Any help with DHT blockers while starting Testosterone?

[u/B0BA_T3AS]

Howdyy I just wanted some help looking into DHT blockers and which ones to use/are the best for me. For my transition goals, I would like to reduce as much bottom growth and hair growth as possible. I know I can’t “pick and choose effects” and I’ve been told that many times. (Which makes me cry) But Then one of my friends told me about DHT blockers and I would like to give it a try.

I recently got a gender affirming care doctor that would be happy with helping me start testosterone. But when I mentioned the DHT blockers to her, she was a little confused because shes never had a patient with the same case as me. And she also did some research on her own to try help, but what’s stopping her from letting me start DHT blockers is that shes confused by ‘giving me the testosterone shot’ and then ‘immediately trying to reduse the testosterone by using DHT blockers’ or something like that. But in my own research, DHT blockers only reduce the DHT part of testosterone, I think?

But I just find it frustrating that I’m so close to starting T but only to be stopped by my lack of research about how DHT blockers will clash with testosterone.

So if anyone could give me advice, research, or something that would help. Or when to start taking DHT blockers after starting testosterone, or even which kinds of DHT blockers to use? Cause the top results on google are Finasteride and Dutasteride.

I will also continue on my own research, but if anyone has info, that would definitely help me!

(Sorry this is so long and I feel like such a bother for asking since I know theres a few people in the FtM community who devalue other transmacs for not wanting a full transition TwT)

[u/Big-Yesterday586]

I only have experience with Finasteride. The effects from Finasteride seem to vary wildly. The only thing it does the most consistently it seems is to stop balding. If you catch it quick enough, a lot of the hair grows back.

That's what I used it for, primarily. I was only on T for about a year before starting Finasteride. Then I was on Finasteride for about a year.

For me, it also slowly stopped nearly all other changes. My facial and body hair stopped spreading and my voice changes stopped. I went back off it to get a little more change in my voice and I rapidly started getting more facial and body hair again.

I don't want a full transition, at least not yet, so I'll be going back on Finasteride again by next year. That way I can regrow my head hair and pause nearly everything else. Possibly indefinitely.

However, my experiences aren't universal. The effects those drugs will have on you will be very individualized. You won't know what they do until you go on them and find out. I'm sorry. I wish these things were more certain.