Apprehensive about starting finasteride

[Harveyboy]

Hi all

I am 25 and I have recently been to London for a HT consultation. I started receding at the age of 21 and it has knocked my confidence ever since. I am so fed up with having to manipulate my hair then tipping up with hair fibres every day for my hair to always be on my mind all day! 
 

the doctor told me for me to have a successful hair transplant and receive the best results, I would need to take finasteride to ensure that the hairs not transplanted would remain intact. This is something I have been stubborn with for years because of the side effects.

Can anyone please share their experiences and did anyone take any precautions before starting the medication? Such as fertility tests or blood tests?

any feedback would be very much appreciated.

[ciaus]

I started it back around 2006, healthy and no medical tests beforehand, and have never had any issues. If you are otherwise healthy and the doc gives you the ok to start, go for it and don't obsess about trying to detect side effects. There is a small minority of guys that do report those -some are real, but some of those are guys worrying and obsessing so much they actually create mental blocks that mimic the side effects.

You may want to try shaving or buzzing your hair down, maybe you have a good face shape for that? and just not deal with HTs or meds at all. 

But otherwise, starting down the HT road at just 25, detectable loss since 21, its a commitment and there's alot of years for further loss. Which is why your doc wants you to start the finasteride to help protect your remaining hairs that are more susceptible to loss -add minoxidil while you are at it now, or maybe in a few months when you are comfortable about not having any finasteride side effects. They work well together in terms of maximizing the fullness of your hair.

[Harveyboy]

55 minutes ago, ciaus said:

I started it back around 2006, healthy and no medical tests beforehand, and have never had any issues. If you are otherwise healthy and the doc gives you the ok to start, go for it and don't obsess about trying to detect side effects. There is a small minority of guys that do report those -some are real, but some of those are guys worrying and obsessing so much they actually create mental blocks that mimic the side effects.

You may want to try shaving or buzzing your hair down, maybe you have a good face shape for that? and just not deal with HTs or meds at all. 

But otherwise, starting down the HT road at just 25, detectable loss since 21, its a commitment and there's alot of years for further loss. Which is why your doc wants you to start the finasteride to help protect your remaining hairs that are more susceptible to loss -add minoxidil while you are at it now, or maybe in a few months when you are comfortable about not having any finasteride side effects. They work well together in terms of maximizing the fullness of your hair.

Thanks for the response.

Shaving of my head is a big no no as my hair is important to me. I completely agree with you with the commitment of getting a hair transplant and I have considered all my options.

I have a couple friends who are on finasteride with no noticeable side effects but obviously everyone is different. The effects it could have on long term fertility is what worries me the most. It is just crazy that in 2020 there is no real cure for baldness!

 

 

 

[ciaus]

I hear you, and I would caution you from this point. Stick with getting medical advice and any monitoring/evaluation from your actual doctor(s), get a second opinion. The internet, even some of its better parts like this forum, are not the place you want to be looking for worse case scenarios, things that can go wrong, scary anecdotes. You'll find them everywhere, some true and some not, and they will have you freaked out and changing your mind every time you turn around.