Should You Switcht To Dutasteride For Hair Loss

[Melvin- Admin]

For those of you who switched from finasteride to dutasteride, did you notice an improvement or any differences? I would love to hear the communities input.

Should You Switch To Dutasteride For Hair Loss

[Greg_Swanson]

1 hour ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

For those of you who switched from finasteride to dutasteride, did you notice an improvement or any differences? I would love to hear the communities input.

Should You Switch To Dutasteride For Hair Loss

Interesting topic.

I suppose it's a risk versus reward scenario.

Anecdotally, people who don't experience fin sides seem to be okay in switching to dut.

I didn't realise they can both increase the chance of certain prostate cancers - I thought they were initially used in prostate cancer prevention?

[Melvin- Admin]

1 hour ago, Greg_Swanson said:

Interesting topic.

I suppose it's a risk versus reward scenario.

Anecdotally, people who don't experience fin sides seem to be okay in switching to dut.

I didn't realise they can both increase the chance of certain prostate cancers - I thought they were initially used in prostate cancer prevention?

Initially, that was the thought. It was going to be used as a cancer prevention drug. Unfortunately, they saw an increase in some aggressive cancers. Also, I think it's worth mentioning that prostate cancer grows from testosterone and these medications do not inhibit testosterone and some cases can even raise it.

[gillenator]

My understanding with finasteride in the 5 mg form (Proscar) was used by doctors for treating the swelling of the prostrate for patients already being treated for prostrate cancer, not for the prevention.

I decided years ago to cut back on my dosage and frequency of ingesting finasteride.

[augustya]

On 6/7/2019 at 10:06 AM, Melvin-Moderator said:

Initially, that was the thought. It was going to be used as a cancer prevention drug. Unfortunately, they saw an increase in some aggressive cancers. Also, I think it's worth mentioning that prostate cancer grows from testosterone and these medications do not inhibit testosterone and some cases can even raise it.

But wasn't Finasteride a Prevention Drug in inhibiting Prostate Cancer so how can it lead to it. This is Mind Boggling !!

[Melvin- Admin]

7 hours ago, augustya said:

But wasn't Finasteride a Prevention Drug in inhibiting Prostate Cancer so how can it lead to it. This is Mind Boggling !!

To be fair, prostate cancer is not a cut and dry cancer. Many men die without ever knowing they had prostate cancer. In other words, its very slow growing. There’s a lot of doctors that disagree with the treatment. A few studies showed that men with aggressive cancer had increased gleason scores, which is used to rate prostate cancer after taking finasteride. 

[Gasthoerer]

FIN and DUT reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but it appears that it slightly increases the chance for more aggressive types. The believed reasons is that FIN/DUT make the detection more difficult and hence it is detected later (=more aggressive).

[augustya]

1 hour ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

To be fair, prostate cancer is not a cut and dry cancer. Many men die without ever knowing they had prostate cancer. In other words, its very slow growing. There’s a lot of doctors that disagree with the treatment. A few studies showed that men with aggressive cancer had increased gleason scores, which is used to rate prostate cancer after taking finasteride. 

So does that mean taking Finasteride may help you save your hair but may eventually take you to your grave ??

Edited June 8, 2019 by augustya

[bonkling]

At mentioned, the current state of the literature suggests that fin results in a more specific detection, and at a later date. Hence, the initial study may have seemed to suggest an increase in aggressive cancers. It appears to have been a case of correlation and not causation.

Studies since have found no causal relationship between fin and aggressive cancers, and they've had quite extensive and robust sample sizes. 

Of course, it's hard to say definitely, either way, but as of now the consensus is that it is only a positive in terms of prostate cancer.

[LaserCap]

And the debate continues.  The subject of Propecia also comes up every year at the ISHRS and, it seems, it is always more bad news. Patients that have been on the medication for years will come off of it, and patients just learning about hair loss will question if it's a safe drug to take. Then more investigative studies only to find it is and has always been safe to take.

Because we are dealing with the lives of people, this will continue forever. Regardless of the findings, however, I will continue taking the medication.  I have been taking it for 30 years with no issues and expect none.

