Topical Cetrizine for Hair Loss instead of Finasteride (Propecia)

[Maxxorr]

So what's up with topical cetirizine? Does it help? How to create a solution out of minoxidil, finasteride and cetirizine?

 

[phamboy24]

So I took finasteride for 1 year ago and I thought I had male pattern baldness but I didn't. I had diffuse thinning. Those hair I lost while I was under finasteride can they regrow back?

Thank you!

 

[IdealForehead]

Two studies now from the same research team claiming topical cetririzine increases hair growth.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28604133

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jdv.13864/abstract

If they're frauding about this, they're doubling down hard.

Primary author is associated with University of Rome.

Seems legit.

 

[HairCook]

Counting hair is a nice thing but what variables are supposed to be affected? PGD2? PGE2?

I mean really, Finasteride is so old and just delaying hair growth because we still lack a properly targeting treatment.

 

[inmyhead]

Whats the vechile for cetrizine?

 

[IdealForehead]

Counting hair is a nice thing but what variables are supposed to be affected? PGD2? PGE2?

I mean really, Finasteride is so old and just delaying hair growth because we still lack a properly targeting treatment.

Cetirizine is an antihistamine. Antihistamines block the release of PGD2 as well as numerous other inflammatory markers from mast cells (the primary storage site of PGD2 in skin) and other cells as well.

For example, with desloratadine, which I think is better due to better stability in alcohol, and a long binding time to receptors:

In vitro studies have shown that desloratadine inhibits the release or generation of multiple inflammatory mediators, including IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, PGD(2), leukotriene C(4), tryptase, histamine, and the TNF-alpha-induced chemokine RANTES.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11295678
​

So basically these antihistamines are working as very effective local anti-inflammatories. And given that one of the most characteristic components of male balding is "itch" and itch is directly related in many cases to histamines, an anti-histamine may be the exact type of anti-inflammatory we need.

Their results were similar to minoxidil in power. So it wasn't a minor effect. It was actually pretty damn good.

I've ordered some desloratadine powder from Alibaba and I will be adding it to my formulations. Unlike minoxidil, a topical antihistamine should be free of pro-aging or collagen damaging side effects. If it lets me stop minoxidil, I will consider it a great gift.

 

[IdealForehead]

Whats the vechile for cetrizine?

Best vehicle (solvent) for cetirizine is actually water. It dissolves like crazy in water. If you wanted to add a bit of DMSO you could. High alcohol vehicles may pose a problem as discussed here:

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/threads/degradation-of-cetirizine-in-alcohol-vehicles.66061/

If you are using a high alcohol vehicle (for example, as I am, for RU/minoxidil/other things), you may wish to use desloratadine instead as discussed also in that thread. It has the same mechanism of action so should be similarly effective but with good stability in alcohol.

 

[Johnmpb]

I currently abuse diphenhydramine and it is the prime suspect of rapid thinning of normally thick hair. I am going to post a before after pic/discussion on my propossed resolve. I just started tonight so "after" pics arnt in, it will be a cliff hanger. I would do it now but this sight said I would be restricted for a bit to stop solicitation. I will also be posting on hair restoration network under "dawgrit"

Update?

 

[ALightInTheDark]

In vitro studies have shown that desloratadine inhibits the release or generation of multiple inflammatory mediators, including IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, PGD(2), leukotriene C(4), tryptase, histamine, and the TNF-alpha-induced chemokine RANTES.

It's good for PGD2. But it inhibits PGD2 completely not only DP2 ? If it is, it could lead to sleep problems etc.
And for others mediators, are they important to hair or not ?

 

[HairCook]

Cetirizine is an antihistamine. Antihistamines block the release of PGD2 as well as numerous other inflammatory markers from mast cells (the primary storage site of PGD2 in skin) and other cells as well.

For example, with desloratadine, which I think is better due to better stability in alcohol, and a long binding time to receptors:

In vitro studies have shown that desloratadine inhibits the release or generation of multiple inflammatory mediators, including IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, PGD(2), leukotriene C(4), tryptase, histamine, and the TNF-alpha-induced chemokine RANTES.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11295678
​

So basically these antihistamines are working as very effective local anti-inflammatories. And given that one of the most characteristic components of male balding is "itch" and itch is directly related in many cases to histamines, an anti-histamine may be the exact type of anti-inflammatory we need.

