# Men's Hair Loss > Men's Hair Loss: Start Your Own Topic >  Finasteride alternatives?

## lucrio

So I've been on finasteride for about 6 months now. About 4 months in I noticed I was getting side effects after not experiencing any for the first months. I lowered my dosage by half and gave it a few weeks. The sides went away slightly but still were definitely noticeable. I lowered the dosage again and the sides are still not fully gone. 

I have decided that ill have to quit  finasteride completely to fully get rid of the side effects. It is very disappointing as I noticed my hair getting better around the 5th month and the side effects happened suddenly when I wasn't expecting. 

I really dont want to give up fighting hair loss completely as im still young. Does anyone know of any alternatives to finasteride that have actual evidence of effectiveness. I know there are tons of websites making claims at natural products but they all seem bogus. I figure ill get the most legit info here. I know finasteride is the one that really works but if anyone knows anything else that will help fight hairloss with less sides i would really appreciate it.

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## Luke

Minoxidil is the only other real 1st line treatment and LLT is right up there, basically you want to do everything you can while the existing players in the market continue developing and trialling their treatments prior to release.
Then its Nizoral shampoo  twice per week 
Natural remedies ...well do you homework !  look into saw palmetto which may increase your chances of slowing down hair loss.
LEF is a respected scientific body and they also have some stuff for sale

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## Tracy C

> Does anyone know of any alternatives to finasteride that have actual evidence of effectiveness.


 You need to be aware that if anything did offer the same results as Finasteride - or better, it would probably have the same side effect profile - or worse.  It just is what it is.  5 months after starting is a long time to start feeling side effects.  Are you sure these side effects you feel are isolated to Finasteride and nothing else?

With that said, there was a short term study some time ago on the effects of a specific Saw Palmetto complex for treatment of BPH.  Please note that I said "complex" and not straight Saw Palmetto.  The results of that short term study were favorable.  The duration of that study was too short and the number of participants was too small, but that study is the closest thing to any legitimate studies I have been able to find.  Please be aware though that these concerns do not apply to me, so I have not put as much effort into this as someone for whom these concerns do apply.

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## lucrio

Thanks for the comments. In response to what Tracy C said, 5 months is a long time to start experiencing side effects and it is this reason why I am so surprised and dissapointed. I agree that this seems like a long time after starting the treatment but I can't seem to think of any other reason for the sides. I know that they arent in my head as they happened suddenly and I was always one to discredit side effect claims caused by finasteride. 

Im curious about minoxidil. What is the percent success of people using it and from experience or knowledge, what is the most convenient and least mesy way to apply it? If I do decide to switch to minoxidil id like to know what i'm getting into. Thanks to everyone who has commented, this blog is really my best tool in fighting hairloss.

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## Tracy C

> Im curious about minoxidil...
> 
> ...what is the most convenient and least mesy way to apply it?


 The success rate is published on Rogaines web site.

http://www.rogaine.com/about-rogaine

Rogaine foam is the least messy, most convenient and stealthy way to use Minoxidil.  I use men's Rogaine myself in the morning for those reasons.  In the evenings I use generic women's liquid minoxidil because it is less expensive than Rogaine foam and women's Rogaine.

I also use the Hairmax laser comb every other day and Nizoral A-D shampoo in place of my regular shampoo twice per week.

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## jupiter6791

I took generic fin for about two years.  I can for sure relate some sides to it with me.  The amount of ejaculatory was maybe 20% of what it was before I started.  I used to wake up with morning erections every so often like most men do, but once on fin I never had one for the entire two years.  My erections don't get nearly as strong as they did before fin.  One thing that I can't for 100% sure relate to it, but I feel there is a good probability, is anxiety for no apparent reasons.  The anxiety I never thought about being related until I read several articles of that being a side of fin.  I'm not one of these guys that wants to blame all their life's problems on fin.  I'm just stating what I experienced.  Believe me, I wish it weren't the case.

