Hey guys,
I think I’ve run into a strange pattern and I’m wondering if anyone else here has experienced something similar.
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Started oral minoxidil (3.5 → 4 mg) in late 2023. Got amazing results at first, hair was thicker and more rigid. But after about 5 months, progress stalled, shedding crept back in, and miniaturization returned.
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Added finasteride (1 mg → 2 mg) in late 2024. Again, great response at first, but the same story: after ~5 months, it completely crashed with a massive shed. The weird part, when I increased the dose, results came back almost instantly.
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Now I’m on dutasteride 0.5 mg every 2 days, and I’m worried I’ll hit that same 5-month wall again.
The consistency of this cycle makes me think my problem isn’t just DHT, but possibly androgen receptor hypersensitivity/upregulation. Basically, my follicles might be adapting, so even if DHT is lowered, AR activity ramps up and overwhelms treatments like minoxidil and fin.
Question: If AR sensitivity is the real bottleneck, how do I tackle it? Should I be looking at topical AR blockers (RU58841, pyrilutamide, clascoterone), or is there another way to break out of this cycle?
Would love to hear if anyone else has dealt with this.