u/jordanjtb

I feel like the most foolish human alive. I’ve been losing my hair since 2019 and it was easily the most devastating thing I’ve gone through, or so I thought…

I had ordered finasteride in 2020 and my mom actually found it and begged me not to take it. So reluctantly I threw it away and told myself this was a sign not to take it. Fast forward to 2023, my hairloss had progressed to the point that I needed to shave my head. I was insanely insecure over being essentially bald despite having an incredible physique and being very successful with business and just buying a brand new house. My life was essentially perfect outside of my crippling insecurity about balding.

The photo is a conversation I had with a friend about my hairloss in 2023. This is after I had read a few posts about finasteride causing horrible issues and I was pretty adamant about not risking it for my hair…

I had shaved my head and excepted my fate until one thing happened.. I spoke to my brother in law about how upset I was and he told me that he was taking finasteride and that he had zero problems. He explained that he had done research and that PFS was all bs. That it was just neck beard redditors that have pre-existing conditions. He sent me Haircafe videos and More Plates More Dates videos and introduced me to the Tressless subreddit.

After that I was almost jealous that he was going to keep his hair and I was gunna be bald. I was convinced that there was nothing to worry about even, if I got sides I would just stop. In July 2024 I got a hair transplant and started fin then switched to Dutasteride. I also started topical minoxidil and then switched to oral minoxidil about a year later..

Everything was fine until December of 2025 when my life turned upside down. I didn’t even know what “the crash” was but I had it. Within a few weeks my beautiful, perfect life as I knew it was gone and these are the symptoms I’m experiencing for the last 7 months:

- Horrible eye floaters, like life ruining eye floaters
- Visual snow syndrome
- Tinnitus
- Insomnia
- 24/7 bounding pulse
- Derealization
- Brain fog
- Soft thin rubbery skin
- Loss of muscle tone, muscle hangs like fat
- Can’t drink caffeine or alcohol without everything getting worse

I know that I am beyond blessed to not have major sexual issues and my heart goes out to those of you affected in that way.

I don’t know how to cope with the fact I was aware of potentially horrible side effects and still convinced myself otherwise. I mean granted, I thought they were only sexual side effects.

I miss my old life so much it makes me sick. I wake up and can’t believe this is actually real life. I can’t believe what I did to myself. I wish more than anything that I could go back and just be happy with my life and forget about stupid hair. It hurts so much and I don’t know how to stop ruminating.. I see bald men now and I’m bitterly jealous of them.. I don’t know how to forgive myself for being so vain and foolish.

Just had to vent and get this out here. I hope we all recover soon.

- Jordan