My body odor was greatly diminished for about a month after quitting, but it came back once DHT production started to increase.
Earwax normal.
There are some similar threads on this. I’ve posted previously that I get periods of very smelly armpits that are associated with anxiety and some other bodily changes such as super shrunken penis and swollen face. During this time I can shower and change my shirt 5 times a day and they are still noticeable. This is compared with normal when I only shower every 3 days and don’t use deodorant.
Here’s one thread for example:
yes my ear wax has ceased. my nose is dry as well.
My arm pits produce very little sweat now.
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While on finasteride my perspiration during excercise had an extremely strong odour. I really notice it and it baffled me until i stopped using the drug. Now its back to normal, the same as it was before is used finasteride.
Well, at first i didnt know why this was happening. But after research its pretty clear.
My face and hair have nearly no oil to them anymore, i used to have to wash my face multiple times a day, now i could probably go 3 days without washing my face. My hair i could go multiple days without washing it, i used to have to wash it nearly everyday or else it go so oily. My beard is much less dense now, and it takes many days to grow in, i used to have to shave everyday.
My armpits nearly never sweat…ever, i could be drenched in sweat from gym, armpits usually totally dry, and i used to have intense body odor, now i can wear the same shirt for a week, no smell. I used to be able to wear a shirt a day at best before it was disgusting.
There are two types of sweat glands-
From wikipedia -
Apocrine
Main article: Apocrine sweat gland
Apocrine sweat glands are found in the armpit, areola (around the nipples), perineum (between the anus and genitals), in the ear, and in the eyelids. The secretory portion is larger than that of eccrine glands (making them larger overall). Rather than opening directly onto the surface of the skin, apocrine glands secrete sweat into the pilary canal of the hair follicle.[8]
Before puberty, the apocrine sweat glands are inactive;[27] hormonal changes in puberty cause the glands to increase in size and begin functioning.[28] The substance secreted is thicker than eccrine sweat and provides nutrients for bacteria on the skin: the bacteria’s decomposition of sweat is what creates the acrid odor.[29] Apocrine sweat glands are most active in times of stress and sexual excitement.[30]
In mammals (including humans), apocrine sweat contains pheromone-like compounds to attract the opposite sex. Study of human sweat has revealed differences between men and women in apocrine secretions and bacteria.[31]
The other sweat glands are called eccrine
Main article: Eccrine sweat gland
Eccrine sweat glands are everywhere except the lips, ear canal, prepuce, glans penis, labia minora, and clitoris. They are ten times smaller than apocrine sweat glands, do not extend as deeply into the dermis, and excrete directly onto the surface of the skin.[8][5][32][4] The proportion of eccrine glands decreases with age.[33]
The clear secretion produced by eccrine sweat glands is termed sweat or sensible perspiration. Sweat is mostly water, but it does contain some electrolytes, since it is derived from blood plasma. The presence of sodium chloride gives sweat a salty taste.
The total volume of sweat produced depends on the number of functional glands and the size of the surface opening. The degree of secretory activity is regulated by neural and hormonal mechanisms (men sweat more than women). When all of the eccrine sweat glands are working at maximum capacity, the rate of perspiration for a human being may exceed three liters per hour,[34] and dangerous losses of fluids and electrolytes can occur.
Eccrine glands have three primary functions:
Thermoregulation: sweat cools the surface of the skin and reduces body temperature.[35]
Excretion: eccrine sweat gland secretion can also provide a significant excretory route for water and electrolytes.[36]
Protection: eccrine sweat gland secretion aids in preserving the skin’s acid mantle, which helps protect the skin from colonization from bacteria and other pathogenic organisms.[37]
It seems my apocrine glands have turned off, like they were pre-puberty. I very rarely get that body odor or sweat from armpits anymore, sometimes in gym it comes out very lightly, and sometimes during masturbation. But these only happen rarely.
I came across another wikipedia article, which was very interesting, it explained the side effects of DHT inhibitors like finasteride had on transgender men who took it when they wanted to go from male to female.
Look at these side effects, i have pretty much all of them-
Hair[edit]
Current facial hair is only slightly affected (some reduction in density, coverage, and slower growth) by antiandrogens.
Body hair (chest, periareolar, shoulders, back, abdomen, buttocks, thighs, tops of hands, tops of feet) will, over time, turn from terminal (“normal”) hairs to vellus hairs (very tiny, blonde “baby” hairs). Hair on the arms, perianal, and perineal will reduce but may not turn to vellus hair on the latter two regions (some natal females also have some hair in these areas). Underarm hair will slightly change in texture and length, pubic hair becomes more typically female in pattern. Lower leg hair becomes less dense in concentration. All depend upon genetics.[39][40]
Head hair may slightly change in texture, curl, and color (new hairs that is, not hair that has already formed and reached the surface prior to HRT), this is especially likely with hair growth from previously bald areas.
The prostate shrinks.
The bladder shrinks.