I will add something to the fray.  Not too long ago I was working for a doctor that did his thesis on the same subject.  In his opinion the medication can lead to dementia.  

The way I see it, I will be 6 feet under, crazy and forgetful, but with hair! Hopefully someone up there will recognize me........ 

 

[gillenator]

In regard to the drug leading to other forms of cancer, the studies need to correlate differences between taking a very low dosage as compared to taking 5 mg.

I have been taking low dose finasteride since 1996.

[Melvin- Admin]

@gillenator you bring up a valid point 

[RecessionProof]

I've been tempted to switch to dut but have always been reluctant because it inhibits 5ar type 1 (whereas fin only inhibits types 2 and 3), and it's hard to say what effect that might have on the mind and body

Edited June 11, 2019 by RecessionProof

[augustya]

6 hours ago, RecessionProof said:

I've been tempted to switch to dut but have always been reluctant because it inhibits 5ar type 1 (whereas fin only inhibits types 2 and 3), and it's hard to say what effect that might have on the mind and body

And is stopping of Type 1 and Type 2 good enough for preventing Hair Loss ?

[PlzRespond]

14 hours ago, gillenator said:

In regard to the drug leading to other forms of cancer, the studies need to correlate differences between taking a very low dosage as compared to taking 5 mg.

I have been taking low dose finasteride since 1996.

What is the low dose you are on?

[gillenator]

Approximately 1 mg every other day.

Edited July 2, 2019 by gillenator

[augustya]

14 hours ago, gillenator said:

Approximately 1 mg every other day.

So you do not take it daily ? You take it every alternate days ?

[gillenator]

Yes that is correct and have been for years.

[xadiohead]

You are experienced here so I doubt I'm going to change your mind but it just doesn't make any sense to me to take finasteride every other day given its short half of roughly 8 hours.  If you want to take a low dose it seems like taking 0.5mg everyday would be much more beneficial.   

You could also just switch to dustasteride and take it like every three days since it has such a long half life. 

[LonelyGraft]

14 hours ago, xadiohead said:

You are experienced here so I doubt I'm going to change your mind but it just doesn't make any sense to me to take finasteride every other day given its short half of roughly 8 hours.  If you want to take a low dose it seems like taking 0.5mg everyday would be much more beneficial.   

You could also just switch to dustasteride and take it like every three days since it has such a long half life. 

You’re correct in that the half life is relatively short. BUT there are a few things to consider:

 

1. Studies show low doses of even .2mg of a thereapeautic effect in lowering 5 alpha reductase, so after 3 half lives there should be relatively .25mg still in the average patients system

2. Additional studies show the body makes 5 alpha reductase pretty slowly. After a single dose of 5mg finasteride it took about a week to reach pre fin dht levels.

 

half life of the drug is only one part of the equation 

[gillenator]

This is why I decided to cut back on my regimen.

[augustya]

On 7/10/2019 at 1:58 AM, jj51702 said:

You’re correct in that the half life is relatively short. BUT there are a few things to consider:

 

1. Studies show low doses of even .2mg of a thereapeautic effect in lowering 5 alpha reductase, so after 3 half lives there should be relatively .25mg still in the average patients system

2. Additional studies show the body makes 5 alpha reductase pretty slowly. After a single dose of 5mg finasteride it took about a week to reach pre fin dht levels.

 

half life of the drug is only one part of the equation 

Interesting piece of information, do you have a link which confirms what you are saying ? Just to Confirm ?

[LonelyGraft]

54 minutes ago, augustya said:

Interesting piece of information, do you have a link which confirms what you are saying ? Just to Confirm ?

 

 

Edited July 13, 2019 by jj51702

[augustya]

4 minutes ago, jj51702 said:

 

 

what is the source ?

[LonelyGraft]

6 minutes ago, augustya said:

what is the source ?

I have these images saved. They were from studies on pubmed. I believe there is an additional study titled:

The effects of finasteride on scalp skin and serum androgen levels in men with androgenetic alopecia.

 

all the info is there. Just search pubmed