worried about long-term unknown side effect of Finasteride

[biolizard]

Rogaine gave me heart palpitations too....but iam confused why would you say you regret a HT as result of hair loss drugs? People are doing HT's like myself without ANY hair loss medication or chemicals. Did you have a bad HT?

 

There are several reasons actually.

1. First and foremost is the fact I feel as though I kind of mortgaged my future self for my current self. Meaning, my future self (5-10 years) will be the one to pay heavily for my decision to have a HT. I created FUE scar marks in the donor area in the back of my head, also a cobblestone ‘plucked chicken skin’ appearance of the recipient area, and I will have to deal with progressive hair loss more and more. As areas behind the recipient area continues to suffer hair lose. Inevitably it’s going to look pretty bizarre, and very unattractive and unnatural. Not being able to tolerate the meds and there side effects will ultimately accelerate this process and give me less time to ‘enjoy’ the benefits of the HT.

 

2. I don’t think I had a ‘bad’ HT. It looks passable now. I think maybe my expectations of what I would look like post HT was unrealistic . The hair density is still pretty thin and the hairs in front are much much thicker and don’t really have that super soft, natural hair line look. I’m sure I notice it more than others. I can put it like this, when I was younger, I would frequently get complements on what great hair I had. After the HT, even though I no longer appear bald, I have yet to receive even one single...’your hair looks good today’ type of compliment. The reason is, is that yes, there is hair in an area that once didn’t have any, but it really doesn’t look very good. Like I said, it’s merely passable most days. Point is I’m not bald, but I don’t have good looking hair either.

I still feel more comfortable in hat usually.

In a dimly lit room it looks good I’m sure. In the sun, say at the beach with wet hair and heavy light it looks pretty weird and shitty.

You can’t reverse the clock, and looking back I realize that I had unrealistic expectations. I share some of the blame with the surgeon for failing to accurately educate me as to what to expect. I felt they honestly were too concerned with running to the bank cash my check, than spend the time it takes to properly screen and educate patients.

 

3. I got a HT at a period in my life where things weren’t going well at all for me. I was depressed, insecure and having other difficulties in my life. I turned to HT as a way to cope with many problems. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE! That should’ve been a red flag for me. Never make big decisions like that when you are depressed. One of my issues was grappling with an inability to accept the aging process and the fact I was getting older and losing my youthful looks.

Fast forward a few years, and I’ve grown to accept aging much better, and ironically I no longer really care that much about my hair. I was pathologically fixated on it several years ago. Now I’m all honestly, I’ve moved on and I don’t care about it that much, and wish I didn’t have so much scarring issues (plucked chicken looks and numerous scarred pox marks in the back of my head) so I could just buzz down to a no guard. I’ve moved on from desiring a HT, however a HT is for life.

 

REALLY what I want at this point is to buzz down, but cant do that now without things looking very very odd and noticeable because of the skin damage I experienced associated with the FUE surgery. I just unfortunately didn’t heal very cleanly like I’ve seen others heal.

 

4. The HT recovery process for was traumatic, and painful!!! I know many report almost no issues following a FUE, but I had a loads of pain! Shooting nerve pain, numbness ‘pain’ bleeding and overall discomfort for many weeks! The redness was SEVERE and very difficult to hide for months and months (even years) until the recipient hair grew out a little more to assist in concealing the redness. The redness took around 2 years until it finally went away. That’s a LONG time.

 

I am glad to hear of others getting HT and not taking meds. Makes me feels less ‘stupid’. Personally I’m just going to ride out this HT for as long as I can and then try and figure out my next move for when the time comes that the baldness has further progressed to force my hand into addressing my hair. Im wanting to get out of the hair game all together, however, I don’t want to shave bald, just wish I had healthy skin and a natural balding pattern that I could shave it down with no guard.

Anyway, best of luck to you with your HT journey, hope you are able to get many years of satisfaction from your.

[MattyNJ1]

do you have pics...im not making the connection here.???

[MattyNJ1]

There are several reasons actually.

