Finasteride Causing Oily Skin: Is It Always A Bad Sign?

[FilthyFrancis]

Hi everyone,

I have been applying 0.1 mg of microdosed topical finasteride everyday for 3 months now.
Over the last two weeks, my skin has been super greasy, to the point I have to wipe it a couple times a day. I have never had acne or such (quite a perfect skin).

Besides, I don't feel any side effect from the current treatment (no ball ache, nor libido drop, depressed mood or weigh gain).

My only issue is that my hair has been deteriorating quite visibly in the space of 3 months - hair shafts are thinning and super wimpy. I can quite clearly tell the difference as it's now see-through. I have had an intense shedding over the last days as well.

I have thought about RH (Reflex Hyperandrogenicity) but I don't feel particularly aroused sexually (despite having a girlfriend). I must say I have no itchiness either.

My view is that it could well be my body adjusting to the hormonal imbalance. Has anyone ever experienced oily skin while starting finasteride, that resolved overtime pursuing the treatment (ideally, successfully)?

For now, I think I will keep going to hit the 6-month mark and decide.

 

[FilthyFrancis]

Apparently, internet tells me oily skin/acne is an uncommon side-effect of Finasteride but has already been claimed by a few.

Anyone here who suffered from this and witnessed a positive outcome with the treatment afterwards?

 

[Ausgebombt]

Reflect Hyperandrogenicity from Finasteride is really just a forum theory. There is no evidence that it can occur.

What is more likely is that topical Finasteride just isn't working. I tried 0.2 mg topical finasteride for 5 months and it did nothing. No side effects and no effects on my hair. Then I switched to oral finasteride. I had very obvious side effects from day 1 (ball pain) indicating that it was going systemic. After 1 month my morning wood and libido went almost totally away but I continued onward. By sometime during month 2 I had a noticeable change in hair texture and my shedding stopped almost completely. Unfortunately I couldn't stand the side effects of oral finasteride so I had to quit. The point is I never experienced any affect whatsover from topical finasteride, but I experienced very noticeable affects from oral finasteride.

With that said, I don't want to discourage you from continuing to try topical finasteride. For the sake of science if nothing else.

 

[FilthyFrancis]

Thanks for taking the time.

What is more likely is that topical Finasteride just isn't working. I tried 0.2 mg topical finasteride for 5 months and it did nothing.

I wouldn't say it does nothing for me: I have been witnessing the first pimples sprouting on my face this week. It's been years since I last had a pimple on my face. I am convinced finasteride is a the root of this phenomenon.

Hair-wise, my hair looks very wimpy. The hair shafts I shed seem a lot more miniaturized than what I used to shed before treatment. My overall hair density has deteriorated quite substantially as it's now see-through - I think it's just more miniaturized. Prior to starting topical finasteride, my hair loss was quite slow; I went from NW1 to NW2/2.5 in 5/6 years. The front and midscalp were pretty dense.

Oral finasteride is a no-go for me.

With that said, I don't want to discourage you from continuing to try topical finasteride. For the sake of science if nothing else.

Well, you are not discouraging me that much. At the moment, I am just thinking about interrupting the treatment to prevent further damage to my scalp. I am not sure whether riding it out till the 6-month mark is a good idea - as it seems positive feedback is scarce for oily skin/acne-suffering finasteride users.

 

[FilthyFrancis]

Just a quick update: over the last days, the oiliness has greatly diminished and so has my shedding. I am still shedding quite a good amount of hair strands (once or two everytime I run my hand through my scalp) but that is nothing compared to the shedding I underwent 3 weeks ago (at least 200 hair strands in the shower and a 50 or so on the pillowcase).

My face is still oilier than usual (I have to wash it once a day) but it's bearable. I think it was a short episode of my body adjusting to a new hormonal balance.

My hair still feels very brittle and miniaturized (than prior to fina treatment) but I can see myself going further in the microdose topical fina experiment (0.1mg o.d. / 0,01%). I plan to push it to the 1 year-mark. 3,5 months in right now.

EDIT: If anyone wonders, I don't suffer from any side.

 

[FilthyFrancis]

Discontinued fina after 6 months. I lost a sh*t ton of density that I never recovered.

I am on the verge of trying topical duta

 

[trialAcc]

I am sorry to hear your experience. Everyday I'm more convinced that shedding is NOT a good sign, proven by countless reports of people that never get to even recover.

I do not know your hairloss but I don't think topical will yield much results...

Descending Dog

Shedding is fine. I shed for 9~ months when i started finasteride and it only got better for years after that. Those countless reports you are reading are the people who either stopped finasteride before it worked or just didn't respond. The real countless reports are the people who shed, recover and go on living with stable hair and never need a forum.

 

[trialAcc]

Any scientifical back up? It's a real question.

There is no way you can know if you're a non responder and it's your hairloss progressing or it's "just the shed". There should not be absolute positive statements about shedding because those drugs do not have a 100% rate of success.

Yeah just like the majority of users and prescribing doctors lol

 

[jazz1]

Discontinued fina after 6 months. I lost a sh*t ton of density that I never recovered.

I am on the verge of trying topical duta

See here for Topical Dutasteride

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/topical-dutasteride-minoxidil-mixture-check-here.128666/

 

[Jonah]

Shedding is fine. I shed for 9~ months when i started finasteride and it only got better for years after that. Those countless reports you are reading are the people who either stopped finasteride before it worked or just didn't respond. The real countless reports are the people who shed, recover and go on living with stable hair and never need a forum.

Did you have other symptoms while shedding for 9 months? Such as oily forhead, increased libido?