This is one of my worst symptoms, and at the moment it’s getting me incredibly down.
My facial skin has lost elasticity, especially on my forehead and under my eyes.
The skin under my eyes has also become thin, with noticeable fat loss behind it. My eyes now look sunken and the skin looks droopy.
My face has also lost colour and the area under my eyes has developed a yellowish tint.
I hate how quickly this has happened. It’s been progressively getting worse, but after my second crash last night, there’s been an even larger significant visible deterioration. I feel too embarrassed to see anyone because I’m visibly deteriorating so fast. Before that crash some of my other symptoms were improving, but my skin has consistently gotten worse and worse, and now it seems to be accelerating.
Is there anything that can be done for this? I don’t expect there is, but I wanted to ask. It’s making me feel desperate. I was planning to avoid any interventions for at least a year, maybe longer, but if anything has even a slight chance of improving this or slowing it down, I’d consider it.
I don’t know much about hCG other than that it stimulates the testes to make more testosterone. I’m not sure if that would have any relevance to this symptom, but is there any chance it could help?
What about applying something like a testosterone or DHT cream to the face for a potentially local effect? I have no idea if they work like that, and perhaps these ideas might even make things worse generally, I don’t know. I am just feeling desperate.
I also don’t know how realistic it is to get any of these prescribed in the UK, especially for PFS and this symptom of it. My most recent blood tests from 2 weeks ago shows some abnormalities however which might warrant something to be prescribed to me, rather than just because of my PFS symptoms which haven’t really been taken seriously so far.
Here are my recent hormone results. These are the only ones I’ve had since PFS so far, but I’ve had several before PFS too. Note, before this I was an otherwise physically healthy male. I’m also in my early 30’s incase that matters.
Serum testosterone: 14.5 nmol/L (range 9 to 29). Before PFS mine was consistently around 27 to 29, so it has basically halved.
SHBG: 60.7 nmol/L (reference 17 to 56).
Free androgen index: 23.9% (should be above 35%). Before PFS mine was always above this.
Serum prolactin: 152 mU/L (reference 86 to 324).
Serum TSH: 0.6 mIU/L, my previous levels varied between 1.1 and 2.2, though my current level is still within the 0.3 to 5.5 range.
Serum free T4: 18.6 pmol/L, which is average for me (reference 10 to 22).
No other hormones were tested.
I’m seeing a doctor tomorrow. Is there anything I should ask for? Repeat blood tests, additional hormone tests, a dermatologist referral, an endocrinologist? I’m concerned that what’s happening will be dismissed and not taken seriously by the doctor. The previous doctor I spoke to (over the phone) didn’t take my symptoms seriously when I mentioned they started from finasteride and worsened after I stopped it. He didn’t even record finasteride in the notes.
With this new doctor I think I’ll need to be tactful if I want any further tests or referrals. I won’t make finasteride the main focus, but will concentrate on symptoms that might prompt investigation, such as my digestive issues, insomnia, nipple and chest tingling, testicular ache and fatigue, erectile dysfunction (which has actually improved a lot), as well as the unusual results in my recent blood tests. I’ll also mention the loss of elasticity in my facial and genital skin but I feel this might be more likely to get dismissed, even though it’s visible demonstrable by pinching the skin and it slowly returning. I will still bring up finasteride as well in case this doctor is more open to the possibility, but I won’t push it.
I’ve already reported my side effects to the UK MHRA Yellow Card system anyway, and I encourage everyone else with any symptoms to report theirs to their own country’s regulatory body as well.