Ashton Kutcher Took Avodart for 10 Years

I first published this post on February 26, 2018, but am now updating and republishing it because of an important development.

Update:

Yesterday (June 4th, 2018), Ashton Kutcher appeared on Conan and discussed his past 10-year usage of Avodart (Dutasteride) to maintain his hair, prior to quitting several years ago. The video was officially published today and is embedded further below. I was impressed by Mr. Kutcher’s knowledge that a testosterone byproduct (DHT) rather than testosterone itself is the root cause of hair loss. He seems like a true hair geek, although later on he fumbles a bit when he agrees with Conan that less testosterone = usually more hair.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels and your scalp hair’s genetic sensitivity to the ravaging effects of DHT are together what cause male pattern hair loss. Men with somewhat low testosterone levels can still have sufficiently high enough levels of DHT to end up going completely bald. And men with high testosterone levels can still not go bald at all if their follicles are not genetically susceptible to the attacks from DHT.

In any case, to the best of my knowledge, no major celebrity has ever admitted to using Dutasteride for hair loss in the past. Many have admitted to using the comparatively weaker drug Finasteride, including our sitting US president. What makes this admission from Mr. Kutcher even more striking is the fact that Dutasteride is not yet officially approved to treat hair loss in the US… although tens of thousands of people have surreptitiously been using the drug for that purpose for over 15 years now.


Original Post:

For those who read this blog regularly, you might have noticed that I have an especially keen interest in the drug Avodart (Dutasteride) because for a large number of people it is currently the best option to treat hair loss if willing to tolerate the potential side effects. My post on Dutasteride for hair loss reviews now has close to 300 comments, with a surprising number of people reporting great results. I often say that Avodart (Dutasteride) is like Propecia (Finasteride) on steroids. Buyer beware.

Ashton Kutcher Short Hair
Ashton Kutcher Short Hair

I have been taking the drug for the past year and a half with good results. However, a few months ago I reduced my dosage to 0.5 mg once every other day (half the recommended 0.5 mg per day). I think that I may have gained some body fat while on Dutasteride, and I have definitely seen a sudden appearance of significant forehead acne after starting to take generic pills from a different manufacturer (since my local pharmacy switched suppliers). Dutasteride moderately raises both estrogen and testosterone in those taking it, so the side effects I am getting are not surprising and I therefore cut my intake in half. I also wanted to reduce the daily processing load on my liver.

Celebrities Never Mention Taking Avodart for Hair Loss

We have all heard of 100s of celebrities and athletes who have admitted to using Propecia (Finasteride) to combat their hair loss. The most recent case was US President Donald Trump. I still cannot believe that it now says on one corner of the official White House website that the president uses Propecia for his hair loss. The most powerful man in the world really cares about his hair.

Besides celebrities, we often hear about athletes who get banned from competitions for using Propecia. The reason for this is because Propecia apparently masks the usage of other more serious banned performance enhancing drugs. Edit: Finasteride no longer banned for athletes since 2009 per wikipedia (h/t Scott).

However, you never ever hear of any major celebrity or athlete admitting to taking Avodart (Dutasteride) to tackle his or her hair loss. For one, Avodart has only been approved to treat hair loss in Japan and South Korea. In other countries, you have to figure out a way to get a prescription and convince your doctor that you want it even though you do not have an enlarged prostate (the original approved usage for Avodart). I also think that most people (including doctors) do not know much about using Dutasteride for hair loss.

Ashton Kutcher used Avodart for Hair Loss

Ashton Kutcher Long Hair
Ashton Kutcher Long Hair

This past week, well known actor Ashton Kutcher admitted that he used Avodart for 10 years to tackle his hair loss. I was amazed to read that statement. He might very well be the first ever world renowned celebrity to admit to taking this drug for hair loss. Moreover, he took it for a pretty long time, and seems to have had no major side effects. Some key points from the interview and my thoughts:

  • Mr. Kutcher says that he took “the Avodart” from the age of 25-35 and stopped five years ago. He is currently 40 years old. So he took the drug from around early 2003 till early 2013. Considering that Avodart was only approved for treating enlarged prostates in November 2001 and probably not easily available for treating hair loss in 2002, Mr. Kutcher did a great job doing his research and getting a hold of the drug in early 2003. I wonder if he was on the hairsite.com forums in 2002 when they led the worldwide discussion about this new magic drug that would be the cure for hair loss.
  • Mr. Kutcher’s two children are currently 3 years old and 14 months old. So he had them both after quitting Avodart. Perhaps that was the reason he originally quit the drug? It is recommended that pregnant women not even handle Avodart. Moreover, many men taking Avodart stop taking the drug when trying to become fathers due to fears that it could lead to some changes in their sperm quality and potential birth defects in their children. However, there are no warnings on Dutasteride bottle labels in relation to men. There are, however, clear warnings for both women and for children regarding never handling the capsules.
  • I am curious how Mr. Kutcher got his hands on Avodart in 2003. Did he buy it online, or was there any American doctor who was willing to prescribe it to him for the off-label hair loss use?
  • Mr. Kutcher claims that he quit Avodart five years ago, did good for a year, but now (five years after quitting) he is losing his hair again. In his own words: “And I think like, five years ago I stopped and I did really good for a year, and now it’s thinning out”. The half life of Avodart is around five weeks, so it does seem strange that he was not losing any substantial hair for five years after quitting the drug. Or (my interpretation of his quote): not losing his hair at all for a year after quitting the drug, then losing it minimally for the next four years, and now finally losing it much more rapidly.

