair being doomed!!

There is also just the possibility that even if DHT inhibitors work, you are still producing low levels, and whilst you may buy yourself longer, even 8 years longer, eventually the low levels will have an effect on your DHT sensitive hair?

[Mark]

good info guys...I have a problem with people saying that you develope a "tolerance" to dht inhibitors after about 8 years. Usually if someone either had and increase in hormones because of the drug or increased sensitivity at the androgen receptor this would develope within the first few weeks or months of taking the drug. I believe that each hair has a limited number of cycles (say 25-30 hypothetically); example is if you pluck a healthy hair over and over eventually it will no longer grow when you have expended it's cycles. When someone begins to take a dht inhibitor, hairs that are near the very end of their life cycles through miniaturization are rejuvenated. This could possibly extend the cycle's life and possibly add a couple like minoxidil does. I believe this is the reason people see increase loss after say 8 years. The hairs are just "dying" through the natural growth process which was extended on these advanced miniaturized hairs, this is why I believe that hairs that were possibly susceptible to DHT miniaturization but had not undergone the process yet will be protected well into old age because they now continue with normal cycles like hairs on the back and sides of the head. Any ideas on theory?

That's a heck of a theory. I really couldn't say whether it has any truth to it or not but it sounds relatively plausible.

The way I view finasteride and other drugs like it is that they seem to work pretty well for most people, even after the 8 year mark. I say this frequently but I feel that it needs to be repeated as much as possible: there is rarely a 100% sure thing in medicine. Some people don't react well at all to finasteride, some react wonderfully. We all have slightly different body chemistry and that can change things.

If finasteride works well for you but may somewhere down the line decrease in effectiveness, then hopefully that will buy you enough time for the medical industry to create a new and better drug or therapy of some sort.

While I can't say with any certainty whether you're right, I like the analysis behind your post.

-Mark