Their results were similar to minoxidil in power. So it wasn't a minor effect. It was actually pretty damn good.

I've ordered some desloratadine powder from Alibaba and I will be adding it to my formulations. Unlike minoxidil, a topical antihistamine should be free of pro-aging or collagen damaging side effects. If it lets me stop minoxidil, I will consider it a great gift.

Thats great, guess I gonna go for that. However, Loratadine seems to exactly the same just cheaper and doesn't need a prescription in my country, so I go for that.

 

[IdealForehead]

Thats great, guess I gonna go for that. However, Loratadine seems to exactly the same just cheaper and doesn't need a prescription in my country, so I go for that.

Loratadine needs to be converted to desloratadine in the liver to be biologically active. It won't work topically from what i understand.

 

[IdealForehead]

The second one you posted doesn't have anything to do with Androgenetic Alopecia however. Still, might be worth working on.

I know. I actually think that's a good thing. It suggests topical antihistamines must have a broad mechanism of action for hair stimulation.

Just like minoxidil works for androgenic hair loss as well as other types of hair loss like female age related thinning.

 

[HairCook]

Loratadine needs to be converted to desloratadine in the liver to be biologically active. It won't work topically from what i understand.

Well I am going to take it orally. The other one is topically possible? Ordered mine already.

 

[IdealForehead]

Well I am going to take it orally. The other one is topically possible? Ordered mine already.

Taking it orally is not likely to accomplish anything. You'd have to take megadoses which would sedate you into a coma before you got an adequate effect at the scalp.

Desloratadine and cetrizine are both good options for topical use. But cetirizine may degrade in alcohol vehicles so its utility is limited.

That means desloratadine at around 1% is probably the best antihistamine to add to our usual topical approaches (eg. Can add to existing RU, minoxidil formulations and will be stable/effective).

 

[HairCook]

Oh, damn. Gotta talk to my Doctor then! Am running out of finasteride anyways soon, at least good timing

1% would be like 5mg tabs x12 right? On 60ml, wont be the filling material possibly an issue?

 

[IdealForehead]

Oh, damn. Gotta talk to my Doctor then! Am running out of finasteride anyways soon, at least good timing

How are you planning to do it? Crushing up prescription tablets? You'll end up with all the fillers in the solution too - not likely a problem but just saying. Also is desloratadine by prescription? I just ordered some powder off Alibaba.

 

[HairCook]

Yeah, powder it and put it in.

Well, germany is a b**ch about pretecting its drug industry. Also I dont wanna end up like all the people getting ripped off by kane and be like 'oh, it just isnt working'.

If someone has a trick around the filling I am open. I remember reading in german forums an instruction for a melatonin solution, where it also handled the fillers (thought I always wonder if thats neccessary if you buy capsules) and that was a bit complicated/time consuming, I also didnt want to bother with unstable stuff I am not like to be much success from and cant rlly mix with too much other stuff in worry I kill it.

 

[DavidsDome]

Taking it orally is not likely to accomplish anything. You'd have to take megadoses which would sedate you into a coma before you got an adequate effect at the scalp.

Hey man, can you maybe explain me why this is so?
Taking loratadine orally would be so easy and it's readily available in my country without prescription...
Thanks!

 

[HairCook]

There is actually a topical antihistamine which is only available in the US, it is called benadryl.

The cream form comes at 2%, a receder could try it.

 

[IdealForehead]

Hey man, can you maybe explain me why this is so?
Taking loratadine orally would be so easy and it's readily available in my country without prescription...
Thanks!

Hey buddy. Desloratadine standard oral dose is 5 mg per day. That gets diluted through the entire body which is like 4-6 litres of blood plus all the other fluid in your cells etc.

I currently apply 1% in my solution with around 3 mL per day. That's like 30 mg per day all to the scalp.

If I took 30 mg orally of this stuff, I'd sleep all day and 90% of it would end up in places it doesn't need to go - brain, legs, blablabla etc.

Here I can pound it on my scalp and no sedation. I really have to get my desloratadine tested though since for all I know it could be bunk. I'll do it once I'm healed from my surgery. Just got out of the OR two hours ago! Popping percocet and watching Bones.

David Boreanz - now THAT's a hairline.