In any event, even if Mr. Kutcher’s time frames are a bit off or confusing, it is wonderful to get a data point regarding Avodart from a well known celebrity. The majority of hair loss forum members who try Avodart never seem to continue to take it for a decade.

143 thoughts on “Ashton Kutcher Took Avodart for 10 Years”

  1. Propecia was taken off the World Anti-Doping Agency’s “banned” list in 2008. Also, PRP, due to it only speeding up healing and not enhancing in-game performance, is also allowed, but for hair loss is useless anyway.

    I think a few tricks here and there to make your hair look a few years younger by styling techniques, thickeners, maybe even a transplant is fair game, but when you start getting into not-approved drugs and playing Russian roulette with your one and only body, especially if you have dependents/children, that’s a step too far.

    1. I think you are exagerating quite a bit. Much safer for your children and dependants would be to check monthly ur weight, ur heart, ur vdl ldl levels and prostata growth, ur testosterone levels after 40ies too. Eating the right not saturated fats will keep u more years alive than not taking propecia or dutasteride.

  2. Thanks. This drug is potentially very risky, but it is approved for BPH. And it is approved for hair loss in two countries. I would not call it “non-approved”. We now have over 16 years of BPH related usage data in the US with no major warnings or bans in effect.

    Main reason for not getting approved for hair loss in the US is probably because Glaxo decided it was not worth the cost of pursuing such an approval process relative to how much they can finally make from it.

    1. I wouldn’t even call it risky for the majority of men but what the hell do I know. I’m just a 55 year old knucklehead that was on 1mg. of finasteride for 20 years and now Dutasteride for two and a half years (not to be confused with two and a half men!).

      1. Another name for these drugs is “chemical castration”. Recognizing and appreciate risks are different things.

        I don’t like the tradeoffs but, that’s really what it is.

        1. Have you taken an anti-androgen Adam and had this experience of “chemical castration”? If so you are one on the very few according to the data and if not you’re fear mongering. I have for many years (close to 20) and speak with authority.

          1. taking something for 20 years without knowing the reality is authority? look at propeciahelp, solvePFS or any other PFS forum. I have severe permanent side effects, and a lot of people do.

        2. Sure than tell me how It was possible for me to have a child while on finasteride …
          All these people spreading FUD over here ..

      2. Hi Yoda, can you share with me your experience thus far having gone from using fin to now Dut. Have you experienced greater hair related results on the Dut. than all your previous use with the fin.?

        Anything you care to share would be appreciated!

        Darren

      3. You took Finastride for 20 years. I am taking it for 6 years and now
        It is loosing its effect. Did you experience the same?

      4. I would stay away from conversations regarding either of the drug. I ve been using proscar for 12 years and it stopped my hair loss or slowed down significantly. The only time I experienced a side effect was few years ago when I decided to read about the side effects and it got in my head and I could not perform. I stopped the drug for a week got it out of my head. I went back on it and everything was fine. No issues since. I encourage to read up and learn about hair loss, I personally look hair loss info once a month bc I know that if something significant came out we all would know. I was to young at 22 to let go of my hair, and I know that I would have been depressed which is worse. I am happy with a decent head of hair and will continue until it does not work anymore( hope that’s not the case). I hope for all of us that something soon comes out.
        This site is very informative and I try not to google to much.
        Cheers everyone and let’s HOPE for a great treatment.

        1. “The only time I experienced a side effect was few years ago when I decided to read about the side effects and it got in my head and I could not perform.”
          I love this comment Ved, my guess is most of the sides you hear about on the forums are of a similar nature or from guys who never took the drug at all.

      5. I am a 55 yr. old male that finally started his first fin journey about 2 years ago. The first year in all my nervous apprehension about taking the drug, I started off on 5.mg a day for 6 months, by month 3/4 started seeing growth!! Was on a hair high for sure!

        Then I also started noticing some minor sides (only slight libido loss but not enough to interfere with a healthy regular WOOD when required ;) I also noticed slight abdominal weight gain, and am a very fit with a regular exercise regime 5/6 days a week).

        So by month 6th and after some fairly decent hair growth gains and after scanning numerous and countless forums, such as this one. I dropped my 5.mg to every other day. BIG MISTAKE! By month 9 of being on the new dose I lost all I had grown and was shedding big time! So I immediately got back on a dose of 1.25 mg a day and now at about month 17 I am seeing my bald spot almost completely filled in and hair all over thickened up big time! So am 55 going 56 and aside from the slight weight and maybe some brain fog but enough to deter me off of fin at this point, I am happy to report I am back on track with my hair (for now anyway…)

        Darren in Canada

      6. You were first on 1mg of finasteride for 20 years and now Dutasteride for two and a half years.
        Any noticeable differences in hair growth, or any noticeable side affects?

