Who Is Using Topical Finasteride? Tell Me Your Experiences

[Aeroes]

I'm struggling to find anyone who is on topical finasteride (no minoxidil). Does anyone have any threads from someone who has been using it long term.

Thanks,

Aeroes

 

[FilthyFrancis]

Hmm, there are so many topical finasteride users on this forum. Literally half of the new threads in the AA section is about topical finasteride.

Topical finasteride works, but you need to define the concentration you want to apply on your scalp. It depends whether you are only keen to avoid sides while under treatment or worry about long-term risks.

• You can decide to go for a micro-dose (1 mL of a 0,01% concentrated topical daily). This concentration was studied in 1997 by Mazzarella and is shown to be rather safe, in the sense that no accumulation was observed with this treatment. This solution will most likely yield results on the long-term but you should not have too high expectations.
• You can opt for a slightly more concentrated low-dose topical (<0,25%). This was tested in the Polichem study, which basically claims the effect of such low dose solution on serum DHT (= overall blood DHT) is halved as compared to scalp DHT - usually, the effect is similar on both DHT levels. HOWEVER, I must warn you this study only lasted for two weeks so I wouldn't trust it too much. Also, a HairLossTalk.com user claimed he had witnessed his plasma DHT drop after 1 month in his blood tests.
• You can go for normal finasteride dosage with a concentration around 0,1%. This yields similar results as oral but does impact serum DHT as much as oral. Although, it seems users have reported less sides: some forumers claimed they had no side effects on such concentrated topical while suffering from heavy sides on oral.

If topical finasteride is the way you want to go, there are different solutions :

1. Liposomal solutions, for which you need a prescription from your doctor, to get it compounded at the local pharmacy (or shipped from Farmacia Parati in Italy). This is, in my opinion, the best solution to me as you can decide on the concentration of the solution and opt for microdose topical;
   
2. Regular solutions (with ethanol, water mostly, sometimes PG) sold Morr-F, Minoxidilmax etc. The main con with these is that they usually have a rather high concentration - starting from 0,05%;
3. "Home-made" solutions, often resulting from the crushing of finasteride pills pourred into a minoxidil bottle. This is, by far, the least reliable solution when it comes to dosage and proven-efficiency.

If you have more questions, I invite you to read a couple of posts here and there on the forum, as all of the above mentioned information comes directly from it.

 

[Mustang]

I used it, it worked but only with DMI
I now use topical dutasteride once a week
No hair loss (literally one or two when showering) and no sides.

 

[fffalling1]

So much headache......

 

[bluecyclone]

I used it, it worked but only with DMI
I now use topical dutasteride once a week
No hair loss (literally one or two when showering) and no sides.

Does your topical Dutasteride have DIM?

 

[Aeroes]

What is DIM/DMI? sorry not familiar with terminology

 

[Aeroes]

Thats good news Mustang. I am able to access topical Dutasteride although im not sure which would be safer to try first as I did have side effects from 1mg tablets of Finasteride only after a week. Was thinking 0.25% rather than 1% topical foam to start with, i have heard even though a stronger enzyme blocker it has less sides than finasteride?

 

[Arne Reyns]

Hmm, there are so many topical finasteride users on this forum. Literally half of the new threads in the AA section is about topical finasteride.

Topical finasteride works, but you need to define the concentration you want to apply on your scalp. It depends whether you are only keen to avoid sides while under treatment or worry about long-term risks.

• You can decide to go for a micro-dose (1 mL of a 0,01% concentrated topical daily). This concentration was studied in 1997 by Mazzarella and is shown to be rather safe, in the sense that no accumulation was observed with this treatment. This solution will most likely yield results on the long-term but you should not have too high expectations.
• You can opt for a slightly more concentrated low-dose topical (<0,25%). This was tested in the Polichem study, which basically claims the effect of such low dose solution on serum DHT (= overall blood DHT) is halved as compared to scalp DHT - usually, the effect is similar on both DHT levels. HOWEVER, I must warn you this study only lasted for two weeks so I wouldn't trust it too much. Also, a HairLossTalk.com user claimed he had witnessed his plasma DHT drop after 1 month in his blood tests.
• You can go for normal finasteride dosage with a concentration around 0,1%. This yields similar results as oral but does impact serum DHT as much as oral. Although, it seems users have reported less sides: some forumers claimed they had no side effects on such concentrated topical while suffering from heavy sides on oral.

If topical finasteride is the way you want to go, there are different solutions :

1. Liposomal solutions, for which you need a prescription from your doctor, to get it compounded at the local pharmacy (or shipped from Farmacia Parati in Italy). This is, in my opinion, the best solution to me as you can decide on the concentration of the solution and opt for microdose topical;
   
2. Regular solutions (with ethanol, water mostly, sometimes PG) sold Morr-F, Minoxidilmax etc. The main con with these is that they usually have a rather high concentration - starting from 0,05%;
3. "Home-made" solutions, often resulting from the crushing of finasteride pills pourred into a minoxidil bottle. This is, by far, the least reliable solution when it comes to dosage and proven-efficiency.

If you have more questions, I invite you to read a couple of posts here and there on the forum, as all of the above mentioned information comes directly from it.

Hey FilthyFrancis. I am now combining my Finasteride pills (which I used oral before) with alcohol, PG and water. as a topical. Why do you think it might not be good? And what exactly is the 'liposomal' solution?

 

[Daven Madero]

An alternative to a homemade solution of finasteride crushed into min is making your own liposomal finasteride solution

Just google how to make liposomal vitaminC, Magnesium, or CBD. They all recommend the same thing, Lecithin. This is the first youtube video that appears.


Instead of vitaminC, just use finasteride crushed in a pill crusher.

This formulation has not been tested, and if you have the money, buy a professional version. But if you're trying a homemade version, better to try the liposomal one, because studies have shown liposomal formulations to be superior to others. By a very large margin

 

[Arne Reyns]

An alternative to a homemade solution of finasteride crushed into min is making your own liposomal finasteride solution

Just google how to make liposomal vitaminC, Magnesium, or CBD. They all recommend the same thing, Lecithin. This is the first youtube video that appears.


Instead of vitaminC, just use finasteride crushed in a pill crusher.

This formulation has not been tested, and if you have the money, buy a professional version. But if you're trying a homemade version, better to try the liposomal one, because studies have shown liposomal formulations to be superior to others. By a very large margin

Thanks for the info but I can't see a link mate