OfficerWinslow

@TXGuy Just curious, did you ever get labs done to see what your Testosterone/Estrogen/DHT levels were while on TRT?

@12345 Thanks for your insight here; see below for what I was reading. If it in fact stops conversion into testosterone to begin with, then that likely increases side effects. As someone on TRT I can say, you can mitigate side effects with lower DHT (sometimes) if you raise your Testosterone. What are you taking now for your protocol? The drug inhibits the conversion of testosterone to the metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by suppressing 5α-reductase activity5. In addition, by inhibiting 17β-dehydrogenase, it impedes the conversion process of androstenedione to testosterone, resulting in a reduction in the syntheses of testosterone and DHT6.

@4chanhue Does alfatradiol work differently than Fin? When I googled it it seems it lowers DHT by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to DHT; which is the same as Fin no? Very curious about this as I seem to be too sensitive to Fin, even at a topical low dose.

@4chanhue Where are you getting alfatradiol from?

@Melvin- Admin Bummer! It's such a divisive yet still unknown product. The reddit thread is a mess, but there are some who claim they are still using it and it has worked (at least to stop further loss). The mechanism of it is what intrigues me since it works differently than 5-alpha reductase inhibitors; which could be a big thing for guys who are sensitive to fin/dut.

@Melvin- Admin Hey Melvin, did you ever end up trying CosmeRNA?

@Wanderer93 Thanks for the note, I'm always curious to hear how effective it is as a lot of people claim it doesn't do anything. I'll report back on my results if it turns out to be effective!

@Wanderer93 Just curious, which device do you use for microneedling and at what depth/frequency? And did you get results from it in the past? Something else to keep on your radar, Latanoprost is being added to topical compounds by a few pharmacies. I'm not sure if it's a non-hormone treatment though, I think it's still very new to the game and not a lot of people have used it yet due to cost. Best of luck, and let us know how things go!

@GoliGoliGoli I've actually only been on it for a short time, a few weeks! Oral minoxidil could result in less dark circles than the topical possibly from some posts I've been researching. There is also a hypothesis that consuming collagen supplements may help offset the cosmetic issues caused by min; but no solid proof yet. I did use rosemary oil for a while. Not sure if I can say it's a worthy replacement, but I think it's a good adjunct to add to the stack. For what it's worth, I have read some folks use a caffeine rollerball for their dark circles and it helps alleviate them somewhat. I'm going to try a cold eye mask in the morning with this for the next week or so to see how it goes.

Hi All, Curious to ask, for anyone on TRT (or were on it) what is your stack/protocol for keeping your hair? Curious to see what combination everyone is using and at what strength. For reference, I'm asking this question more towards men who are on TRT because they have low T to begin with. For the record, I just started using 0.025% topical fin and an oral vitamin supplement that has various DHT blocking ingredients. In the past, taking even just .25 of fin orally would give me sides, so hoping this stack doesn't give me sides but works. I was trying topical min too but it gave me terrible dark circles/eye bags. If anyone has tips on how to alleviate that, much appreciated!

@Wanderer93 Just an FYI, I don't think it's recommended to be using topical finasteride or any topical DHT blockers when conceiving. This exposes your partner potentially, which would be dangerous for the fetus. That's why finasteride has the warning that even the tablets should not be handled or touched by pregnant woman. If you talk to your doctor/dermatologist they'll tell you the same. I would stick to stimulation therapy; if you can tolerate it without side effects perhaps try adding topical min (in addition to the oral). Microneedling could be beneficial too.

@cr1mson, I am definitely going to be following your case! Your age and current pattern is very close to mine (as I saw on your other thread) Excited to know how your surgery goes! What did Dr.Bicer say about your donor? Keep us updated!

Hey Folks, Curious to ask, does anyone know of a pharmacy/vendor who is able to prescribe/formulate low dose finasteride? Through some trial and error, I've come to the conclusion I can only take .25 of a standard propecia tablet (1mg). Quartering the tablets is not so easy as they are already small pills, and doing anything more than halving the tablets causing the pieces to fall apart significantly. I'm curious to see if anyone has a place to get custom prescriptions?

Hey Markee, I'm going to follow up with you over DM; you and I are in similar boat! But most importantly, given your case history and current situation, I highly suggest you consult with Dr.Cooley. Not just a great surgeon, but incredibly knowledgable dermatologist. He will help you, I am sure of it!

Cheven, I'm really curious about what Dr.Yaman's explanation was, for your less than ideal result. Please share with us, as it may be valuable info for others before their HT. Thanks and best of luck!