topical usage of finasteride

[I am Going Bald Save ME]

Topical Finasteride Gel as Effective as Oral Drug?

 

A recently published clinical study from Iran shows that topical finasteride in the form of a topical gel is as effective in treating male pattern baldness as oral use of this drug. This double blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted over a period of 6 months on 45 male subjects who had been balding for 1.5 - 2 years.

 

 

 

I s this true i fall in the category of subjects taken

[Blond]

I also read this paper but I think it's a pile of pants. The problem is they did not look at whether the gel worked topically (locally) or systemically which is kind of ironic considering the title of the paper! In order to make any distinction between the two you need to monitor circulating hormones.

 

The only interesting thing that results from this paper is that if it does in fact work via a topical route then it might be advantages in giving the liver a break with first pass metabolism of finasteride!

[Dewayne]

FWIW, Dr. Griffin in ATL prescribed me a "topical finasteride - minoxidil" mixture that I used for two years by dropping it on the top of my scalp. It made my hair look more healthy in the first few months but I couldn't find another doctor to say it would work.

 

I showed it to Dr. Cooley, and while he didn't say it wouldn't work, I could tell from his reaction he didn't believe in it. At $35 a month, I gave it up in favor of oral Proscar for about $25 - and it's at least been proven to work.

[mmhce]

I am Going Bald Save ME,

Interesting. Can you give us the URL? I tried topical finasteride for a few months, but didn't really believe in it to begin with. I was taught in high school, that drugs aren't sufficiently absorbed into the body to have systemic effects. But looking back now, there are instances where drugs are absorbed through the skin to give systemic effects.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

I have asked the reps about this for years. Doesn't seem to me to work unless you could somehow get it into the hair root area by topical absorbtion with a carrier vehicle.

 

Put up the link, or better yet, just cut and paste the conclusion and medical journal it came from.

 

My bet is that IF it worked, propecia reps would be banging on our doors and TV ads would be constantly on. Thus, I bet its nothing beneficial at this point.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Bill - Seemiller]

I've seen no clinical evidence that topical finasteride is effective however, I too cannot say it "can't" work. I suppose in theory, if it absorbs into the scalp, it may prevent DHT from binding the the hair follicle receptor. But without clinical evidence, there's no real proof either way.

 

It would be interesting to get Dr. Griffin's view on this.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Dewayne]

Originally posted by Bill - Associate Publisher:

I've seen no clinical evidence that topical finasteride is effective however, I too cannot say it "can't" work. I suppose in theory, if it absorbs into the scalp, it may prevent DHT from binding the the hair follicle receptor. But without clinical evidence, there's no real proof either way.

 

It would be interesting to get Dr. Griffin's view on this.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

 

I'd like to hear Dr. Griffin's view as well. Especially since I spent about close to $750 - $1,000 on it from his pharmacy.

[Petchski]

From what I can tell, it does work, but only because it's absorbed in the bloodstream, which means you may as well just pop the pill, as it's easier.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Maybe I read it wrong but it looked like Dr. Griffin's potion was a mixture of propecia and rogaine. Well the rogaine may be responsible for all growth that you see.

 

That is why we have peer reviewed journals...so that one can look at the statistics of a control group (nothing applied to the scalp), a rogaine only group, a propecia (topical) only group, a combo group; and then see what the results are; that can be reproduced or refuted by other investigators.

 

Nothing against Dr. Griffin or his product, I know nothing of it; but in order to offer a treatment like that, as a patient I would want to see some sort of study showing what I am paying for, and that its safe.

 

My 91 year old uncle got scammed by a local doctor "chelating" cholesterol out of his blood at 500.00 a pop for years. It only stopped when my uncle had his 4 vessel heart surgery and valve replacement.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[I am Going Bald Save ME]

see parachute hair loss therapy is using saw palmetto and it is used topically

 

Doesnt this proves finasteride can help topically as well

[Blond]

Don't be fooled! You have to understand the biological reason to why a topical approach with finasteride/saw palmetto is unlikely to work. The prostate makes the majority of DHT which gets circulated in the blood. Blood through vascularisation will reach almost every cell in the body. Even if cells in the scalp have 'their' 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme inhibited, it would not stop hair loss as DHT from the blood will diffuse into the papilla anyway. In fact from what I can remember, its type I reductase that is prominent in the scalp so a more logical approach would to use dutasteride.

 

I believe that the real hope is in an anti-androgen that directly competes with DHT binding around the follicle (if they could stop these chemicals reaching the circulation). It's really about clever chemistry approaches in drug delivery rather than anything else that we are waiting for.

[kevers]

Don't be fooled! You have to understand the biological reason to why a topical approach with finasteride/saw palmetto is unlikely to work. The prostate makes the majority of DHT which gets circulated in the blood. Blood through vascularisation will reach almost every cell in the body. Even if cells in the scalp have 'their' 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme inhibited, it would not stop hair loss as DHT from the blood will diffuse into the papilla anyway. In fact from what I can remember, its type I reductase that is prominent in the scalp so a more logical approach would to use dutasteride.

 

I believe that the real hope is in an anti-androgen that directly competes with DHT binding around the follicle (if they could stop these chemicals reaching the circulation). It's really about clever chemistry approaches in drug delivery rather than anything else that we are waiting for.

 

wow thats one of the best explanations I've seen.

[darknight]

Please use scalp roller it will curb your hair fall....and a good topical solution......minoxildil may cause shedding in early stages...so be care ful while choosing....