I’m not sure if this is Norwood 4 or 5. I noticed hair loss almost 10 years ago but did nothing because I was afraid of the medications and thought I would either look good bald or just accept it. I got caught up in posts about side effects and never looked back. I was also in a relationship, and my ex always said she would love me with or without hair. So today: no girlfriend and no hair.
I shaved my head two weeks ago. It wasn’t so bad, but my hair still looks much better unshaved. Every family member said the same thing.
So I started researching finasteride/dutasteride again, and this time I read much more about them. I went to a dermatologist, and she prescribed dutasteride instead of finasteride right away. I thought it was strange because of how much more potent the drug is. She seemed wary of finasteride—maybe in her patient sample she’s seen more side effects.
I asked how many people get side effects from finasteride, and she said in her experience, almost 50%. So I’m pretty scared to start the drug.
Aside from that, I’ve read about the PP405 drug, and it really looks promising. If I have any chance of it working for me in the future, I need to preserve whatever hair follicles I have now.
I’ve also read about positive effects of decreasing DHT, like increased testosterone, lower chances of dementia and Parkinson’s, better skin, etc., which makes me think maybe this drug could actually improve my quality of life?
***What should I do—go back and ask for a finasteride prescription first, or go directly with dutasteride? Or just mantain shaved?
The dose she gave me is 0.5 mg daily.***
PS: The photos are taken 1 to 3 weeks after shaving with zero guard