1. First and foremost is the fact I feel as though I kind of mortgaged my future self for my current self. Meaning, my future self (5-10 years) will be the one to pay heavily for my decision to have a HT.

 

isn't that what we are all doing? Pretty much the definition of a HT, is choosing to having more hair NOW in the youthful years vs later when it wont matters as much...not to mention the only other option is what? Staying bald now as opposed to then? Iam perplexed by your logic.

 

 

 

I created FUE scar marks in the donor area in the back of my head, also a cobblestone ‘plucked chicken skin’ appearance of the recipient area, and I will have to deal with progressive hair loss more and more. As areas behind the recipient area continues to suffer hair lose. Inevitably it’s going to look pretty bizarre, and very unattractive and unnatural. Not being able to tolerate the meds and there side effects will ultimately accelerate this process and give me less time to ‘enjoy’ the benefits of the HT.

 

If the transplanted hair grows over both areas who cares if the scalp is discolored? its not permanent, and now you have hair...again...perplexed...

 

2. I don’t think I had a ‘bad’ HT. It looks passable now. I think maybe my expectations of what I would look like post HT was unrealistic . The hair density is still pretty thin and the hairs in front are much much thicker and don’t really have that super soft, natural hair line look.

 

I think your right, your expectations are off the charts, you sound like you are complaining about looking better than you would have had you not done an HT....???

 

 

 

 

3. I got a HT at a period in my life where things weren’t going well at all for me. I was depressed, insecure and having other difficulties in my life. I turned to HT as a way to cope with many problems. One of my issues was grappling with an inability to accept the aging process and the fact I was getting older and losing my youthful looks.

 

I think your logic and concerns stem from the same depression and inability to cope, and have little to do with the actual procedure...

 

 

 

wish I didn’t have so much scarring issues (plucked chicken looks and numerous scarred pox marks in the back of my head) so I could just buzz down to a no guard. I’ve moved on from desiring a HT, however a HT is for life.

 

I think you should post these pics of scaring and plucked chicken look, so we can see. I've never heard of this with any other HT patients

 

 

Personally I’m just going to ride out this HT for as long as I can and then try and figure out my next move for when the time comes that the baldness has further progressed to force my hand into addressing my hair. .

 

That's the idea! what other choice did you have???

[Rashid36]

I feel I might end up chasing my hairloss as it progresses and the problems that could come along with fue (as above)

 

If I have treatment I will need more touch ups but the problem is my low donor supply.

 

I've been using meds for a while now I have noticed a lot of difference but at my level of hair loss it's not enough and using them over the years gets costly and side effects risks too.

 

After over 3 years I reduced min to once a day and going to reduce it further and then probably stop like I did with fin. The supplements get expensive as well and not sure how much they contribute to healthy hair so might cut them out too.

 

The problem with all these treatments is they are long term use, expense & side effects.

 

I've been using hairmaxx laser comb (fda approved) for about 3 months don't see any difference but I guess it's bit too soon.

[Rashid36]

in my opinion if people were to take fin then the least amount possible not the most!

[Rashid36]

Oh and on top off all that if I didn't need any other hair problems, my hair is increasingly turning white/grey.

 

Maybe buzz or bald cut was my destiny after all

[BaronVonHairline]

Oh and on top off all that if I didn't need any other hair problems, my hair is increasingly turning white/grey.

 

Maybe buzz or bald cut was my destiny after all

 

I couldn't care less about white/gray. I wish I had a full, shimmering head of silver locks. I'd take that any day over baldness. Aaaaaaany day.

[Rashid36]

People seem to associate hair loss and greying with age...

 

From my experience what I found was meds / products can only improve existing hair / appearance but for areas where there is no hair it will do nothing for and you have to keep using them continually / regularly which could end up costly and risk of sides

[RajivKumar19]

HI

 

I am total agree with the @pkipling comments but we can not ignore the side effects of any medications. I am not a professional and No one, on this forum, other than MAYBE a doctor will be able to tell you with any level of accuracy, what MAY work for you. "See a doctor":

 

Hope this Helps!