Sebaceous gland activity (which is triggered by androgens) lessens which lowers the amount of sebum (oil) production on the skin and scalp, consequently the skin becomes less prone to the formation of acne due to the less quantity of oil that is produced. Dry skin becomes a problem and lotions and oils may be necessary.[39][40]
The skin’s pores become smaller due to the low quantities of sebum produced
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Body odor (skin, sweat, and urine) will become less “metallic,” “sharp,” or “acrid” and more “sweet” and “musky.”
Many apocrine glands (type of sweat glands) become inactive and body odor decreases. Sebum also contributes to body odor, the production of which is reduced by antiandrogens (as described above).
More subcutaneous (under skin) adipose (fat) tissue accumulates.[39] This gives a more puffy/softer appear
Redistribution of body fat. (this could possibly explain why I’m much skinner but have no lost much weight)
Mood changes can occur, such as the development of depression.
Estrogens can induce the development of prolactinomas, which is why prolactin levels should periodically be monitored in transgender women. If a prolactinoma becomes large enough, it can cause visual changes (especially decreased peripheral vision), headaches, mood changes, depression, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and symptoms of pituitary failure like hypothyroidism.
Pretty unbelievable how this drug is on the market, I am trying to figure out how i can get my 5AR back to how it used to be working. ALl these side effects are because of the 5AR inhibition never going back to normal. Just needs to be fixed somehow.
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Damn!! That explains every fucking symptom. Where is this article? Who knows about this??? How and why is Finateride given to transgenders but also regular men for hair loss???
WTF!!!
its on wikipedia, I’ve been doing tons of research about what the 5AR enzymes do, and what blocking them can do to your body, and its pretty ridiculous how this stuff is on the market. I don’t know how some people can be on the stuff for years and seemingly have no issues. Whereas people like us have every symptom of the 5AR enzymes being damaged or not functioning properly.
As I’ve been doing research literally everything makes sense now, the depression, the sexual sides effects, the insomnia, the body hair loss, the body odor change, the sweating change, the anxiety. Its obvious what happened. I don’t know the answer on how to fix this, i really don’t know what to do, I’m trying to just take it one day at a time. Try to see if i can get better over time. Trying to just be positive and stay away from stress and work at trying to fix this.
finatruth what are your symptoms and how long have you had PFS?
Hey welcome to the forum. I took for 9 years and had zero noticeable side effects until I stopped. I have one potential theory why this is so, and a few others have been playing around with it as well. I think everyone is affected my propecia. I lost am and random erections on finasteride but I never really noticed bc everything else was ok. I also had excessive bleeding gums but didn’t attribute it to propecia. So some men are hit fast, maybe others aren’t because finasteride also raises your testo about 20%; when people quit, boom testo drops and all sides come out.
Researchers should know ALL of these are side effects we are dealing with.
I am 2.5 years off and still screwed, but the syndrome slowly gets better, it takes a lot of time, a lot of time.
I also have a lack of body odour + sweating. Even with huge doses of T3.
It’s just a symptom of a lack of androgenic activity. We know this. It’s just a matter of understanding why.
yeah it sucks
Yes, it sucks, no pheromones, I used to smell nice, it was attractive to girls, especially on test, now, nothing, but as I started to recover it came back. This is all from low 5 AR activity, somehow our 5AR production has been limited, damaged, blocked, whatever. If our 5AR activity were active it would cause oily skin and all this stuff. This article may explain why sometimes I feel better when I take an anti-estrogen, but I already know that with a lack of 5AR enzymes to reduce test to DHT I crash. When a high dose of test is injected, I use up all my 5AR enzymes (most men just produce more), my skin gets oily, muscle pump, everything turns on then crashes.
I am so frustrated with this condition, but I will have to tell you guys that HRT even though it is not working properly, in low doses has made this condition a lot more tolerable than otherwise it would be. I plan to start seeing doctor after doctor and trying everything till I get myself better.
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Any ideas on how to increase 5AR activity?
Yes, and it worked which confirms my theories, go buy raw asparagus and just start eating it, you will feel better within 24 hours. The key is protodioscin, an inducer of 5AR activity, it is in asparagus as well as Tribulus. Asparagus has helped Finatruth immensely as well as myself and Tribulus has helped another poster, but he claims it has to be a certain brand (which I bought), but I cannot confirm the Tribulus works, I can confirm the raw asparagus does. If you start eating it, you should notice improvements, I am not sure if this is a treatment or something that will help us get better, but so far if I don’t eat it, I don’t feel as good.
you believe that my left armpit is the only secret that odor? very strange.
one strange thing is that I recovered completely from insomnia, but not libido.
enzymes may recover with time in certain places on the body.
Backfromhell- and I’m recovering libido but not insomnia. This f’ing syndrome
Finatruth, I never noticed the insomnia or the mental fog because I have always felt that way my whole life. So I always took things to boost myself, I wouldn’t worry about insomnia, it is more than likely due to stress over the situation than PFS. I recommend medical marijuana or try to get your dr to write you xanax, if you sleep, you will feel a lot better.