How long should I continue AGA treatment? Thorough explanation by a Tokyo University graduate doctor!

This time, we will explain "Does AGA treatment have to be continued for the rest of your life?"

How long will AGA treatment last?

To put it bluntly, AGA treatment must be continued for the rest of your life. Strictly speaking,As long as you want to keep your hair thick, you have to keep doing it.It will be said.
AGA (androgenetic alopecia) is a progressive disease, and unfortunately there is no complete cure. And so far, no cure has been found.
"I've increased the amount of hair to where I want it to be, so I guess it's okay!"If you stop all treatment, your condition will revert to its pre-treatment state.If that happens, all the money and time you have spent so far will be wasted. Please do not interrupt your treatment on your own and consult your doctor.

What treatment should be continued?

There are many types of AGA treatments, but do they all have to be continued for the rest of your life?
In conclusion,Of the oral medications, only finasteride and dutasteride must be continued at a minimum.There is no problem with other topical medicines or scalp injections if you start with them and then stop halfway.
There are two main types of oral medications used to treat AGA. The first is finasteride and dutasteride, which have the effect of suppressing hair loss, and the second is minoxidil, which has the effect of promoting hair growth. Finasteride and dutasteride are the mainstay of treatment. These are in a class of drugs called 2a-reductase inhibitors. AGA (androgenetic alopecia) is a disease caused by a highly active male hormone called dihydrotestosterone that causes hair to fall out. Dihydrotestosterone is produced by the action of 1a-reductase on the male hormone testosterone. Finasteride and dutasteride are drugs that inhibit the action of 2a-reductase, so they suppress the root cause of AGA (androgenetic alopecia).
However, neither 5a-reductase nor dihydrotestosterone, which acts on hair loss, will disappear from the body. If you stop taking the drug, the ability to suppress 5a-reductase is removed, and dihydrotestosterone is generated again, quickly returning to the cycle of hair loss.
In particular, for finasteride, the time (half-life) for the blood concentration of the drug to decrease by half is about 3 to 4 hours after taking it. After 24 hours, it becomes almost 0. 5a-reductase activity will be restored even if you do not take it for a few days, so be careful not to forget to take it.
Therefore, it is important to continue taking finasteride and dutasteride, which suppress the effects of substances that cause AGA (androgenetic alopecia), even after achieving the treatment goal.

Should I continue minoxidil?

So, is it okay to stop taking minoxidil, which promotes hair growth, midway?
It is true that minoxidil is a very effective drug, but the basics of AGA treatment are finasteride and dutasteride. Think of minoxidil as a supportive drug. Minoxidil is a highly effective drug, so you may be worried about discontinuing it, but there is basically no problem even if you discontinue both internal and external use.
If a person who has been taking oral finasteride or dutasteride and minoxidil reduces or discontinues minoxidil, it is possible to maintain hair volume in this state, but it depends on the progress of AGA (androgenetic alopecia) and age. may cause a decrease in hair volume. In such cases, finasteride and dutasteride alone are not effective, so minoxidil may also be used in combination. The rest will be in the form of a consultation based on costs and other considerations.

When to interrupt AGA treatment

If side effects occur, it may be necessary to discontinue treatment.Side effects of finasteride and dutasteride include decreased libido, decreased sperm count, and impaired liver function, but these are all extremely rare.Other There are times when it is better to discontinue infertility treatment.It is known that even if the sperm count decreases, it often remains within the normal range, so there is no problem in continuing to take oral medication for normal fertility efforts. Of course, some people choose to take a break if they want to be on the safe side. There are rare cases where the sperm count decreases beyond the normal range, but if you stop taking finasteride/dutasteride, it will return to normal, so you may want to stop taking it at the time of fertilization.

Summary

If AGA treatment is discontinued, hair thinning will return.
Even after achieving your goal, it is important to continue taking finasteride and dutasteride at a minimum.