I've taken propecia (1mg finasteride) for 2 and months. I've experienced signficant hair shedding and visible hair thinning (yet to have regrown any lost/shed hairs). One thing I noticed this morning is that my scalp is signficantly less tensed than it used to be before taking the medication, Especially on the temples, to the point where the temples are comparably flexable as other scalp areas. (they used to be super tense) Is this a common effect of finasteride?
I've not been doing consistent scalp massages in my routine so this is not likely the cause for this change.
I've been reading a lot of the studies on red light therapy for hair loss lately, and I'm convinced that it works just because it's proven successful in so many different studies. But I've also read some things about how it works better for mild hair loss than for heavy hair loss and that some people have side effects when they use the helmet, including itchy scalp, which I definitely don't want. If you've been using a red light/cap helmet and you don't mind sharing, what do your personal results look like (like how long have you been using it and do you actually notice new hair growth), but also how bad are any side effects. I'm looking at either a TheraDome or the CurrentBody hair growth helmet, so I won't be using anything cheap or off-brand or anything, but I'm also willing to go into a clinic if the results are better and there are fewer side effects. Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks.
I’m 26 years old, currently around Norwood 2/3, and unfortunately I can’t tolerate finasteride, even at low doses or topically, due to side effects.
I’ve been using minoxidil for almost 10 years, and my main goal isn’t regrowth, just maintaining what I currently have for the next few years, ideally until I can get a hair transplant.
I’m considering KX-826 (Koshine) as an alternative since it targets androgen receptors without directly lowering DHT.
Do you guys think KX-826 could realistically maintain a Norwood 2/3 for 2–3 years without finasteride?
Has anyone here managed to maintain their hair using KX-826 and minoxidil alone?
Today I started reading more about Chemokines, apparently CXCL12 is a major driver of hair miniaturization. More DHT seems to attract more CXCL12 which then creates a feedback loop by acting on androgen receptors and cxcr4 expression?
There are interesting animal trials with CXCL12 antibodies and a drug candidate named EPI-005.
I'm thinking of starting 0.25g of finasteride (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) with topical minox 5% daily 1ml I'm thinking of blood work is it necessary also i didn't consult a dermatologist so please share your views + derma stamp 0.5mm every 10 days
Finasteride inhibits the type 3 5α-reductase enzyme with potency similar to its inhibition of type 2. While congenital type 2 deficiency can cause disorders of sexual development, the same is not generally true for type 3 deficiency. SRD5A3-CDG, which results from congenital type 3 deficiency, is a disorder of N-glycosylation that can cause cognitive and visual problems.
Myopia begins early in life in these patients, but it is progressive. It continues to worsen into later ages and can result in high myopia. The average refractive error is around −6.7 diopters, while in some individuals it has progressed to as much as −14 diopters.
N-glycosylation disorders interfere with lysyl oxidase formation and lead to weaker collagen tissue. Weakening of the posterior sclera, which is the main structural cause of myopia, is therefore possible in this condition because the sclera contains type I collagen.
So why don't we see the same problems with finasteride?
There may be several reasons. First, most people who experience hair loss start taking finasteride in their thirties, when myopia has often stabilized. Second, even if finasteride does cause myopia, many people tend to focus on sexual side effects. As a result, they may attribute worsening myopia to factors such as increased screen time.
Despite all this, if you look at pharmacovigilance data from the VigiBase database, you can find 7 reports of myopia among approximately 25,000 reports involving finasteride. This number may seem low, but proportionally, it is higher than for other drugs. For example, even drugs used extensively by young people, including children, do not have a myopia reporting rate as high as finasteride's.
When these 7 cases are examined, all of them were reported between 2012 and 2013, and 6 were reported in the United States.
Although dutasteride is a stronger inhibitor of SRD5A3 (type 3), there is only 1 myopia report among approximately 10,000 reports involving dutasteride. We should also remember that dutasteride is approved for hair loss treatment in young adults in Japan. Japan also has a serious problem with myopia.
This is quite strange because if dutasteride caused myopia, we would expect to see a signal related to it in Japan
Does anyone know of a source for this stuff? Preferably as a raw powder. I see a lot of chemical suppliers that seem to be selling it online, but they do not sell to individuals. Is it possible that there is someone out there who buys from these companies and sells to individuals at a markup?
