Hairloss Forums: Does anyone else experience massive shedding using avodart?

>> Hair Loss, Thinning Hair, Propecia and Rogaine Forums > General Hair Loss Discussion > Does anyone else experience massive shedding using avodart?

Bluelizard
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Nov 2008
Posts: 28

Does anyone else experience massive shedding using avodart?

For the last 11 years I have experienced the strangest thing. First it happened with Proscar and then it also happened with Avodart. What happens is: 1)I gain decent growth using avodart and rogain together. 2)At Around after 100-120 days, my hair starts to shed at a couple of hundred hairs a day. This happens for 3 weeks, by them, my scalp is very visible. 5)After it starts shedding, it starts growiwng again and takes about 3-4 months for it to grow to a decent amount again. 6)I keep my decent growth for another 100-120 days and the cycle repeats itself. The only reference I have ever seen is to this is on Minoxidil.com thats sells the xandrox and the doctor states the following. "Finasteride

There have been multiple reports of excessive shedding several months after finasteride therapy. Typically, there is a good response to finasteride to prevent or reverse MPB. Then, around the 11th to 16th week, there can be sudden shedding, sometimes on a massive scale. The entire phenomenon fits the description of a telogen effluvium. It is a common observation that post-partum women often suffer the same temporary hair loss. In the case of finasteride use, the telogen effluvium appears to be a reaction to the sudden change in the systemic levels of the sex hormone, DHT. Often the cause of a telogen effluvium are obscure, but has been related to high fevers, stress, trauma, medications, etc.

The shedding is generally diffuse (global) and can affect areas of the scalp not usually affected by MPB. So, it would be common to note shedding from the sides and back of the head in addition to the crown, vertex and frontal areas. The shedding tends to be fairly symmetrical, but will be more noticeable in the areas affected by MPB, because there is a higher ratio of hairs in the telogen phase than in the other areas of the scalp.

The duration of a telogen effluvium is variable, but rarely lasts more than a few months and there is invariably complete restitution unless another pathologic process also occurs.

As a rule, treatment is not necessary because the hair will grow back. For most patients, there is no evidence of residual loss of hair within a year. However, there have been cases of patients taking finasteride and reporting repeated bouts of excessive shedding. In this situation, it would be advisable to discontinue use of finasteride in favor of alternative anti-androgens."

I am very suprised that nobody else ever discusses this topic. Thanks

8/19/2009 9:04 AM

oofah
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Oct 2006
Posts: 290

I think a lot of people complain of shedding on fin and avo though not as cyclical as you.

Does your hair always grow back to it's "pre-shed" thickness?

How much fin did you take and how much avo are you currently taking?

8/19/2009 9:36 AM

Bluelizard
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Nov 2008
Posts: 28

My hair does always grow back to its pre-shed thickness, However my hair line had receded a little bit over the last 11 years. I was taking 5MG of proscar and than when avodart came out, I take 2 capsules a day, which amount to 1 MG.

8/19/2009 9:41 AM

Regrowth.com Webmaster
Owner, Editor and Webmaster

Hair Loss Type:
Androgenetic Alopecia
(Pattern Hair Loss, Male or Female)
Hair Transplant? No
Norwood 3v

Registered: Jan 2001
Posts: 875

Same here and it is not abnormal for hair growth to become 'synchronized' and experience large sheds as hairs enter a resting phase and then grow back again. But normally they grow back even better (thicker) than before the shed. Hairs HAVE to grow and fall out - they don't grow non-stop. When a treatment is working, the hair will grow, then shed, then grow back thicker and longer. Often many hairs go through these phases at the same time - it definitely happened to me and each time my hair loss got much worse, then much better. It sucks but it is just part of the process.

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8/19/2009 9:48 AM

tagit
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Oct 2009
Posts: 6

I would love to discuss this matter further with you for more insight. I too am having massive sheeding after increasing my avodart dose from .5 to 1mg. I had great results taking .5 as well as 2.5 of proscar. Now, I think I either induced cyclical shedding or really screwed-up my hormones. I since have reduced my dose back down to .5 but still shedding tons. Any suggestions on what to do would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to stabilize and hopefully regrow to baseline like you. Should I increase avodart back to 1mg? Please help...I'd love to hear more about your case...thanks-a-million!

10/26/2009 11:56 PM

turtle
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Sep 2009
Posts: 11

Has anyone experienced this on a 1mg/day finasteride?..... im starting for the first time in a couple days... just curious if this is something i should expect?

10/27/2009 8:30 PM

HairWinsTheRace
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Jan 2007
Posts: 173

Regrowth.com Webmaster ...

what is the exact Proscar/Propecia/Avodart dosage you use throughout these worse/better ... worse/even better phases?

Thanks.

10/28/2009 9:49 AM

tagit
Regrowth.com Member

Registered: Oct 2009
Posts: 6

I too would love to know the exact dosing Bluelizzard is using. I would love to offer some advice on doing but I'm currently in the dark. In the past, .5 of avodart plus 2.5 of proscar worked well. After increasing my avodart to 1mg and my proscar to 5mg, I created a hormonal nightmare and met w/ crazy shedding. I've since reduced my doses back to the original and it seems to be slowly improving although its hard to tell as I am still shedding. The one thing that has improved I'd that my scalp is not as greasy as it was when I increased the dose. Right now, I'm just taking 2.5 of proscar hoping my system/homones will reset so I can again add avodart .5mg back into the regimen, like before. I would love to hear Bluelizzards take on this though and get some anecdotal advice. I'm going for a consult with a repuatble dermatologist/hair specialist in Pasadena on Wed. And will post any insights I geta round dosing. From my perspective, more 5a blocade is not neccesarily better! Please help!

11/2/2009 3:10 PM

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