Anyone Here Try Topical Finasteride ?

[Andres]

its available here in the U.S now, do a simple google search and type cfsphamacy. "care first pharmacy" It is quite expensive and im wondering how this formula stacks up against the Hasson and wong topical finasteride. I asked my Doctor to give me a prescription and im expecting it in a couple days. with that being said ...


what are your thoughts? seems like anew pharmacy cause I've been trying to get my hands to a topical finasteride for a while, im sure i would've come across it by now if it were an old phamacy. dont even ask why i want a topical -_-

 

[Andres]

really ? no one has any input on this ?

 

[Andres]

bump ?

 

[Rudolphus]

I think that topical finasteride only works by going systemic, and will therefore have side-effects just like oral finasteride. I would just stick to oral finasteride. Way less of a hassle to use.

 

[countjulian]

I am using it now, just started last night. Too soon to see if it's working or even giving me sides. Will report back in a week then a month.

 

[Andres]

I am using it now, just started last night. Too soon to see if it's working or even giving me sides. Will report back in a week then a month.

What kind of topical finasteride are you using ? What pharmacy did you get it from ? Mines is in the mail! Can't wait

 

[countjulian]

Athena pharmacy in Tennessee, 0.05% with minoxidil and 2 other compounds of dubious effect lol. You should really check out the antiandrogen forum, I posted there about this.

 

[Andres]

I think that topical finasteride only works by going systemic, and will therefore have side-effects just like oral finasteride. I would just stick to oral finasteride. Way less of a hassle to use.

Oral finasteride has been studied to be higher in our blood serum than topical! Hasn't been studied that much but if you look for scholarly sources you'll find the journals! Oral finasteride is starting to give me side effects, so it's worth a shot to me! If oral works for you than keep using it!

 

[Andres]

Athena pharmacy in Tennessee, 0.05% with minoxidil and 2 other compounds of dubious effect lol. You should really check out the antiandrogen forum, I posted there about this.

Do they ship ? What's the cost ? Very interested

 

[countjulian]

Do they ship ? What's the cost ? Very interested

They ship but not to California where I am, had to go through some shnaninegans to get it shipped here. Cost $100 for a month.

 

[Rudolphus]

Oral finasteride has been studied to be higher in our blood serum than topical! Hasn't been studied that much but if you look for scholarly sources you'll find the journals! Oral finasteride is starting to give me side effects, so it's worth a shot to me! If oral works for you than keep using it!

Do you know if there's any evidence that topical finasteride works through a means other than by going systemic? If it is the case that it only works through going systemic, then I don't see any advantages of using it as opposed to using the lowest effective oral dose.

 

[Andres]

any drug that is applied topically can and will go through the body systemically. However, with that being said, they USUALLY are absorbed less in our blood than medication that is taken orally. This is basic science, as oral medication goes directly through our livers and kidneys, etc and enter our bloodstream more readily. Im a biologist, hopefully not sounding arrogant but do some research. if we were to look at minoxidil. Which first came out as an oral medication and was used to treat people with high blood pressure in the the 80s, it was later used topically for hairloss and that reduced the amount of sideffects. side effects such as tachycardia and dizziness. These side effects arent as common anymore when taking minoxidil topically. its only a matter of time before merk decides to make topical generic finasteride. the research is already there. it might not reduce DHT as much as oral finasteride will but it is available for those with unfortunate side effects


you cant post links on this site, but I would suggest you go to google scholar and type "topical finasteride androgenetic alopecia" many scientific journals are published there from many universities for you to research.

 

[countjulian]

any drug that is applied topically can and will go through the body systemically. However, with that being said, they USUALLY are absorbed less in our blood than medication that is taken orally. This is basic science, as oral medication goes directly through our livers and kidneys, etc and enter our bloodstream more readily. Im a biologist, hopefully not sounding arrogant but do some research. if we were to look at minoxidil. Which first came out as an oral medication and was used to treat people with high blood pressure in the the 80s, it was later used topically for hairloss and that reduced the amount of sideffects. side effects such as tachycardia and dizziness. These side effects arent as common anymore when taking minoxidil topically. its only a matter of time before merk decides to make topical generic finasteride. the research is already there. it might not reduce DHT as much as oral finasteride will but it is available for those with unfortunate side effects


you cant post links on this site, but I would suggest you go to google scholar and type "topical finasteride androgenetic alopecia" many scientific journals are published there from many universities for you to research.

As a non-biologist who has read some papers on the topic, I'd be interested in your personal view of the effectiveness of topical fina vis-a-vis the reduction in side effects, that is to say, is it worth it?

