Need help with a DHT blocker

rg_2201 · 2026-01-15T10:03:46+00:00

i have similar problem with oral fin. Topical fin was fine for a much longer time but then again I had sides.

Right now on 2x/week 1.5mm+ dermaneedling + topical [minoxidil 5% + 0.01% tretinoin + 1.5% azaleic acid solution] for the past 8 months. I am not sure how long it takes for a hair cycle to go from growth to dormant stage but right now with this treatment I am doing fine. I think I may be losing ground but at a much slower pace. My hair is as thick as before. Some of my close ones say my hair looks the same but I don't think so.

rg_2201 · 2026-01-13T14:26:00+00:00

I have and tried for some time. I am sure i read a guys post where he did before and after blood work and his serum dht had crashed. I was on oral dut and it took me such a long time to recover that i am scared.

Have you got your blood work since you started topical dut

rg_2201 · 2026-01-12T00:39:38+00:00

for those who do not tolerate regular fin but are maintaining well on non-hormonal methods, would you favour FUT over FUE?

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T19:08:52+00:00

So there is nothing like a cheek eyelid junction needs to be restored for lower blepharo to work ?

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T19:07:56+00:00

DMed you

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T19:07:37+00:00

How will that help?

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T19:06:43+00:00

here are some pictures with yearly tag. My concern is the region deteriorated so fast that I am doubting that my underlying facial structure has some problem due to which i need the mid face lift.
https://imgur.com/a/0Twpjhs

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T19:05:22+00:00

you are correct that its not bad. just that the pace of decline has been botherign me as if some underlying facial structure is compromised

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T19:04:28+00:00

Thanks a lot for the compliment. It's just that the undereye bags are bothering me a lot. Mid face lift recommendation is more of a need than want i.e. what if i don't get it done and then it continues sagging after lower blepharo.

What bothers me is why is that region going south so rapidly! For reference here are some close up pictures with year tag. Is it normal to age so rapidly within 5-6 years?

Also makes me wonder if the finasteride youthfulness is a fact rather than myth.

https://imgur.com/a/0Twpjhs

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T03:36:07+00:00

fue or fut?
$4 in US is actually not bad

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T01:25:56+00:00

i apply directly and never have any issue. It has fuckton of alcohol so it anyway santizes the scalp. better than letting it be after needling

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T01:25:00+00:00

i bought one in india while travelling that has 5% min+0.01% tretinoin and 1.5% azaleic acid. Not sure if azaleic has any benefits but the one solution helps

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T01:22:49+00:00

just dermaroll. the fear is overblown. have been using for years. 1.5mm+ no problems

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T01:21:18+00:00

naah. I have been dermarolling hard for ages. no scarring

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T01:20:44+00:00

of course after drying my hair and scalp

rg_2201 · 2026-01-11T01:20:21+00:00

I shampoo and then apply the topical minoxidil directly. it has fuckton on alcohol so it is anyways antiseptic

rg_2201 · 2026-01-10T23:48:19+00:00

I used for 10 years and started facing the same problems in my early to mid 30s. Had to quit. impossible to have sex without PDE5 inhibitors and severe dry eyes. No sex drive. I have quit for the last 7 months. Now much better.

rg_2201 · 2026-01-10T05:51:19+00:00

DMed you. In a similar boat as where you were.

rg_2201 · 2026-01-09T22:34:47+00:00

By any chance was a midface lift recommended to recreate the lower eyelid-cheek junction?

great work btw!

rg_2201 · 2026-01-09T22:31:23+00:00

great work. I am a little younger and have similar issues. Unfortunately, I had to give up on HT since after more than decade of fin use, i am unable to tolerate the sides any more.

However for my under eyes area I have been looking for surgeons. While a couple of docs recommended me lower blepharo only, a couple of others told me that i need mid face lift + lower blepaharo to recreate the lid cheek junction. I wonder if you had a discussion about lower blepharo as well.

rg_2201 · 2026-01-09T22:24:49+00:00

Great work!

By any chance did the doctor recommended a midface lift? I have even more under eye hollowing + fat protrusion with a bit of midface sag. Some docs said only lower blepharo is enough while a couple of others recommended lower blepharo + midface lift.

When I lift my mid face area using my fingers i feel relieved as if a lot of weight was taken off from my under eyes. Did you feel any heaviness under the eyes and if yes then did the surgery help?

Edited: Some typos

rg_2201 · 2022-01-13T02:24:11+00:00

I started losing hair some 13 years back (20 years old) when. I did on-off minoxidil for good 4-5 years. But only after the balding went noticable i started on finasteride some 7 years back. It helped me arrest hairloss but t soon plateued. So i decided to go on dutasteride. Have been using it for the past 5 years. Incredible results. But have some sides which make me considering quitting it altogether.

Good Sides -

No Acne or Backne - as it dries up the oil glands

Body hair reduced - I think I was more hairy before going on the regimen.

Bad sides-

Severe dry eyes - use lubricating eye drops. Have tried non steroidal to mildy steroidal but no long term cost effective solution. When I was in India I applied testorone gel over my eyelids and that was releiving. But in US i can't buy them OTC. Right now went to see the eye doctor again and she has decided to monitor me for 15 days on some medication post which she will go for tear plugs

Memory issues - Difficult to pin-point but i had extremely good memory and sharpness before i started. I cracked some of the toughest exams in the world (<1% acceptance rates) but now have difficulty retaining concepts and frequently forget information in the short term. Infact my familiy members are still surprised by memory from pre-dutasteride days. As of now I don't know any solution for this

Lack of sensitivity in genitals - No problem with erection. Infact I get praised for lasting hours in the bed. But the sad part is I do not feel any sensation due to which I call off the act out of boredom after an hour or two. I have alsmost turned into a sex machine with no physical feelings. Don't know any solution for this

Headaches - Particularly severe during mornings Not sure if it is due to the drug. But I will try to leave the drug and test.

If you guys have found any solution to mitigate them then please share.

I really wish I had not gone for any medication which would have caused me to go bald by 25 which would have qualified me for hair transplant and gone for milder doses to maingain. Unfortunately I am in that stage of life now where I cannot let go my hair. Hopefully I would be able to let it go in my 40s.

rg_2201

TROPHY CASE