First of all, I would like all of you to know that I really appreciate “truth” forums. This is my first post. I recently had a hair transplant and to supplement my hair transplant, it was recommended to me to try proscar. This drug is very popular on the hair transplant websites. I have been on it for 1 week and began to notice a slight change. My face got some blotchy redness and my skin is real dry. I also started to get the beginnings of dark circles under my eyes. After reading through some of these threads, I am totally freaked out so as of today, I will no longer use proscar. Does the red blotchyness sound like one of the sides of proscar? Also, the dry skin thing has me a little wigged out. I am 37 and I do not need any pre-mature aging. For those who have experienced pre-mature aging, were blotchy red skin and skin dryness how it all started for the pre-maturness? Any help is greatly appreciated. I just want to make sure that these things are symptomatic of the proscar and not in my head. Thanks for the help.
Here is my truthful opinion.
Rash is listed by Merck as a possible adverse reaction to the drug, or its effects on your hormones. Many users here have also reported dry skin as a result of Fin use, and after discontinuation. Same goes for the dark circles under the eyes.
If you do a search on this site about “dry skin”, or “sebaceous”, you’ll see what others’ opinions are.
Also, stuff like this:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewt … =sebaceous
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6258 … t=Abstract
If you Google “androgen deprivation” and “dry skin”, you’ll see there is very much a connection to be made. Reason being that sebaceous glands in the skin are dependent upon androgens for their activity/oil & sebum production.
Finally, although this book:
books.google.ca/books?id=kUDc9cS … t#PPA83,M1
…states that 5AR1 is found predominantly in skin (sebaceous glands) and claims that Finasteride has no affinity for 5AR1, this has been found to be untrue in other research posted on this site – propeciahelp.com/forum/viewt … =5871#5871
So, 5AR1 does get reversibly bound by Finasteride… however it is at a MUCH slower rate, and of much smaller magnitude, than that of 5AR2 binding.
What that means for you is, that might account for why you are experiencing dry skin, beyond the androgen deprivation effects of inhibiting 5AR2 and DHT.
Thanks for the quick reply. These are good explainations. In your opinion or anyone elses on here, after 7 days of usage, do you think that I have done any perminent damage or do you think I am safe since I have decided to discontinue proscar?
Most likely everything should go back to normal in coming weeks, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If things only continue to get worse in coming months, then you might have cause for concern.