 

[Andres]

Finasteride is the best medication to fight hair loss. From what I've seen, orally it is still the best mechanism to reduce DHT in greater amounts than topically. But if you have side effects, or are scared of them than topical seems like a great option in theory. Definitely worth it imo, I'm just worried about what the differences are between compound pharmacies formula/ ingredients. Hasson and Wong seem to have a good formula (Canadian surgeons working with a canadian pharmacy), where they claim to have a product that "locks" the drug into the scalp and prevent it from spreading systematically. look at their website, they have conducted studies as well, but i cant really speak to that since im american and dont have access to that formula.

Not sure if American pharmacies use the same formula or not given that topically the drug isnt FDA approved. With that being said, some studies I've read up on have said there is no difference between topical and oral finasteride, others say there is . so at this time its any bodies guess as to if there's any reduction in side effects. In my opinion, it should be worth experimenting with in theory. take that with a grain of salt tho

Personally, i have been on finasteride orally for 8 months and im doing blood work with my doctor to get a baseline of the DHT in my body and see if there's any difference between when i use it topically for a few months after taking it orally.

 

[Andres]

this is kinda why im looking for personal experiences with topical

 

[countjulian]

Finasteride is the best medication to fight hair loss. From what I've seen, orally it is still the best mechanism to reduce DHT in greater amounts than topically. But if you have side effects, or are scared of them than topical seems like a great option in theory. Definitely worth it imo, I'm just worried about what the differences are between compound pharmacies formula/ ingredients. Hasson and Wong seem to have a good formula (Canadian surgeons working with a canadian pharmacy), where they claim to have a product that "locks" the drug into the scalp and prevent it from spreading systematically. look at their website, they have conducted studies as well, but i cant really speak to that since im american and dont have access to that formula.

Not sure if American pharmacies use the same formula or not given that topically the drug isnt FDA approved. With that being said, some studies I've read up on have said there is no difference between topical and oral finasteride, others say there is . so at this time its any bodies guess as to if there's any reduction in side effects. In my opinion, it should be worth experimenting with in theory. take that with a grain of salt tho

Personally, i have been on finasteride orally for 8 months and im doing blood work with my doctor to get a baseline of the DHT in my body and see if there's any difference between when i use it topically for a few months after taking it orally.

Does it seem to you that the sides are a result of the decreased DHT, increased estrogen, or interacation of the drug itself with affected body parts (breast buds, genitals, brain)?

 

[Rudolphus]

any drug that is applied topically can and will go through the body systemically. However, with that being said, they USUALLY are absorbed less in our blood than medication that is taken orally. This is basic science, as oral medication goes directly through our livers and kidneys, etc and enter our bloodstream more readily. Im a biologist, hopefully not sounding arrogant but do some research. if we were to look at minoxidil. Which first came out as an oral medication and was used to treat people with high blood pressure in the the 80s, it was later used topically for hairloss and that reduced the amount of sideffects. side effects such as tachycardia and dizziness. These side effects arent as common anymore when taking minoxidil topically. its only a matter of time before merk decides to make topical generic finasteride. the research is already there. it might not reduce DHT as much as oral finasteride will but it is available for those with unfortunate side effects


you cant post links on this site, but I would suggest you go to google scholar and type "topical finasteride androgenetic alopecia" many scientific journals are published there from many universities for you to research.

Yes I know that some of it goes systemic, but what I was trying to question is whether or not topical finasteride is only able to target the hair follicle by means of the portion of it that has gone into the bloodstream.

 

[Andres]

Does it seem to you that the sides are a result of the decreased DHT, increased estrogen, or interacation of the drug itself with affected body parts (breast buds, genitals, brain)?

estrogen varies (increasing in this situation) when your testosterone is changed in the body so that cant be the root cause of the sides IMO (at least for erectile dysfunction), it would have to be the decreased levels of DHT in the bloodstream interacting with our organs such as our reproductive system, brain, etc.

That's why im hopeful for topical finasteride, as there seems to be a few studies which conclude finasteride staying localized in the scalp, while lowering DHT levels when administered topically. If you go on the Hasson and wong website they claim with studies that since their formula stays in the scalp led to none of their clients have experienced side effects. Not sure if thats just because of a small sample size or not but im definitely going to try it. Hopefully we get the same results

 

[countjulian]

Andres, what is your opinion on the strength of the concentration? Mine is 0.05% , which is the absolute lowest I've read of in the studies. Should I request 0.25% next month?

 

[Andres]

Andres, what is your opinion on the strength of the concentration? Mine is 0.05% , which is the absolute lowest I've read of in the studies. Should I request 0.25% next month?

I've seen so many different formulas with different finasteride concentrations. Im also wondering which strength will work best while reducing sides. The site I got my prescription for seems to be at .10 % not sure if that will make a big difference or not. I'm also worried about the other ingredients / topical solution to help with the absorption while also inhibit, the drug from entering the body systematically.


im hoping others with personal experience will be able to comment with there concentration and experiences