I went off fin about two or three months ago because of this, and needless to say, I have much more hair coming out during shampoos and just throughout the day.  A few weeks ago I began taking saw palmetto and beta sis hoping that would help, but as of now I can't say it has done anything for me.  I was really hoping to find something that works and doesn't mess with my body the way fin did, but I don't feel very optimistic.

I also recently tried minoxidil, the liquid kind with a dropper.  My hair looks horrible when I apply it to the point of where I feel it's pointless.  I wouldn't mind it if I only had to do it in the evenings, but you have to use it in the morning too for it to work from what I've read.  I think my head would look better shaved than with thin, greasy hair.

People don't notice my hair thinning, but I'm taller and people can't see the top of my head very well.  When I look at the top of my head in the mirror I clearly have much, much thinner hair on top than the sides, and every day I'm losing more and more of it.  I'm very caught up in it and it's extremely depressing.  I feel like my only option is to take fin and risk messing up my body or accept and let my hair fall out.

One last thing about fin, the propecia website has been down for months now and there's just a generic webpage with a link to report issues with propecia to the FDA.  That doesn't make me feel any better about taking fin at all.  I'm looked around a lot and can't find any news on why propecia.com is down with just this message.  One can only imagine it's not good though.

I feel for all us guys dealing with this issue.

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## lucrio

In response to what jupiter6791 said, the sides I experience are similar to yours. I wouldnt say I have anxiety but I have felt less and less energetic and overall less capable while taking fin. It is depressing that the only option is to trade your libido and sexual well being for hair. I really don't want to stop trying yet.

Another question about minoxidil. Does the rogaine foam leave your hair as greasy as the liquid form?

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## Luke

> In response to what jupiter6791 said, the sides I experience are similar to yours. I wouldnt say I have anxiety but I have felt less and less energetic and overall less capable while taking fin. It is depressing that the only option is to trade your libido and sexual well being for hair. I really don't want to stop trying yet.
> 
> Another question about minoxidil. Does the rogaine foam leave your hair as greasy as the liquid form?


  Mate, thats not the only option !!

just with Minoxidil LLT and few natural  approaches you have an excellent chance of slowing your hairloss if not halting it entirely until the newer treatments that are currently being developed and trialled are launched.
If you can't wait that long, find a well regarded surgeon and get a hair transplant.

My experience with the foam was that no it won't leave your hair as greasy-
and one other thing if you get sides from minoxidil,try one with a different inactive ingredient before you give up ..

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## lucrio

Thanks for the positivity Luke. Your comment has really improved my mood. I am now convinced to try minoxidil.

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## Joranso

I dont think propecia is worth it.  Has anyone read this book http://www.hairgrowthcure.com ?

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## burtandernie

If something other than fin worked as well why would so many people still be using? Because they like to take drugs for fun?
I think saw palmetto does work for BPH to an extent, but I think its many times too weak to work for MPB. You need drastic androgen changes to get hair results which is why so much stuff doesnt work.

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## jfeury

Hi All, I have been losing hair for 10 years and I have tried many products such as Propecia and Rogaine Foam.
Have you ever heard about the product TRX2 it is a food supplements engineered to to help with hair loss; I have been using this for quite a while now and I find it very effective; it is also a natural food supplement so there are no side effects.
Let me know if anyone else has tried this and there experience but I find it effective for me; I also wash my hair daily with Bioxsine shampoo and take a zinc supplement. 
I no longer use propecia or Rogaine and I find the above very effective; has anyone else experience with this and how did you find it?
Joseph

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## burtandernie

I agree if anything else worked it would have fin like sides, and the reason most things dont is they simply dont work. Every natural supplement ive ever tried did nothing. Hopefully in a few years we finally get some alternatives.