    2. According to clinicaltrials.gov, GSK ran multiple Phase 3 trials for Avodart in hair loss, so they incurred the cost but likely couldn’t show safety margin over Propecia

    3. I agree- what matters is whether a drug is FDA approved for anything. As long as it meets that threshold, then it can be used off-label for a variety of conditions. Most conditions are treated with off-label drugs (meaning not for what the FDA has approved them for). This is commonplace in medicine.

  3. I doubt he bought it online himself; his agents probably had no trouble procuring it since lost hair = lost work for their clients = millions in lost money.

    As for the sudden increase in thinning, he probably took it at the first sign of thinning; it’s probably been progressing slowly to begin with.

    I mean, I always thought he was a fullhead throughout the 2000s, so that shows you that his hairloss wasn’t that bad to begin with.

  4. Not to change subjects but pure tech updated their follica page today. They confirmed that they started their optimization study this quarter already and will proceed to pivotal study this first half. They also received 11 million dollars in fubding.

    1. That’s great news. I took a look at their website, but didn’t see this language. I still see the language that the optimization study is “expected to start in early 2018.” This is under the heading “Expected Milestones and Timing.” Where did you see the update? Thanks.

    2. It doesn’t necessarily mean they have found anything that produces any better results than what we have but I found it encouraging that they said they had made additional progress toward ‘the identification and testing of next-generation, proprietary compounds based on the Group’s intellectual property”.

      1. Regarding that February Report, I see nothing of Follica is listed in their “Upcoming Milestones”. Not results anticipated nor initiations of any kind for the next 12 months. see: “pivotal study is expected to commence following the completion of an ongoing optimisation study.” So when exactly is the ongoing optimization study going to end if not in the next 12 months? And the pivotal study follows when? 2020?

        1. As I understand it, the optimization study is expected to give some insight or reveal the best compound and related protocol by the end of June. By the statements on their website, it appears that the pivotal trial is qued up and ready to go. Assuming that the optimization results are significant, they would begin the larger more detailed pivotal trial immediately where they will compile all of the data for submission to the FDA. I would guess that whole process would take close to 12 months on the fast track. So we would easily be over 12 months out. As I have said before, we still have zero proof of anything that really works yet so I am not sure if Follica even knows yet what they have. Their optimization study may show nothing of consequence. On the optimistic side, they are calling it an optimization study which I infer to mean not whether it works but what works best; they have a pivotal trial qued up if they were planning to initiate by mid 2018; and they just collected over $11 mil in funding……….those are reasonable signs that they may already know something.

      2. “It doesn’t necessarily mean they have found anything that produces any better results than what we have”

        It does, actually. I mean, wounding + minoxidil in studies has already shown to be superior to what we already have.

        Puretech’s own research into the subject showed that most people don’t use conventional treatments because of poor results in terms of regrowth; they would RATHER go bald than take finasteride and not because of side effects, but because it doesn’t offer much regrowth.

        So they know that their product MUST offer significantly better regrowth if it is to be profitable. We also know it is intended to compete with transplants.

        and knowing this, they have poured a decade and tens of millions into it and it is the first thing since finasteride nearly 30 years ago to be at Phase III. That’s huge.

        It definitely is better than what we have now.

  5. I’ve been using Dutasturide for about 2 years now and it’s helped a lot.

    Only recently(a year or two ago) are generics available, which is nice because it drove the cost down by an order of magnitude.

  6. I think you will find that MR Kutcher had more temple recession rather than say over all thinning, it really shows how far back his hairline actually starts, maybe he just brushes it forward & maybe the Dutasteride help stop it for a while. It will be interesting to see what happens to his hair over then next few years.

  7. I’m guessing that he started to experience sexual side effects and gave it up. Dutasteride combined with the natural ageing process will almost certainly lead to poor sexual function at an earlier age. If my hunch is correct, hopefully he fully recovered after he stopped taking it.

  8. I think half the people that experience sexual disfunction only experience it because they read about it so much online. It is just in their head.
    For me it seems to come and go. I would rather not be taking fin but i cant really do much else until something else is available.
    After 4 years i am really starting to notice the brain fog, that is pretty much the only sode effect i have noticed apart from weight gain but there is no way i can say it is the fin for sure. I starting gaining weight two years after i started fin.

    1. Right on brother, in their head…or they are married to the same old hag for 20 years and would’ve had ED anyways. It’s just a convenient excuse not to bone the old lady!

      1. Yoda…Got a q. I have proscar pills. However dr is willing to do Topical Finasteride. Also from the compound pharmacy can also get latanoprost in there and/or Alzaic acid.
        I am a NW 2.5. My hair loss happened do to medication. It happened all in 10 weeks…the drug rose my dht levels high and tripled my estrogen.
        My hair hasn’t gotten any better in the last 2 years, but not better either.
        – Also a doc wrote me a script for testosterone…however nervous to do testosterone bc of DHT sensitivity. So…what the heck would you do? Lol. Take fin…or no? Topical fin? Topical fin with others ( latanoprost, Alzaic acid )?

        My hair use to be thick as heck with the same low hairline I had at 18. Ppl would jk a few years ago it looked like I never aged. I am now 30. I got compared to a singer Nick Lachey.