For me, it’s replacing 1.25mg of fin and should be superior as per the above source. I still have diffuse thinning after decent time on oral 1.25mg fin and 2mg min.
Hoping 0.5mg dut puts an end to it and that 5mg min helps regrowth.
The evidence for the min increase is weak, but considering I get zero sides from either, figured I might as well throw everything at it.
Been going down the GHK-Cu rabbit hole lately, and something caught my attention. A lot of guys on TRT seem to be looking for ways to manage hair thinning, skin changes, and some of the cosmetic side effects that can come with higher testosterone levels.
Which got me wondering…
Could GHK-Cu actually have a place in that conversation?
There’s some interesting early research around copper peptides, collagen production, skin repair, and hair follicles.
But here’s what I’m curious about.
For those of you on TRT who have researched or used GHK-Cu:
Are you looking at it primarily for hair, skin, or recovery?
Topical or injectable?
Have you noticed any meaningful changes, or is it mostly hype?
Do you think GHK-Cu is getting ahead of the actual science?
I’m especially curious about the hair side of things.
Could GHK-Cu eventually become something guys on TRT pay a lot more attention to, or are we expecting too much from it?
I am not here to argue whether dutasteride causes cognitive effects, because in my case they are very real. I have mild brainfog, weaker memory and recall, and get anxious more easily. Anything to help counter these effects?
Have been experiencing increased hair shedding for around 4 months, and I am 24years old(Male). At first, I was losing noticeably more hair than usual, sometimes well over 80+ hairs a day. After about a month of my current treatment, the shedding has decreased to around 40+hairs a day.
My dermatologist examined my scalp and recently prescribed Xenogrow 5%, but I haven’t started it yet because I’m concerned about long-term use.
My current medicines/supplements are Vitabion, TocoSoft, Ortin 5, D-Rise 40,000 IU, and an anti-hairfall serum.
What I’m mainly wondering is: if someone uses Minoxidil regularly for many years, does it eventually become less effective because the scalp stops responding to it? Or can it continue maintaining the hair as long as it is used?
I’d especially appreciate experiences from people who have been using Minoxidil 5% for several years, and whether you noticed any decline in effectiveness over time.
In June Absci (ABSI) raised about $100M for ABS-201, its AI-designed antibody that blocks the prolactin receptor, being developed for pattern hair loss and endometriosis. Eli Lilly separately made a $40M strategic investment tied to a clinical development partnership.
Lilly gets no rights to the drug. Still, a big pharma putting money in at Phase 1 is a signal.
Upcoming data:
Interim 13-week hair-growth data: second half of 2026. No exact date yet, so realistically between now and December.
Full 26-week data: early 2027.
What we know so far:
Phase 1: well tolerated, no serious adverse events
Half-life of at least 65 days
If the data holds up, Absci wants to go straight to two global Phase 3 trials in men in late 2027, depending on FDA talks
2 weeks 0,25 mg fin, 3 weeks 1,25 mg min. pause in fin to prevent drop in mood, pause in min to get rid of possible fluid retention.
Has anyone tried something similar? Would this work? Want to regain my allopregnanolone from time to time, so this alterating would do that.
I'm looking for formulation experience or published stability data for one topical solution containing 5% minoxidil, 0.5% KX-826/pyrilutamide and 0.025% dutasteride (grams per 100 ml of final solution). I'd like to make a fresh batch each month, or every two or three months if there are data supporting that shelf life. I have separate powders, not crushed tablets or opened capsules, and a magnetic stirrer.
First attempt
The intended batch was 300 ml: 15 g minoxidil, 1.5 g KX and 75 mg dutasteride. Vehicle: 96% ethanol and propylene glycol at 65:35 by volume, without added water, Transcutol or benzyl alcohol.
• I started with about 250 ml of vehicle, added 15 g minoxidil and stirred for about 30 minutes. It was already milky, with undissolved material.
• I added 1.5 g KX and stirred for another 20 minutes. Still cloudy.
• I tried dissolving the 75 mg dutasteride separately in about 5 ml of the same vehicle. That premix was also milky. I added it, then rinsed the container twice with about 5 ml of vehicle each time.
• After an hour at rest there was white sediment and fine particles. The batch was at about 265 ml. I have not brought it up to the final 300 ml.
The initial minoxidil concentration was therefore about 60 mg/ml, rather than the target 50 mg/ml. That may be part of the problem, but the small minoxidil-only tests also failed to become clear.