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## irfan

> Hi All, I have been losing hair for 10 years and I have tried many products such as Propecia and Rogaine Foam.
> Have you ever heard about the product TRX2 it is a food supplements engineered to to help with hair loss; I have been using this for quite a while now and I find it very effective; it is also a natural food supplement so there are no side effects.
> Let me know if anyone else has tried this and there experience but I find it effective for me; I also wash my hair daily with Bioxsine shampoo and take a zinc supplement. 
> I no longer use propecia or Rogaine and I find the above very effective; has anyone else experience with this and how did you find it?
> Joseph


 Hi Joseph,

Pls tell us more about the impact of this product. after how many day can we see the impact...?, how many days it will take to stop the hair fall.

Thanks

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## samyak

hey there .....same thing happend to me i m on my 5th month having some issues with fin.....so if u want an alternative u can try proanagen tablet take one pill every day it will at least stop your hair fall after quitting fin ...give it atleast 2 month and use minoxidil too it can be helpful

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## Vic

The active compound cucumin found in Turmeric. Published studies show cucumin inhibits testosterone conversion to 5 alpha reductase the same way Fin does but on a smaller scale with NO SIDE AFFECTS. I tried posting a Thread on this. 
The study showed enhanced hair growth with Turmeric and Minox compared to Minox users alone. I'm not going to waste time finding the study again because my Thread never even made it on this site for some reason. 

Do a simple google search, you'll find it pretty easily.

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## GroughBack

The better option to fin is saw palmetto topical that includes pumkin seed oil, saw palmetto itnternal complex that includes beta-sis and a vibrating massage brush. I use both of these daily and a 15 min massage while I watch some tv with the brush, my hair couldn't be growing back faster. Saw palmetto complex, without the topical did slow hairloss for me but did nothing to thicken and re-grow hair for me. Since I added the topical I literally can not believe how quickly my hair is growing back. I never would have believed it was even possible, had to experience it for myself!

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## LusciousLadyLocks

Minoxidil keeps hair at or above baseline for 10+ years for about 85% of users.  For most men, it's plenty.  This board mostly has the unlucky 15%.  Even for them, minoxidil slows hair loss in pretty much everyone.

My husband has been on minoxidil for a decade.  He started at a NW1.  He is now a NW0-1.  His father was a NW4-5 at the same age.

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## hereismyhair

I was on finasteride for like 5 years and thought it was working great. Then one day I realized i had just gotten thinner all around my hairline. Then i noticed hair everywhere in my bathroom. A feeling of doom just like consumed me "Fins not working im screwed". Switched to avodart and after 6 months I dont shed any hair at all. Like 10 hairs in the shower after months. So yeah I guess where finasteride failed dutasteride is succeeding extremely well.

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## naturalregain

I would highly suggest everyone not to use drugs like finasteride simply because of the adverse side effects it has on the human body.
Science shows that the human body is carbon-based and to complement a carbon-based body you must have a carbon-based substance to complement it. The body only accepts the substance through the process of chemical affinity. Which means, the body can only accept what it is made of, not something new or alien to it such as finasteride.
Furthermore, it's a fact that the father of medicine, Mr. Hippocrates, the man that established the principles of medical science today, cured every disease known to mankind using HERBS and not chemicals.
So I say to you, do not use chemicals like finasteride. Instead use potent herbal qi tonics used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to regrow hair.
Did you know? Carthamus Tinctorius is a botanical herb used in chinese medicine and works exactly like finasteride by blocking DHT and reversing hair loss but doesn't come with the side effects attached to it?
Carthamus Tinctorius is an excellent 5a-reductase inhibitor derived from nature which is effective in blocking DHT from attacking hair follicles and transforms the growth factor-β1 enzyme that is the hair loss-related gene. This means that even if you suffer from androgenetic alopecia (further known as Male or Female Pattern Baldness) which is hair loss caused by DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in genetics; Your hair loss can be reversed! I wrote an article about 5a-reductase inhibitor and how hair regrowth can be achieved.

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