    2. “weight gain”, right.. I also thought that, then I calculated how much I should actually be eating, did that, cleaned the diet and 1yr after I am with ~12% (dr. tested) body fat.

  9. I don’t really want to criticize anyone. Hell – when I was 25 I got a HT (FUT) which was the biggest mistake of my life. Afterwards I took propecia (genercis) for about three years and there was no question that my sexual disfunction was real. Because I lost all (!) interest in women and couldn’t get an erection. My doctors today say as well that everything was in my head and that they have never seen a credible case where they see an objective difference. My doctor actually says it’s so safe he wouldn’t blink before giving it to his son.

    If this is the cure I pass. If my hairloss starts to get serious despite the HT I will opt for FUE to establish low density coverage and SMP to add density. I would not touch Dutasturide, maybe topical Fin if it comes out. Actually I think the Hanson and Wong story convinced me that this might be a medium term solution for a lot of people until one of the other avenues succeed.

    1. Is there any studies on the effectiveness of topical fin compared to oral?
      My pharmacist can put it into the minoxidil that i have made up and then i would be able to stop taking the tablets.
      I guess there is always times when i go on vacation and dont want to use topicals and taking a tablet is so much easier and less embarrasing

      1. There is this study:
        https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03004469?term=androgenetic+alopecia&rank=56

        My cautious optimism is based on gut feeling. I know that Fin works (to a degree). I think Hanson and Wong have no motive to switch over if the efficacy isn’t there – they could just prescribe oral fin to their clients and deny any side effects like so many other doctors too.

        Although I have to admit I have no clue why topical fin should work at all. As far as I know fin prohibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT. But does that happen in the skalp locally or all over your body? But this question has been answered on this site somewhere.

        In general I think that a cure alone is not key it’s marketability. If you can’t make money on it – why bother as a Pharma company? And to make money of it you have to patent it somehow and corner the market.

        1. If its such a low percentage concentration why dont people just crush like half a proscar tablet amd add it to minoxidil formula?

        2. You are right that Testosterone is converted to DHT systemically and not on the scalp. Therefore, if topical finasteride works then in must be getting absorbed into the blood, at which point it is no different than just taking the pill.

    2. Blomquist, your doc needs to be given the boot asap. As many know, PFS is very real. It’s not in our heads! Hope things have sorted themselves out for you.

      1. Yes, I have been on anti-androgens for close to 20 years, Dutasteride for over two and my penis fell off. It has it’s own one man off Broadway show. How many of you fear mongers have actually tried the drug? I know people that get the mentioned sides from anything they try, RX or OTC. Unfrickin real!

        1. Hi Again Yoda, my question is sincere. I have no fear related thoughts, just want to know if you have had better hair growth results related to switching to DUT. I have been on Fin since jan. 2017, first 6 months were going great and was seeing growth, then changed my dosage to EOD nov. last year, big mistake!!! Lost all my growth and have not recovered yet since being on 1.25 mg ED now. Had minor sides that went away. Am contemplating DUT if I see no recovery by this summer. Regards, dee

          1. Dee, that is a sincere question. I can’t make a recommendation to you as my situation and yours are entirely different. Hence, why I get focused on the pinheads that assert that everyone who takes anti-androgens will get sides when the data says otherwise and I know from my experience it simply not the case. I’m an old dude should’ve been bald years ago. Fin and high strength minox did me right for close to 20 years but started to loose ground about 4 years ago. Dut stabilized my loss but little to no regrowth. I am now on RU (3 months) as well and have seen some thickening but can’t report regrowth. My feeling is that minox eventually is almost useless as time goes on. If I were you I’d get back on 1.25 mg fin everyday for six months and re-evaluate before even considering Dut. I’m guessing your a younger guy so make sure you’re on Minox. If there’s shedding be brave and ride it out. Good luck, being younger and losing your hair sucks. At 55 it still sucks, just not as much!

  10. Guys, have we forgotten, we do have the Polichem topical Fin which is completing Phase 3 in Europe, tomorrow I believe.

  11. Quentin- I have a question for you buddy. So I have been using a minox liquid compounded with tretinoin and I have been taking collagen 1 and 3 like you directed. It’s been two weeks and I’m losing density all over my hairline and right side top. My hairline is receding rather quickly into a nw3. Did you shed a lot like this? I noticed a grew a small terminal dark hair two inches below my temple where my juvenile hairline used to be but the rest of my hair is turning really diffuse and bad rather quickly. My right side hairline is diffusing over across to the left side. My left side was thick during the holidays. Any advice or experience you can share so that I don’t drop this and quit.

    1. Yes the same thing happened to me. I will try to find some photos so i can show you. What strength tretinoin are you using?
      Not to scare you but i lost a fair bit during the first month. By the end of month 3 i was thicker than ever.
      Maybe slow it down or use a little less if you are worried. The scalp needs to befome use to the tretinoin. That takes about 2 weeks

  12. HI Quentin thanks for replying back. It’s .01 tretinon. With 5% minox. I hope this diffuse shed slows and I see some good regrowth. Pics would be great!

