Quantum Cat
Senior Member
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so how viable/ effective is topical Finasteride? If it works, it would be ideal
Please, can anyone post ACCURATE info on Propecia and its REAL side-effects?
- Thread starter kenz9
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From what I've seen, there hasn't been a proper delivery vehicle engineered for this use. Either the finasteride isn't absorbed by the skin, or it's absorbed too much and enters into the blood stream, essentially acting like taking it orally.
I saw a new study with a potential new vehicle for topical finasteride:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23207960
Looks promising.
Theoretically yes. But the problem with finasteride is it has a very steep curve of active effect. (IIRC my numbers correctly) 0.1mg taken orally has almost no effect, but 0.2mg starts 5AR inhibition. I'm sure a topical finasteride is possible, but it's going to take a lot of work to get a good vehicle and finding the correct active dose so it doesn't go systemic. I've seen anecdotal reports on forums of people supposedly getting this to work, but not much more than that.
Quantum Cat
Senior Member
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a pill that only suppresses DHT at the hair would be currently impossible then?
I'm not entirely sure, but I can imagine it would be extremely difficult. Since the medicine goes through your bloodstream, i'm not sure how you could possibly target only the androgen receptors in your scalp and nowhere else. This is probably why a topical will be the treatment of the future.
One thing i'm not sure about is that since DHT circulates in the bloodstream, even if you could selectively inhibit 5AR in your scalp with a finasteride topical, wouldn't the circulating DHT still 'attack' the androgen receptors in your follicles? DHT is what shrinks your follicles, so unless you get rid of that systemically (with finasteride/dutasteride), the only option is to selectively block the androgen receptors in your scalp. Unless they can somehow turn off the trigger that makes your follicles decide to shrink.
Absolutely.
Everyone is different and reaction to these drugs vary a lot. I've been taking finasteride every day for the last 14 years and I can't complain. There were side effects (e.g. watery semen) but they were perfectly tolerable.
I do take all those negative testimonials very seriously, though. finasteride does work but it's a dangerous drug and only your doctor can say if it's right for you or not.
Quantum Cat
Senior Member
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Wow 14 years is a long time - has it kept your hair in good shape?
aside from the watery semen have you experienced any more serious or permanent sides? Why would you say it's dangerous?
do you have any regrets about using finasteride for so long?
Yep, the hair is still here (I would say I'm a NW2: slight recession in the front, the crown is perfect)
No regrets whatsoever, it's the smartest thing I've ever done.
Probably, yes. It hasn't been 100% demonstrated to cause persistent effects, and many other variables factor into cases of persistent symptoms, but IMO it's very likely that finasteride can cause persistent symptoms. Current evidence (which almost universally consists of anecdotal case reports) suggest that persistent symptoms are extremely rare. It's difficult to put a number on it, but last year the FDA found 59 cases of persistent symptoms that lasted more than 3 months after discontinuing Propecia. There have been millions of Propecia users in the USA, but these symptoms are also almost certainly under-reported to the FDA. But this gives you a ballpark of where the numbers are at, and even the most conservative estimates show that persistent symptoms are going to be really rare.