Does Hims Topical Fin actually work?

[coinflipdrifter]

Hi all, 

Two months ago, Dr. Hasson prescribed me oral fin after a 9 month hiatus of being off of it. After being fine for three weeks or so, I was hit with the worst ED and libido loss I've ever had. It's odd - I took it for seven years straight with very little issues, stopped for a bit, came back and bam. 

Does anybody have success stories going topical long-term? I'm in desparate need of another HT in the next few months and I'm terrified that my rate of loss is accelerating too quickly for it to be effective. 

I should also note i'm on oral min. 

Thanks,
CFD

[Gatsby]

Ask Dr Hasson for Xyon Health's topical finasteride or even better, topical dutasteride.

[Melvin- Moderator]

I’m sure it works, the question is will it go systemic? If they use an alcohol base for their vehicle, then yea it probably will. I would consider topical dutasteride. 

 

[Doron Harati]

Yes I have.

Many years ago I used to consume Propecia pills then it hurt my libido and I stopped using, after 3 weeks everything became normal.

I started to use tropical Finasteride mixed with Minoxidil after I had my top and crown\NW4-5 procedure by Dr. Maras at the end of 2021 l, toll now I have no side effects at all, the formula enhanced my crown and blocked my hairloss over my native hair.

[BaldBobby]

12 hours ago, Doron Harati said:

Yes I have.

Many years ago I used to consume Propecia pills then it hurt my libido and I stopped using, after 3 weeks everything became normal.

I started to use tropical Finasteride mixed with Minoxidil after I had my top and crown\NW4-5 procedure by Dr. Maras at the end of 2021 l, toll now I have no side effects at all, the formula enhanced my crown and blocked my hairloss over my native hair.

What dose and how often a day?

[Doron Harati]

1 hour ago, BaldBobby said:

What dose and how often a day?

Once a day 20 drops, 0 1% Finasteride + 0.5% Minoxidil 

[NikosHair]

The topicals are just money-making quackery. Even topical Minoidil shows very limited scientific results.

You need to lower your dose of the orals until you find the sweet spot for you.

Once you get the drug into your blood, even a low dose will reduce your DHT and help to reduce miniaturisation.

[Melvin- Moderator]

1 hour ago, NikosHair said:

The topicals are just money-making quackery. Even topical Minoidil shows very limited scientific results.

You need to lower your dose of the orals until you find the sweet spot for you.

Once you get the drug into your blood, even a low dose will reduce your DHT and help to reduce miniaturisation.

This is nonsense. There are double-blind studies that show it is effective, and reduces DHT systemically by 30% vs. 70% of oral. 
 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9297965/

That said, topical dutasteride for me is probably more effective and reduces DHT systemically by 10-12% because of its molecular weight. 

[BaldBobby]

58 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

This is nonsense. There are double-blind studies that show it is effective, and reduces DHT systemically by 30% vs. 70% of oral. 
 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9297965/

That said, topical dutasteride for me is probably more effective and reduces DHT systemically by 10-12% because of its molecular weight. 

Have you started it yet? 

[Melvin- Moderator]

4 minutes ago, BaldBobby said:

Have you started it yet? 

Yes, I’ve been on topical dutasteride for a month. I used topical finasteride for 2 months before starting on dutasteride.

[BaldBobby]

Just now, Melvin- Moderator said:

Yes, I’ve been on topical dutasteride for a month. I used topical finasteride for 2 months before starting on dutasteride.

any shedding?

[Melvin- Moderator]

Just now, BaldBobby said:

any shedding?

No shedding or side effects.

[NikosHair]

 

On 3/16/2023 at 11:23 PM, coinflipdrifter said:

I was hit with the worst ED and libido loss I've ever had

Sorry to hear that. Strange how it just came on after previous success with fin.

Did you change brands? There are reports of noticeable differences between generics.

It is worth noting in the study, the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire concluded:

Quote

There were no significant differences between topical finasteride and placebo in mean scores for any item on the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire at week 12 or 24. Mean scores for all items were similar between topical finasteride and oral finasteride at weeks 12 and 24.

Now for the big difference for 3 months treatment!

Topical Finasteride $300 vs Generic Fin $25 (and $12.5 if you drop your dose to 0.5mg per day)

[Melvin- Moderator]

2 minutes ago, NikosHair said:

 

Sorry to hear that. Strange how it just came on after previous success with fin.

Did you change brands? There are reports of noticeable differences between generics.

It is worth noting in the study, the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire concluded:

Now for the big difference for 3 months treatment!

Topical Finasteride $300 vs Generic Fin $25 (and $12.5 if you drop your dose to 0.5mg per day)

You couldn’t pay me to get erectile dysfunction. The truth is side effects happen twice as much with oral finasteride. Obviously, generic fin is cheaper. But id rather pay and not get ED. 

[NikosHair]

1 minute ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

You couldn’t pay me to get erectile dysfunction. The truth is side effects happen twice as much with oral finasteride. Obviously, generic fin is cheaper. But id rather pay and not get ED. 

Read again. There was no difference in the study you cited.

[NikosHair]

8 minutes ago, NikosHair said:

Topical Finasteride $300 vs Generic Fin $25 (and $12.5 if you drop your dose to 0.5mg per day)

So the question has to be ... if the active ingredient is the same what are you paying the money for?

Again, the study answers that:

Quote

ethanol, propylene glycol, hydroxypropyl chitosan and purified water

Sounds like a crazy mark-up for a cheap carrier😊

[Melvin- Moderator]

4 hours ago, NikosHair said:

Read again. There was no difference in the study you cited.