    1. It really should just completely stop over the next week or so. I find the tretinoin stops the greasiness of my scalp and i think thats why it works so well for me.

    1. Interesting. They mention the wounding effect yet again.

      My sci-hub links rarely work….seems like Taiwan was the answer.

        1. The results are plausible and not over the top. There might be less light in the before than the after. It is not often that you see undeniable regrowth, unlike PRP before and afters where the person may or may not have gained 50 follicles.

          1. The results are probably from systemic absorption of finasteride. Finasteride does not act locally at the scalp, it must be absorbed systemically.

            1. Thats why Finasteride will be a thing of the past “soon”. Patients can’t accept pharmacological action…

        2. BUT the best result shows a picture of a male who also recently started Fin…what a ridiculous study, not holding certain variables constant.

  13. Hi admin,
    In your post you mention avodart has been shown to increase test and estrogen moderately. Do you have any resources that cite this phenomenon? I’ve been on dut 3x a week for about 8 months and my last blood test results showed high normal estrogen levels and extremely elevated SHBG. I’m trying to figure out if this is related in any way.

    Thanks

  14. I’m sure they have something incrementally better but I am not as convinced as you may be that this is a game changer. I am optimistic however because I agree 100% that they are the first treatment since I have been following the research that is actually heading into a pivotal trial. There are some very good signs that something positive, from a credible company, is about to happen. To Yoda’s point about the size of the investment, $11 mil is pocket change in the world of biotech, but in the immediate context, it is the timing of the funding coupled with the liklihood that they probably don’t need more capital given the scope and type of pivotal study they have planned, that I find encouraging. I’m sure PureTech wants to dilute their ownership interest as little as possible. In fact, they are one of the two sources of funds……..the other being LightHouse Capital Partners.

  15. The study above honestly frustrates me because it is another study showing success yet it will never be made available to the public. How about they actually make a safe effective study treatment available to the public. It’s like I’m reading science fiction or something. The results are there with the laser plus growth factors and topical fin. Make it happen!

  16. Anyone know if aromatase inhibitors or estrogen receptor modulators would be safe/effective in men taking dutasteride and experiencing elevated estrogen levels? I could see something like clomifene helping…

    1. Minoxidilexpress.com

      …supposedly they will start selling Follics products sometime this month. That is if they are not shutdown first by Johnson & Johnson first. Believe me, the makers of rogaine will do everything within their power to prevent us from buying Follics products. They have teams of lawyers and every time the word “Rogaine” is mentioned on the internet, it’s flagged. I am no longer able to buy from minoxidilexpress.com anymore….

      1. Yup! This is the reason we aren’t getting better treatments in the marketplace.thank you for mentioning this Phil. Money always wins! Rogaine makes a ton of money and they will do whatever possible to block a better treatment.

        1. minoxidilexpress.com is just a third party that distributes Polaris Research topical products. Polaris Research is no longer a company (products have been discontinued), and has been replaced by Follics under the company Sapphire Healthcare.

          Finasteride will never be OTC in the United States because it is a hazardous drug and is on the NIOSH List: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2016-161/default.html

          We need to start a White House petition to at least allow us the capability to purchase Follics Products (https://www.follics.com/) directly here in the US through a prescription from an authorized medical provider. With enough signatures on the petition we’ll definitely get their attention! Strength in numbers! Speak up!

  17. Does anyone else feel like they shed when they do a course of antibiotics? My hair is really unhealthy. I cant work out if it is the strep throat or the antibiotics.

  18. RCH 01 is the first real solution for halting loss and Minoxidil levels of regrowth without sides. Watch and see as results will be out before July. Mark my words. God bless JPN

    1. Definitely believe in RCH 01 but I think the timescale will have minor delays. What makes me believe in it is the fact that one of the largest cash-rich companies in the sector bought the rights to it. Why did they not buy the others? Shiseido have enough cash to buy the others as well. What due diligence did their scientists find that made them buy Replicel but leave the others?

  19. This shows that people will take unknown drugs internally without knowing their affects.

    That’s why putting a lotion on your scalp is much easier and should be safer. Aclaris will be further along with its topical for AA than for AGA. It will be very interesting to soon learn does the topical work for AA (then I wonder if it does does it work for aga) and also the price per month for it. The current price ~$10k per month is way too much at least for pills. I wonder if they can get topical down to let’s say $250 per month.

    A lot of Bad OR Good news is about to come from Aclaris over the next year.

    1. Nasa..we wont know until mid 2019 if it works for aga. So your timeline that you gave us in the fall 2017 of Jak being available to us by late 2018 is very inaccurate. Just an fyi…don’t give out false timeline hope because the younger guys will postpone using Propecia thinking jak will be out in a few months…I’m hoping jak works as much as you do buddy but false hope is not a good thing.

      1. I might be off by 12 months (assuming it works). But I said jak would work when even dr Christianity did not believe it would.

        Best if people stay away from drugs that at best have very minimal affect. The young need to wait for a real treatment.

    2. Remember, drug prices are often set as a means of recouping costs of development. That means they are expensive when the population taking them is small. Can only imagine that a topical JAK inhibitor would be relatively cheap compared to currently approved JAK inhibitors.

