If you're bald and full-time....

[Vicki]

Then I'd love your opinion on the reality of wearing wigs all the time. As someone with a Jason Statham hairline, I'd love your opinion on the reality of wearing wigs all the time when you're bald. Wigs are great for a night out, but there comes a point at the end of the night where it's a relief when you take it off as it can be itchy, hot and it's liberating when it comes off.

However, when you're full-time you're wearing a wig all day and night - does it ever wear you down? Do you ever feel a fraud (or similarly inadequate) because you're wearing a wig? You can't swim, high winds and rollercoasters strike you with fear etc. Maybe it's just me but it eats away at me now I'm about to go full-time myself. I mean, I can look as femme as any girl and I can get surgeries to make me indistinguishable but at the end of the day, I'm still taking the wig off and putting it aside - even hair systems have to come off periodically

[claud]

The hormone therapies (estradiol valerate) and anti-androgens (dutasteride) that many of us here have used for many years will successfully minimize testosterone production, even for those without orchiectomy.

But what of the androgens that are secreted by the zona reticularis, and perhaps even more so when under stress? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zona_reticularis I'm no expert, but as far as
I know there is no way to actually suppress androgen production from the adrenal glands, other than reducing one's stress levels and getting enough sleep to minimize cortisol levels (often easier said than done).

In any case, while there are many other reasons for hair loss, in the fight against androgenic hair loss we should not overlook the potential power of androgen receptor blockers. Spironolactone and Cimetidine may not be able to suppress androgen production well, if at all, but they can help to prevent DHT from binding to the hair follicles by apparently being as good of a "hair receptor chemistry "fit" as is DHT. https://www.dermhairclinic.com/cimetidi ... loss-drug/ So as long as we are doing as much as we can to minimize DHT production, using Spironolactone and/or Cimetidine may help protect against androgenic-induced hair loss.

As for parts of the scalp where DHT or other diseases (e.g. auto immune inflammatory, nutrient deficiencies, thyroid issues, et al) have killed follicles, let us hope that these trials will actually begin here in the USA next year. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jboyd/2016 ... f00ae45c04
http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/shi ... e-in-2018/

But for now I do have one question. Why do so many of us at this and other transgender forums
use Finasteride when numerous studies have consistently shown that Dutasteride works better to prevent androgenic hair loss, as it blocks all three of the reductase enzymes? Or has anyone here
actually found that Finasteride works better than Dutasteride? If yes, then at what daily dose?
Also, has anyone used either Fin or Dut for long periods with success, then found that it stopping preventing hair loss, then switched to the other drug and found that it worked?

Would that be as a result of this process that eventually makes the body insensitive to a drug? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downregul ... _Receptors