What are you talking about? It’s only slightly less effective than oral finasteride.

[NikosHair]

• I'm saying: $300 for a mix of fin & alcohol is a rip off.
• The study (you cited) is saying: Both topical and oral finasteride produced similar results in the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire.
• I'm saying: Both topical and oral finasteride reduce DHT. If you are having side effects with oral fin, then try dropping your dose.

[Melvin- Moderator]

4 hours ago, NikosHair said:

• I'm saying: $300 for a mix of fin & alcohol is a rip off.
• The study (you cited) is saying: Both topical and oral finasteride produced similar results in the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire.
• I'm saying: Both topical and oral finasteride reduce DHT. If you are having side effects with oral fin, then try dropping your dose.

Topical finasteride reduces DHT by less than 50% compared to oral finasteride. 30% reduction vs. 70%. That’s a significant difference. Furthermore, topical finasteride reported side effects were much closer to the placebo group. 

Sexual side effects:
Placebo 2.8 % vs. 3.3% as opposed to 4.8% of oral finasteride. Based on this I would say topical finasteride is much closer to placebo side effect profile rather than oral finasteride. 

[NikosHair]

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Topical finasteride reduces DHT by less than 50% compared to oral finasteride. 30% reduction vs. 70%.

The report (you cited) has different results from the ones you are presenting:

'DHT concentration was lower (34.5 vs. 55.6%), with topical vs. oral finasteride'

If you want to block less DHT use a lower dose of oral fin and save yourself a fortune.

 

 

2 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Sexual side effects:
Placebo 2.8 % vs. 3.3% as opposed to 4.8% of oral finasteride.

So the difference between the topical Vs oral was 1.5%. Yet 2.8% of patients who were given a placebo reported Sexual side effects, and they got ZERO fin!

The researchers evaluate the findings and determine if the results are statistically significant. 

Rather than putting our own spin on the results, look at what the researchers concluded:

'There were no significant differences between topical finasteride and placebo in mean scores for any item on the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire at week 12 or 24. Mean scores for all items were similar between topical finasteride and oral finasteride at weeks 12 and 24.'

 

 

[Melvin- Moderator]

On 3/19/2023 at 12:07 PM, NikosHair said:

The report (you cited) has different results from the ones you are presenting:

'DHT concentration was lower (34.5 vs. 55.6%), with topical vs. oral finasteride'

If you want to block less DHT use a lower dose of oral fin and save yourself a fortune.

 

 

So the difference between the topical Vs oral was 1.5%. Yet 2.8% of patients who were given a placebo reported Sexual side effects, and they got ZERO fin!

The researchers evaluate the findings and determine if the results are statistically significant. 

Rather than putting our own spin on the results, look at what the researchers concluded:

'There were no significant differences between topical finasteride and placebo in mean scores for any item on the Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire at week 12 or 24. Mean scores for all items were similar between topical finasteride and oral finasteride at weeks 12 and 24.'

 

 

Nocebo is a real thing, I’m not disputing that, if you’re going based on this study. Reported side effects of topical finasteride is almost equal to placebo, and it’s only slightly less effective than oral finasteride. Its a no-brainer. 

[NikosHair]

7 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Nocebo is a real thing, I’m not disputing that, if you’re going based on this study.

Yet there were no statistical significance in the reported sexual side effects between the topical vs oral groups. That's really important because many people will be interested in using topical fin because of sexual side effects with oral fin. Based on that study, they need to keep on looking or better still reduce their oral fin/alternate days.

 

7 hours ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Its a no-brainer

If you want to burn $129 a month for some fin mixed in an alcohol solution. That fails to prevent the systemic reduction of DHT and shows no statistically significant improvement in side effects.

What's not to love😊 (Oh you get fancy packaging and a nice bottle)

[Melvin- Moderator]

4 minutes ago, NikosHair said:

Yet there were no statistical significance in the reported sexual side effects between the topical vs oral groups. That's really important because many people will be interested in using topical fin because of sexual side effects with oral fin. Based on that study, they need to keep on looking or better still reduce their oral fin/alternate days.

 

If you want to burn $129 a month for some fin mixed in an alcohol solution. That fails to prevent the systemic reduction of DHT and shows no statistically significant improvement in side effects.

What's not to love😊 (Oh you get fancy packaging and a nice bottle)

Not every topical uses a alcohol delivery system. The one I take uses a liposomal silicone base that slows the release, so it doesn’t go instantly systemic. So far zero sides, seems to be working as well no shedding and hair feels thicker. I got bad sides from the oral version. I would gladly pay $129 a month to save my hair and keep led in the pencil. 

[NikosHair]

7 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

Not every topical uses a alcohol delivery system.

That was the study you cited. 

Do you have a study which is randomized, double-blind, double dummy, parallel-group, 24-week study, conducted in adult male
outpatients with AGA at 45 sites to support your product?

9 minutes ago, Melvin- Moderator said:

I would gladly pay $129 a month to save my hair and keep led in the pencil. 

In the interest of transparency, do you pay $129 a month?

[Melvin- Moderator]

6 minutes ago, NikosHair said:

That was the study you cited. 

Do you have a study which is randomized, double-blind, double dummy, parallel-group, 24-week study, conducted in adult male
outpatients with AGA at 45 sites to support your product?

In the interest of transparency, do you pay $129 a month?

I don’t have a product, I’m talking topicals in general. There are a few liposomal formulas. Farmacia parati has one as well. 

No, I’m not currently paying while I’m on the trial that they offered to forum members. There are a few other participants as well on this forum that got a free year supply to review it here.