How about a DHT Patch with Oral finasteride?

[CMartel2]

First, finasteride typically works. It's really the only agent we have that seems to produce great results. That's great, but it has some pretty horrible side effects, or at least that potential.

Part of the problem is that the body is deprived of what is an important hormone in DHT by 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Some have tried to get finasteride to work topically, but it seems it is absorbed and acts systemically, even at low doses (see blood work in those who have tried topical finasteride). But why not try this exact opposite?

Look at this:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/405823_4

When applied topically, a testosterone gel yielded DHT levels according to the site of application. In other words, DHT doesn't have the mobility of some of these other hormones or compounds.

Why not look into the option of applying a DHT patch locally to the scrotum, for instance, to attempt to concentrate DHT there. The potential I see in this is the ability to locally increase DHT levels in the scrotal area while keeping systemic levels low. Blood levels could be monitored, and the time of application of the patch could be varied to achieve optimal results.

I guess one of the major problems I've seen regarding finasteride dosing is that it's very difficult to get much variance in effect by changing the dose: 025 mg works about as well at suppressing DHT as 0.5, which works as well as 1.0, and so it goes. With the DHT patch, you actually have some control over DHT levels and might be able to avoid sides by still suppressing DHT, but only to a limited degree and not so much to the scrotal/prostate area, as with just oral finasteride.

 

[Bryan]

But why not try this exact opposite?

Look at this:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/405823_4

Sorry, but we can't see that article! Your link only takes us directly to a login page.

When applied topically, a testosterone gel yielded DHT levels according to the site of application. In other words, DHT doesn't have the mobility of some of these other hormones or compounds.

The probable reason for that is that according to the Gisleskog et al studies on dutasteride and finasteride, DHT has a rather short half-life in the blood, meaning that it's excreted fairly quickly once it hits the bloodstream. It seems fairly clear that DHT doesn't have that much of a role as an endocrine hormone, and that it's mainly active inside the cells where it's originally generated.

Why not look into the option of applying a DHT patch locally to the scrotum, for instance, to attempt to concentrate DHT there. The potential I see in this is the ability to locally increase DHT levels in the scrotal area while keeping systemic levels low. Blood levels could be monitored, and the time of application of the patch could be varied to achieve optimal results.

I think that's a VERY interesting idea!! One obvious problem, though, is knowing exactly where the DHT needs to go; in other words, knowing what the best application site would be.

I guess one of the major problems I've seen regarding finasteride dosing is that it's very difficult to get much variance in effect by changing the dose: 025 mg works about as well at suppressing DHT as 0.5, which works as well as 1.0, and so it goes.

You think 25 mg of finasteride works pretty well? (Yes, I know you meant to write "0.25 mg", rather than 25 mg!)

 

[squeegee]

First, finasteride typically works. It's really the only agent we have that seems to produce great results. That's great, but it has some pretty horrible side effects, or at least that potential.

Part of the problem is that the body is deprived of what is an important hormone in DHT by 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Some have tried to get finasteride to work topically, but it seems it is absorbed and acts systemically, even at low doses (see blood work in those who have tried topical finasteride). But why not try this exact opposite?

Look at this:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/405823_4

When applied topically, a testosterone gel yielded DHT levels according to the site of application. In other words, DHT doesn't have the mobility of some of these other hormones or compounds.

Why not look into the option of applying a DHT patch locally to the scrotum, for instance, to attempt to concentrate DHT there. The potential I see in this is the ability to locally increase DHT levels in the scrotal area while keeping systemic levels low. Blood levels could be monitored, and the time of application of the patch could be varied to achieve optimal results.

I guess one of the major problems I've seen regarding finasteride dosing is that it's very difficult to get much variance in effect by changing the dose: 025 mg works about as well at suppressing DHT as 0.5, which works as well as 1.0, and so it goes. With the DHT patch, you actually have some control over DHT levels and might be able to avoid sides by still suppressing DHT, but only to a limited degree and not so much to the scrotal/prostate area, as with just oral finasteride.

Damn good idea... unk: