Topical Finasteride

[Jrthomas85]

Hello all,

I'm starting this thread because I've noticed a real lack of accounts of people trying topical finasteride and what their experiences were (and believe me, I've spent quite a bit of time on several forums looking for information). I encourage anyone with topical finasteride experience to post their experiences. What I'm not looking for are people to tell me their opinions on topical finasteride, or any debate as to whether it works, unless they have tried it.

About 2 weeks ago, I visited a respected hair loss specialist in Atlanta: Dr. Edmund Griffin. I am looking to halt further hairline loss (currently Norwood 2.5 with good density) and, if I'm lucky, thicken up some thinning areas around the outside edges of my hairline. I was all but ready to give oral Finasteride a try, but had the usual concerns of sides, both immediate and longer term. I expressed these concerns to Dr. Griffin, and he recommended a topical finasteride preparation (5% I believe, which he prepares in an alcohol vehicle), as well as minoxidil. He believes that there is a case for the efficacy of topical finasteride. Besides using it himself for over a decade, he claims that he has had 1000s of patients over the years who maintain their hair with it. However, I'm aware that topical finasteride is absorbed systemically, thus putting the user at risk for sides. Dr. Griffin reported that his patients see a lower frequency of sides with the topical solution, while still seeing results.

Whatever the case with topical finasteride, I've decided to give it a go. I've taken some baseline pics, and I plan to follow up on this post in about 6 months with my opinion, as well as pics. I also hope to hear from others who have tried topical finasteride, so we can start to build a little more evidence (for or against) the efficacy of it.

 

[Bryan]

You probably wouldn't be nearly as enthusiastic about using topical finasteride if you could see the study done on it by Messenger et al just a few years ago. That study was a failure; in fact, the haircounts they got with topical finasteride were actually a tiny bit LOWER than they were in the placebo group, although that was probably just a fluke statistical accident.

In any event, that (and other similar studies) has been the death knell for topical finasteride, in my opinion.

 

[antman]

better to go with topical spironolactone, at least that has been proven to have an ant-androgen effect in human skin.

 

[Jrthomas85]

I appreciate the info. guys. I have to say again, that I'm not looking for personal opinions here. I am, however, always willing to look at research. Bryan, can you link me to the Messenger study?

It's also difficult to come to a conclusion based on what seems like different results in some of these studies. For example, a 2009 Hajheydari et al study showed what appears to be positive results from a Finasteride gel preparation with ethanol. In this study, Finasteride gel and tablet groups were compared. However, the obvious drawback here was that they only looked at results for a 6-month period. I would have really liked to see results at at least one year. (http://www.ijdvl.com/article.asp?is...9;volume=75;issue=1;spage=47;epage=51;aulast=)

There is also a 1997 Mazzarella study that seems to have found encouraging results, although I could only find an abstract and not a full report, unless you're willing to pay for a subscription (http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09546639709160517)

Also, a 2000 Sintov study published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics finds a statistically significant effect of topical finasteride and Flutamide on hair follicle diameter and density in selected areas. Sintov makes a point to note that the vehicle is very important here in the delivery and systemic absorption of finasteride. It may be that this is why we see sometimes contrasting results in these studies of topical finasteride. (Sorry, I only have access to this study through Scout, a university database resource, but you may be able to find it just by searching the author and journal).

So, not to beat a dead horse, but the only opinions I'm looking for here are based off of actual use of topical finasteride, not from people who have come across what seems to be a shallow pool of research (at best) done to evaluate it. I'm also encouraging anyone to post more research if you happen to come across it. I'm certainly not "enthusiastic" about using topical finasteride, but merely trying to determine its efficacy through facts or opinions based on real observations, something that seems to be in short supply at times on hair-loss forums.

Cheers

 

[Bryan]

I appreciate the info. guys. I have to say again, that I'm not looking for personal opinions here. I am, however, always willing to look at research. Bryan, can you link me to the Messenger study?

Sorry, I only have a paper copy of the full study that I got from a local medical library. Trust me on this: it was pretty bleak.

 

[Jrthomas85]

Bryan,

Can you give me the full title of the study, the publication year, journal name, etc.? I would like to take a look at it myself.

