Hey everyone,
I wanted to share my journey with daily finasteride (1mg) and oral minoxidil (2.5mg) over the past year. I’m posting this because I have a few doubts and questions, even though I've been on these medications for a while now.
To give you some context, here is the chronological order of how things went:
Background: I'm about to turn 20. I started 1mg finasteride back in August 2025. I’ve been noticing hair loss since I was 17 or 18, and it kept getting worse over time, with my hairline and temples noticeably receding. I added 2.5mg oral minoxidil in mid-November 2025.
Consistency: I’ve been taking these medications consistently since those dates without any long breaks. The only exception was over the last few weeks—and it wasn't even a long continuous break, just missing a few alternating days because I was running low and wanted to wait for the next month to buy more. Nothing major.
The Cycle: I used anabolics (steroids) from January 2026 to March 2026. It was my first time and probably my last, given the side effects I experienced (even though a part of me didn't want to stop). To be specific, I ran 250mg of Testosterone Enanthate for 2 months, intramuscular injections in the quad (vastus lateralis).
Progress Before the Cycle: Up until January of this year (right before I started the test), my hair loss had completely stopped. I did have a shedding phase last year from the finasteride (don't think I had one from the minoxidil), but I was seeing great progress, lots of baby hairs filling in, etc.
Now, onto my questions and concerns:
During the time I was injecting testosterone—which I decided to try because I'm a volleyball athlete and wanted to push my performance to the absolute limit—I didn’t stop taking finasteride or oral minoxidil. However, my hair loss increased DRASTICALLY and incredibly fast. Within about a month of starting the injections, the shedding ramped up. At first, I thought it might just be another shedding phase, since finasteride can cause more than one. But eventually, it became obvious that wasn't the case, which is why I stopped the cycle at the beginning of March.
YES, I ran the cycle and did NOT do a PCT (Post-Cycle Therapy). Looking back, that was probably a massive mistake. I also didn't have any medical supervision; I did EVERYTHING on my own, from the finasteride and minoxidil to the steroids.
Since stopping the injections, I expected the shedding to slow down or stop. However, from March until now (July), the hair loss has kept going. It's not at the same extreme speed as during the cycle, but it hasn't stopped.
Question 1: Since it's been 4 months since I stopped and my hormone levels have seemingly stabilized, why hasn't the hair loss stopped and gone back to how it was in 2025?
Another thing: this week, out of desperation, I added 2% Ketoconazole shampoo to my routine, using it twice a week. I’ve seriously considered switching to 0.5mg daily Dutasteride, but I need a prescription for it, and I'm also worried about side effects. To be honest, I don't perfectly remember what my libido and energy levels were like before finasteride because I used to eat terribly and had other lifestyle habits that could have affected them.
But right now, I rarely get morning wood, I have a bit of trouble maintaining an erection, and I experience occasional brain fog and fatigue. My diet has improved significantly, but since I work and train, there are days when I get very little sleep, so that could be a factor too.
I've heard some people claim that Dutasteride causes fewer side effects, or that they had sides on Fin but not on Duta. To me, that doesn't make much sense since Duta blocks more DHT and covers more conversion pathways. I feel like those reports might come from people who just started Duta 2 months ago or less and think that's enough time for the drug's DHT-blocking effects to stabilize... But I'm really worried. Like I said, it's been 4 months since I stopped the test. I feel normal again in terms of energy and physical strength (right after stopping, I felt completely drained, but that has passed). Now, it feels like only the hair loss won't stop.
Question 2: Should I wait longer for things to stabilize, or what do you guys think about the possibility of switching to 0.5mg daily Dutasteride?
I'll probably get judged for using test without thinking it through, but look at it from an athlete's perspective: it was genuinely game-changing for me. Both on and off the court, I felt more confident than ever, and the explosiveness I gained in my sport was insane. I was hitting a 3.30m vertical jump from a standstill, and with an approach, I was reaching around 3.40m - 3.50m. I've always jumped well even without consistent gym work or a good diet, but on steroids, it was a whole different level. Plus, there was the confidence boost in every aspect of life, not to mention having a crazy high libido. It was truly something else.
But as great as that period was, going bald to stay on steroids would completely destroy that confidence once all my hair is gone, so it wouldn't be sustainable. I really love my hair. Right now, I'd say I'm at a Norwood 2 or 2.5.
By the way, I also thought about the possibility of switching to daily 0.5mg Dutasteride and running steroids alongside it. However, to this day, I haven't found consistent data showing whether DHT is the primary driver for the confidence, libido, and other good mental effects that steroids bring. I know DHT isn't the main driver for muscle building, but for the other psychological perks that made me feel great, I don't know if that combination would even work. Not to mention, I want to have kids far in the future, so blasting and cruising for life isn't an option for me, and doing cycles is way more complicated than it looks.
I'm open to answering any questions, and I really hope you guys can help me out with these doubts!
You’re dealing with post-cycle hormonal fluctuations, which can affect hair shedding and libido. Stopping your anabolic cycle might unmask fin’s impact by reducing androgen support to hair follicles. Hair shedding after a cycle like this is common as your body readjusts to normal hormone levels. If shedding persists, consider continuing with treatments like fin, min, and possibly ketoconazole to help maintain your hair. Libido issues could stem from hormonal imbalances; nandrolone can impact libido due to its activity at certain receptors, combined with fin might exacerbate it. Give it time, and revisit your treatment plan if needed. Explore The Beginner’s Guide for more info on managing hair loss.