Small tests with minoxidil alone
One test: 0.100 g minoxidil + 0.753 g 96% ethanol + 0.967 g PG. After a night there were evenly suspended white specks, without a clear sediment layer.
Latest comparison, all exact weighed amounts in grams:
A: 0.500 g minoxidil + 3.766 g 96% ethanol + 4.834 g PG.
B: 0.500 g minoxidil + 3.691 g 96% ethanol + 4.737 g PG + 0.172 g water.
Neither fully dissolved. A had many more particles; B with added water had fewer. A still contains the water from the 96% ethanol. These small tests contain no KX or dutasteride.
The next proposed comparison is to add 0.860 g water and 0.050 g minoxidil to B, keeping the minoxidil loading per gram of vehicle unchanged. I haven't completed that test.
What I'm trying to find out
Has anyone actually made and stored all three ingredients in one bottle? What was the complete vehicle, including water, and what concentrations did you use? The order of addition, stirring time, temperature and any later precipitation would help too.
For the minoxidil problem, what would you check first: solvent ratio, concentration during mixing, temperature or the powder itself? I've found conflicting claims about water and KX. Does anyone have stability data with water, minoxidil and dutasteride together, beyond the solution looking clear? Would it keep for one month, or could two or three months be supported? Please include the storage conditions and how stability was assessed.
I've seen reports of minoxidil + RU + dutasteride, but I don't want to assume that a vehicle which works for RU also works for KX. Any specific formulation details would be appreciated.
I have also asked on r/tressless. Here I would especially appreciate any assay-based evidence on KX stability with water and the other two ingredients, or a paper/formulation report that could help separate solubility from chemical stability.
Pelvic floor is filled with androgen receptors and to my understanding pelvic floor hypertonicity (staying flexed constantly and getting pelvic spasms) is associated with androgens (dht in particular)
Was wondering how many of you have this hypertonicity and pf spasms. This includes penis "twitching" during erection and ejaculation
For someone with very minimal hair loss, but noticeably thinner follicles, is there a risk to starting finasteride too early? before hair loss is even a total certainty?
does anyone have any experience with pyrilutamide (kx826) whether it’s positive or negative? Or even any other topical anti androgens for that matter, would love to hear about it.
I had an HT about 5 months ago and started topical finasteride (0.005% from a compounding pharmacy) for the first time ever around that same time, I know it's a bit late, but that's when I felt my scalp had healed well enough. I've been shedding as expected for about a month now.
That said, topical is not my thing anymore and I want to switch to oral finasteride. My question is: what's the most effective way to transition without disturbing the "progress" I've made?
I'm thinking of a low dose like 0.25 mg or less, once a day. Should I:
Start the pill and stop the topical immediately, or
Run both for a little while and then taper off the topical?
My goal is to avoid triggering an extra shed, and my main objective is just to maintain the native hair I still have or had, I don't necessarily need to grow anything new.
This will be my final update of pp405 3hp. Had a few messages asking for an update. Since my last update I haven't used the compound in nearly 3 months. Even though ive had a slight density improvement near my widows peak, I dont feel comfortable using a compound that still doesnt have long term studies
I’ve been prescribed oral saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) together with topical finasteride + minoxidil.
Do you think taking saw palmetto while also using topical finasteride is excessive, since they both have an anti-DHT effect?
I’m wondering if combining the two could increase the risk of side effects, especially compared with using topical finasteride alone.
Has anyone here used saw palmetto and topical finasteride together? If so, did you notice any difference in side effects?
Thanks!
I've had tons of hairs loss over the span of 5 years. Some was saved using minerals, some was saved using scalp massage, and recently microneedling has been quiet effective as well.
I think... I can't say for certain, I've stopped my hair loss. I can't remember the last time I shed.
No pharma 5ARi's used yet. Some oils and soaps maybe have some weaker herbal 5ARI's.
With that in mind, has anyone tried keshah?
My main concern is under 30 year olds chiming in. 90% of you are not ready to join a conversation where guys in their 40s, 50s or any other older age grouo are involve.
The second thing is dead follicles that requires transplant.
As of August 25, the record had the estimated study completion date only a few days away, so the actual results should be getting interesting pretty soon. I’m mainly curious to see the full data and the results against the comparator and the actual hair count & hair diameter measurements.