  20. Hi Quentin. Yes I took a dose of zpack antibiotics back in 2008 and I shed a lot of hair and lost density in crown. It was upsetting but I took a double dose of antibiotics in 2012 when I got a bad flu and I didn’t lose hair. I was on Propecia both times. Taking drugs like that will never be good to your hair and being sick causes shedding. This morning I lost a ton of hair 50 strands showering and styling. Never lost that much in a single time. I’m worried and losing ground where I apply minox but I’m going to stay the course like you said. It will be exactly two weeKS today starting the compound minox tretinoid. Did you shed 50 hairs stylING and showering? When did your shed start and when did it stop? I’m becoming more see through in the front hairline and crown…I have a feeling it’s mpb progressing and this stuff isn’t doing anything….

    1. Shedding started about a week after starting. I was losing more than 50 hairs. I remember gettibg a hajr cut around week two and she was she pulling out handfuls of hair. It was so upsetting. I remember around week four i was so sick of seeing the shedding i had a shower and then put my hair dryer on full blast and i must have lost so many hairs. After doinf that i never noticed shedding again. I dont recommend doing that but it just stopped one day. I cant promise it will work for you but it definitely did for me and continues to work. Id say after 6 weeks if the shedding hasnt stopped then its not working. But im hoping for you that it really does!!

      1. Thank you for your response Quentin. I’m hoping it works too. It’s just my hairs are acting weird. They are turning all twisty and curvy and very hard to style and losing all that hair this morning really got me down. The previous two days my hair fall was very little and today BAM! massive amount. Well I’m going to ride it out. It just sucks seeing my hairline recede and diffuse out so rapidly…whenever you get a chance could you post some before, during and after pics of your hair. Want to see if we are losing the same way. I’m a nw2.5 diffuse closing in nw3 very soon if this doesn’t slow down.

        1. Yeh when i get home i will see what i can find. I was a nw2. 5 during the shedding went to a nw3 but not completely it was just very thin in the temple areas and after i was a thick nw2.

          1. Yup thats how I am right now. Temples are see through thin under lights and outside on sunny day but in a normal lamp lit room I look like a solid nw2. I shed a lot of healthy hair. Do your hair on the hairline go limp, tip over on your forehead, then fall off.? That is what happening to me along the hairline..hair tips over then sheds off and doesn’t grow back long again. It’s like a telogen effluvium or shock loss. Anywho..let’s hope for the best

            1. I dont really understand how you are describing it falling.
              All i can say is that most people who have great success with minoxidil have a bad shedding phase before the good regrowth so fingers crossed.
              I was ready to shave my head and im so glad i just persisted.
              Apart fro, the anti biotics i have just taken which has mad my hair abit unhealthy i have a great head of curly thick hair now.

              1. HI Quentin…sorry for the confusion. My hair is just diffuse thinking all over and getting harder to style. It seems like you went through the same thing. Hopefully things turn around. Fyi…I was on Rogaine foam for 3 years with no success. Just slowly thinning. I added a cimpound mnox last year that gave me regrowth but it gave me awful scalp inflammation and scaling. I kept going forward with it but lost ground after 3 months of success. I quit that around Thanksgiving aND that’s when I got the big shedding and lost lots of density. I hoped on Rogaine 5% liquid and that was the biggest mistake around Xmas. Hairline thinning out, tons of shedding. Kept using for 8 weeks with lots of shedding. I quit that a week before valentines day. It’s been 2.5 weeks with the compound minox and my shedding seems to have slowed the past two days. Maybe the other day was the last day of intense shedding. Fingers crossed my diffuse thinning will fill in. BTW whereever I applied foam my hair thinned out..wherever I didn’t apply it the hair got thicker. It’s like foam kills where you apply it but the vasilodation thickens the rest of the hair…we need new better treatments Asap!

  21. Someone tried mesotherapy with dutasteride as in a study from Spain? I’m thinking about trying, but I do not know if it’s worth it. Minoxidil no longer works, hair falls out every day

    1. Hop on Propecia dimitry….minox won’t stop the root cause of mpb. Try Propecia and keep with minox it may stop shedding. You need both to be successful

  22. Thought I’d throw this up here cuz I know we are all trying to help each other out. I avoided products like Toppiks for a long time because I was worried it would fall out of my hair in social situations and be super obvious to others. Well it’s way better than I thought. I put it in my hair, stand in the rain, sleep with it etc without any problems. Girls never even notice it on a white pillow the next day after I share their bed. It simply looks like dust. If you try it, get the spray applicator. Way easier for getting it on after styling your hair.

    Good Luck!

      1. I used to think the same. First impressions are so important and these products make me look like I have a full head of hair. Nuf said haha

        1. Yes first impressions are important. And if someone meets you for the first time and see you have a full head of hair, then someone later on they catch you without the coverup, how do you think they are going to perceive you then?

          1. I agree with phil. Better off showing the baldness then using topic. More embarrassing having that stuff revealed on your hair than simply showing some balding. That’s just me of course. Everyone should do what makes them comfortable and happy.