Thanks

 

[Bryan]

Bryan,

Can you give me the full title of the study, the publication year, journal name, etc.? I would like to take a look at it myself.

Give me a little time to find it. It's at the bottom of my Study Stack!

 

[Bryan]

Oops! I didn't remember the author's name correctly. It was "Rushton", not "Messenger". Here is the full citation: "Topical 0.05% finasteride significantly reduced serum DHT concentrations, but had no effect in preventing the expression of genetic hair loss in men". D.H. Rushton, M.J. Norris and I.D. Ramsay. From the book Hair Research for the Next Millenium, copyright 1996. D.J.J. Van Neste and V.A. Randall, (Eds).

Here's something they said in the study that I've often quoted on hairloss forums; it shows how knowledge can change dramatically, once further research is done! These are the final two paragraphs in the study:

"In this study we employed a topical formulation of 0.05% finasteride in view of its presence in seminal fluid of subjects receiving oral therapy. Despite achieving serum DHT levels 40% lower than baseline, no hair regrowth occurred. Additional data from 10 males showed no further loss of hair in two subjects while on treatment; however the remaining eight withdrew after 12 months due to lack of efficacy (unpublished data).

"These findings suggest that in individuals in whom hair follicles have little or no type-II 5a-reductase activity, topically applied inhibitors like finasteride are unlikely to be effective. Oral Proscar (5 mg finasteride) is also unlikely to be effective unless metabolites with different specificity to 5a-reductase isozymes are produced. We therefore eagerly await the arrival of a type-1 or mixed 5a-reductase inhibitor."

That second and final paragraph is especially amusing, isn't it? They thought that they had PROVED that finasteride was useless to treat balding!

 

[Lead Farmer]

^Bryan, how did they come to that conclusion? As you said they are effectively stating finasteride, even in a high dosage and taken orally, is useless. This contradicts years of research and results.

 

[Bryan]

^Bryan, how did they come to that conclusion? As you said they are effectively stating finasteride, even in a high dosage and taken orally, is useless. This contradicts years of research and results.

Rushton's study was apparently done BEFORE the "years of research and results" by Merck and others.

 

[struggle]

So the topical finasteride study is basically a ****ty one? What do we know today? I think it HAS to work

 

[Thinning Sucks]

http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/dermatology/2011/241953/

Thoughts on this?

 

[Pixman]

This is amazing!

I wish I could get my hair on some of this NuH hair!

The photographs and the timelines are amazing!
I'm fearing my time is running out.

 

[hellouser]

If a topical Finasteride we're to penetrate the skin and go systemic, would this mean that its efficacy is then the same as when taken orally?

 

[opti]

you have less chances to fk ur libido up or gyno,but more chances to get dry eyes from topical finasteride as i remember reading some articles.

 

[hellouser]

you have less chances to fk ur libido up or gyno,but more chances to get dry eyes from topical finasteride as i remember reading some articles.

Yeah but when it goes systemic, is the efficacy the same as taking orally?

 

[aslamfrk]

i am using topical mnoxidil and finasteride lotion about a year.i think or i feel its working for me but am having pretty headache and massive shedding with skin irritaion.am from india.minscalp-f5%lotion.with biotin 10 mg and ketoconozol shampoo daily as my doctor rafeeq moideen prescribed me this regimn

 

[Homie]

Well, the study the late, great Bryan posted obiously does NOT show that finasteride topically does not work given that it showed finasteride orally did not work and we know that is bunk.

Hell, I'd argue it shows the opposite as DHT was signficantly reduced. Now, whether it was reduced solely because it went systemic, or really work topically, I have no idea hellouser.

 

[doke]

Well, the study the late, great Bryan posted obiously does NOT show that finasteride topically does not work given that it showed finasteride orally did not work and we know that is bunk.

Hell, I'd argue it shows the opposite as DHT was signficantly reduced. Now, whether it was reduced solely because it went systemic, or really work topically, I have no idea hellouser.

hi homie are you saying bryan has passed away?and any thoughts on topical 0.5mg dutasteride instead guys.:santa:

 

[Armando Jose]

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/showthread.php/70960
In september 2013, .....