Hi's

I had my first appointment with the Doc today to get the ball rolling for HRT which I will be starting, but a bit later down the road (need to get a few things in order first - like hair loss, health and savings).

The Doc prescribed me Avodart (Dutasteride) at .5mg to combat my thinning hair which I thought was great because its quite a bit stronger than Finasteride.
I did originally ask for Spiro + Finasteride but he said until he gets the therapist ok he would rather for now me just go on Avodart.
After doing a bit of reading on the net I found that Avodart apparently increase Testosterone! (Serum Testosterone between 10-20%)
This is surely not good, very bad in fact? Especially since I am not taking and Spiro or other T blocker?
With luck I will get a script for Spiro but it may may months away yet, and even further for Estrogen.

So now my dilemma, I really want or need to regrow my hair what I have lost so Dutasteride is necessary but the extra Testosterone really is not!
I really do not want to further my masculine features, does anyone know if that rise in percentage is a high enough level to accelerate things without a T blocker? For the record I am 33, just setting my foundations up before I start HRT fully which will be in about a year I think.

Has anyone had any luck in hair regrowth with Dutasteride? My hair has really thinned out in the last 3 years especially at the crown, I had read somewhere if its only been a few years and there are still fine hairs growing, there is a good chance of regrowth - anyone know any truth to that or has experienced it?

I know I will definitely need to get some hair transplant surgery at the hairline (another reason i am holding of on starting HRT, need to save money for the hair surgery) I am just hoping to recover and thicken what I have first.

Sorry, ended being quite a post after all.

Thanks,
Miya

I guess the question is what's more important, getting a few months head start on recovering hair or being exposed to a little extra T for a few months? I couldn't see the extra T doing anything massively damaging like making you grow bigger shoulders, hands or feet. But that's just my view. I mean it takes months for hormone levels to adjust anyway! I wouldn't stress too much considering the overall benefits/big picture!

Testosterone is metabolized through an enzyme called alpha-5-reductase into another hormone called Di-hydro-testosterone this DHT is x10 as potent in the body as Testosterone itself. and is responcible for hairloss.

avodart disrupts this alpha-5-reductase enzyme the reason why it increases testosterone by 10% is because it's no longer begin redirected down the DHT pathway.

while it increases serum T it actually reduces it's impact on your body... but don't think that Avodart is a substitute for a general spectrum hormone blocker.

Pebbles is 100% right! It will only raise T by the amount that isn't being converted to DHT which is WAY more masculinizing than T. Avodart is the best DHT blocker since it's efficacy is about 85% vs. finasteride 5mg which is about 40-50%. You will have an overall demasculinization with Avodart. Just ask any 50 yo old guy that's taking it for prostate problems if he feels more manly!

DHT blockers sholud probably be the first thing anyone takes if they think they may be M2F trans, especially if they are younger. It's responsible for for most masculinizing features including including brow ridge, body hair and others. DHT increases after teen years and that is why most 30 year old men look very different than they did at 18.

Pebbles beat me to it. Avodart does not directly increase T production. It does not act on the testes or adrenal glands where T is produced. It does not stimulate the pituitary to increase T production either. Avodart (dutasteride) will cause less T to be converted to dht, so if less T is converted, more will be present in the blood. This is a huge difference.

I've been on Avodart for 1 year (more for the anti-androgenic effect, than hair regrowth) and my total T is currently below 40 ng/dl... I've also been on Spiro for the same amount of time. So you really have to do your research when talking about HRT.

I do have a question about the benefits  of using a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor with low T? Does there have to be a certain amount of T in the system before there is any conversion of T to DHT?

Quote from: JessicaH on July 06, 2011, 02:17:37 PM
I do have a question about the benefits  of using a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor with low T? Does there have to be a certain amount of T in the system before there is any conversion of T to DHT?

I had a very, very low T level prior to HRT and still use Avodart. So I'm pretty sure that as long as there is T present in your system, some will always be converted to DHT. I do not believe there is a specified "threshold level of T" to be present in order to cause this conversion.

Hi there! I know this is an old topic but I just want to let you know that avodart worked for me with regards to hair loss.  I started HRT last year, april 2011. I was 28 then and my hair was already thinning and balding. I was petrified since we are a family of "balders"

6 months after starting with spiro, estro, and avodart. My T level went down significantly, <100. But just last month when i had my T checked again it bounced back up to 459. Im still puzzled why. I would probably adjust my dosages. That aside, the effect of avodart on my hair is fantastic. The lost hair on my temples grew back and my hair stopped fallng. I am planning to stop avodart by December this year and just concentrate on Spiro and E. I will have to see what happens then. I hope my hair wont start falling out.

29, 1 Month on Dutas. It's said that testosterone could go up to 110% on DHT blockers since it is not converted, and they talk about this product on steroid forums, but... Hair gets priority, I was dangerously thinning.

As far as sideeffects go for me, my hair is drying, or becoming less oily. I needed daily shampooing and now I only need to wash it once every two days. A bit of scalp itch and a bit more dandruff, but... A lot of shedding which seems to be remitting now.


Anyways, I just noticed something. When I got scared after seeing my thinning sides is when I ordered Dutasteride (they will never prescribe for hair loss here, so I took my chances and I was lucky to find a working website that would sell it without prescription). I have been checking my day one photos and I already had very small extra hairs on the hairline...

Hairline. In those photos and know, my hairlines can be seen going until the temple. Previously it went back almost vertically. Maybe it was not thinning of the sides and advancing, but recovery?

Three months ago I noticed that I was using minoxidil improperly. Using it first time in the morning and showering one hour later on the gym, or applying it over half-wet hair since I did not have time to fully dry. I started carrying the bottle to work and using it in the middle of the morning. Instead of 10 random shots, Careful applying it in every damaged part and massaging. I think I may have recovered a bit, with lots of small vellus type hair that could improve over time.


Anyways, the thinning was not there two years ago, and that is a dangerous one, so I'm hoping I will refill with dutas. Sadly, there will be a time when that website will stop shipping it too, and I will have to stick to Finasteride.


PS: My dermatologist sad "Finasteride will do you good, don't worry about the side effects, maybe just a bit of libido loss. If you use ir urgently you will recover very well. Get these blood tests and the next time I am available to check them is... In 6 months." So I had to go the illegal way, sadly. The only side effect I am getting is an excess of erections and libido skyrocketting. Damn. One month ago it was peaceful down there.


Edit: Ah, old thread.

QuoteYou will have an overall demasculinization with Avodart.

That's what I'm hoping for.  I started on the generic version of Avodart recently due to BPH.