            1. I used to use concealers and for me it was more about how I felt rather than the impression I made. I felt more confident and happier with my balding crown hidden. That in turn helped me in everything else. I’ve now had smp which I guess could be seen as a permanent concealer. But if people ask, I openly talk about it as I feel better about being honest.

              1. I def agree about the confidence aspect. But I think there is more of a cognitive awareness about someone’s appearance when you first meet them. Half my friends won’t even notice if I make a drastic hair style change. I’ve even shaved my head from having long hair and my best friends won’t notice. So if a girl meets you and two weeks later she sees you without Toppik it’s less likely she will even notice the thinner hair.

                1. use a concealer every day. It works wonders. The only thing I hate is redoing it every time after the gym etc.

                  Could we just hurry up and cure this piece of disorder please?!

    1. Yea, I may do smp first before a hair piece, but some hair pieces have gotten great. Not sure if any of you guys have seen the glue on hairpieces in real life? I would like to know if they are detectable after a month of wearing one.

      1. Brian I wore a full hair system for a year. The glue, if applied properly, should not be visible to people. However you say a month, it requires regular work. I had to clean and reapply glue after every shower which was a real pain. Most websites say you can swim with a system/piece, this is false. It WILL come off. I had super strong tape and glue and still it came off to my horror. Also the tape has left permanent damage to my scalp where the follicles now are thinner. Unless you are almost completely bald, any hair growing on your head makes it very uncomfortable to wear a hair piece or system so I would honestly do a lot more research. Try to read independent reviews rather than customer reviews on the hair sites as those are marketing choices. Happy to answer any questions here.

  23. You mention that you got acne while on dutasteride. Is that a good or bad sign that the drug is working? I’ve been on finasteride for over 2 years and recently I broke out like a mofo on my forehead.

    1. Dutasteride is definitely working for me based on the drastically fewer hairs I see in the shower every day, and moderately thicker hair I feel on the head..although the hair on the head still does not grow long, and several areas remain thin. My shower shedding was reduced within a week or two after I started Dutasteride in 2016 if I recall.

      I am assuming that the forehead acne could be due to my latest batch of generic Dutasteride from a new manufacturer. The previous batch of 90 pills from a different manufacturer did not cause acne.

      Could also be some sudden bacterial infection causing the acne, but my guess is that this version of Dutasteride might be raising my testosterone more than the prior version, and that is possibly leading to the crazy forehead breakouts.

      1. Admin, did your penis fall off in the shower? Come on man, get on board the everybody gets sides hype train!
        I agree on the possible testosterone level increasing, I swear my horniness amped up on Dut. That’s why I’m experimenting begrudgingly with RU now. I feel that it’s cut the hair loss down even further over the past 3 months since starting and less ear hair…I think that’s a good sign.

        1. Yoda, on a side note, I have hardly worked out at my gym while on Dutasteride and regret missing out on the extra testosterone benefits.

          1. I can’t speak to muscle gains form added testosterone admin. While I work out like a fiend (gym, yoga, cycle) I started to feel a bit of a slide about 3 years ago, but I am 55 for crying out loud!

      2. FYI My doctor mentioned that there does appear to be inconsistency among some manufacturers of Dut and Fin. He specifically prescribes both from Teva.

        1. Thanks PinotQ. Unfortunately my local pharmacy charges much higher for most generics ($5 per pill or higher) so I have to pick from the 1-2 low-cost alternatives. They have replaced my current brand yet again with something else and I will find out the name in a couple of weeks at time of refill.

  24. Minoxidil Promotes Hair Growth through Stimulation of Growth

    Minoxidil directly promotes hair growth via the stimulation of dermal papilla (DP) and epithelial cells. Alternatively, there is little evidence for indirect promotion of hair growth via stimulation of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). We investigated whether minoxidil stimulates ASCs and if increased growth factor secretion by ASCs facilitates minoxidil-induced hair growth. Telogen-to-anagen induction was examined in mice. Cultured DP cells and vibrissae hair follicle organ cultures were used to further examine the underlying mechanisms. Subcutaneous injection of minoxidil-treated ASCs accelerated telogen-to-anagen transition in mice, and increased hair weight at day 14 post-injection. Minoxidil did not alter ASC proliferation, but increased migration and tube formation. Minoxidil also increased the secretion of growth factors from ASCs, including chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1), platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), and platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C). Minoxidil increased extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation, and concomitant upregulation of PD-ECGF and PDGF-C mRNA levels were attenuated by an ERK inhibitor. Subcutaneous injection of CXCL1, PD-ECGF, or PDGF-C enhanced anagen induction in mice, and both CXCL1 and PDGF-C increased hair length in ex vivo organ culture. Treatment with CXCL1, PD-ECGF, or PDGF-C also increased the proliferation index in DP cells. Finally, topical application of CXCL1, PD-ECGF, or PDGF-C with 2% minoxidil enhanced anagen induction when compared to minoxidil alone. Minoxidil stimulates ASC motility and increases paracrine growth factor signaling. Minoxidil-stimulated secretion of growth factors by ASCs may enhance hair growth by promoting DP proliferation. Therefore, minoxidil can be used as an ASC preconditioning agent for hair regeneration.

  25. https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/02/naked-mole-rats-may-be-able-to-shut-down-cells-to-avoid-cancer/

    Dr. Vera Gorbunova, who uses naked mole rats to study aging, wondered if their cells went through any other type of senescence. She found that they did. The cells shut down in response to DNA-damaging agents like gamma radiation, or when a cancer-inducing gene was inserted. They also undergo senescence in specific cell populations during embryonic development, including their hair follicles. She suggests that perhaps this is why they are naked.

    1. So if Follica can produce de novo hair follicles which don’t undergo cellular senescence over time, then Cots saves us from looking like a naked mole rat.

      1. Cots is coming fellas! He will be our hair savior haha. It’s probably the only treatment that we can easily access and before 2020. I am hoping it can revive dying thin hair along with regrowth of new follicles.

        1. Regarding Follica, it appears the pipline page at Puretech has been modified again and the bar showing clinical trial progress now shows Phase 2 complete. If memory serves, the bar was only half way complete in the past. I assume this means that the optimization study is complete and that it was successful enough to proceed to Phase 3, otherwise, the bar would remain at half complete. Just guessing but if so, it would keep Follica on track for a Phase 3 trail initiation soon.

  26. And here is another sponsor for Avodart… Mr. Ashton Kutcher very very sad… just like political parties… pharma companies also need their stars… this guy doesn’t have any hair problems at all… wake up folks

      1. If he had hairloss he would have lost a noticeable amount since he has stopped avodart for three years if you listen to him.
        He does not even have the so called “mature” hairline which is not even considered as androgenetic alopecia
        To me he is a liar or a parano, he does not have any problem at all, this is not AGA.

    1. Guess I’m a star and didn’t even realize it! Pharma needs stars and blogs need uniformed scaremongers…well maybe not need but are unfortunately stuck with them. :-(

      1. it is not about alarming, but about informing the unaware readers about what really happens out there.

  27. He seems to understand that there are long-term risks which is good. He’s a good looking guy who’ll probably look good shaved too. Just yesterday I saw a guy at my rock climbing gym who is totally bald but he owned it like a boss. He had good facial features/symmetry though, but his confidence and grit were attractive. Gives me hope.

    1. I have been shaving my head every week for 2/3 months as I moved and started a new job. (4mm)
      I can assure you that I feel better and more confident.
      Running one or two times a week also boosts my confidence.
      Have seen this very same kind of message that i am writing now for 2/3 years, each time telling myself “yes but for me its different i cant do anything without my hair”.
      And now that I passed a few tough moments discussing my new hair style with oldest friends i am super ok with it. Even getting compliments on how it fits well with me.
      On my browser before ads were only about hairloss treatments as I checked forums and hairloss websites for hours and the vicious circle went on.
      Now even ads have changed as i’m not there anymore and life changed too.
      Be brave fellow baldies. I’m only 25 ;)

  28. Admin, for the record, “President” Trump didn’t admit to using Finasteride, his wacky doctor Harold Borenstein blurted it out. Remember, “President” Trump doesn’t admit anything. :-)
    FYI, the RU added to Dut 6 months ago is really making a difference (and before the boo birds chime in, no appreciable sides that I’m aware of). To refresh, Fin success for 20 years, lost ground starting 5 years ago, switched to Dut 2.5 years ago, stopped the loss no regrowth, added RU 6 months ago and getting regrowth. Also on an aggressive topical Minox regime but the recent success has to be due to the addition of RU. I’m old boys…don’t try this at home! :-)

    1. Yoda he in effect “admitted” since it says on the White House website that he takes Finasteride for his hair loss.

      Too lengthy for me to explain that he was forced to declare this rather than self-willingly admit it, especially since this post was about another person:-)

      Congratulations on your success!

      1. Just ribbing you admin, no harm, no foul. Maybe the “President” will be forced to admit more things in the near future. :-)

        1. Yoda,

          May the force be with your hairloss journey. Your name is Yoda, so I just figured. Anyway, keep us updated on the hair with ru. On fin, did you notice any regrowth? I know it was 20 years. However, your first few years? Gl.

          1. Yeah, sure bro, the 20 years of fin were great. I started to loose my hair at 18 and started on fin in my late 20’s. between it and high strength minox I was golden but the effects began to fade. To be clear, when I say regrowth with my current regime I should’ve said thickening of miniaturized hair. It’s not bringing back my temples or lowering my hairline. Fortunately my hairline isn’t all that bad for my age, but the frontal 1/3 of my scalp was thinning fairly bad. It made my NW 2 look like a NW 3+ so now getting back to a full NW2. :-)

  29. Me Kutcher Statement is true : less testosterone means less conversion to dht, which is more hair … I do agree

  30. Of course only the effect cause is true, some people’s hair will be so much affected by low testosterone and low dht levels,
    After starting taking dutasteride topical and orally with rogaine and microneedling my hair loss stopped… its the first time it stopped in 15 years actually …

    1. How often do you microneedle? What length? For absorption of Rogaine or scalp wounding? What size needle?

    2. Topical dutasteride? And oral minoxidil? Does your pharmacy make the topical dut for you? (If they can even do that..)

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