Local application of minoxidil combined with finasteride and tretinonin

[TwoGoats]

I came across this interesting study: http://www.regrowth.com/remedies/local-application-of-combination-of-minoxidil-and-finesteride/

It clearly shows that combination of minoxidil with topical finasteride and tretinonin are superior to just using minoxidil:

Has anybody tried it yet? Topical finasteride has found quite some positive observations recently as well.

For example: http://www.hairlosscure2020.com/category/p-3074/ and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4314881/

Also the same appears to go with tretinonil. One study showed not a double but a triple minoxidil absorption with 0.05% tretinoin as compared with a control vehicle: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2328551

I am thinking about giving it a go. I have tretinoinil at my hand and finasteride/min of course as well. I'd still keep taking finasteride orally as well. What are your thoughts on it? And if I have a generic 60ml minoxidil bottle then how many 5mg finasteride pills should I put there to get the 0.1% like in the initial study, 12 if I am not mistaken, right? How about mixing the tretinoin (I have Retin-A cream, 0.05%), kinda no idea there?

 

[Iopu]

I'd be interested in trying this as well. I don't take finasterade. But am on a topical only regimen of mostly Ru, fluridil and minoxidil. I have finasteride on hand only problem is tretinoin seems hard to get here in Ireland.

 

[yetti]

This is interesting. I wonder, though, if perhaps the potential for side effects would be exactly the same as if it were ingested orally? If testosterone is not being converted to DHT, maybe it's not something that can just happen locally, but rather it would have to be systemic?

 

[TwoGoats]

@Iopu

I know it's a prescription drug but I luckily got mine from eBay.

@yetti

Topical finasteride has been found to be even more effective than taking it orally for reducing DHT in scalp and that's what we are after for - http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v133/n5/full/jid2013110a.html#P040

"These findings show that DHT concentration in the scalp, after 7-day treatment course of P-3074 o.d., was more reduced (about 40%) than after 1 mg oral finasteride administration for the same treatment period."

"Topical delivery methods do not stay out of the bloodstream entirely so there is no guarantee that one will not get side effects with any topical medication when compared to it's oral equivalent but the amount that makes it into the bloodstream is significantly less so in theory any side effects should also be significantly less, if any manifest to begin with. Topical delivery allows for a more targeted delivery with less of the medication being delivered systemically where it is more likely to affect other systems."

 

[yetti]

Topical finasteride has been found to be even more effective than taking it orally for reducing DHT in scalp and that's what we are after for - http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v133/n5/full/jid2013110a.html#P040

Actually, not everyone who is interested in topical finasteride is interested primarily because they think it might be even more effective (and that little study you linked to is so little and short - 1 week?! - that I'm not sure it proves even that). The question for some is, will it be effective, while reducing or eliminating sides?

Topical delivery methods do not stay out of the bloodstream entirely so there is no guarantee that one will not get side effects with any topical medication when compared to it's oral equivalent but the amount that makes it into the bloodstream is significantly less so in theory any side effects should also be significantly less, if any manifest to begin with.

Yeah, "in theory". Thus my wondering in the post above yours.

And by the way the very same person you copied and pasted that quote from, in the same thread, says that in his opinion that topical use of finasteride is LESS effective for fighting hair loss than taking it orally. Which would be in line with my doubts about that study.

 

[Iopu]

@ TwoGoats: Did you ever try this? I completely forgot about it. Your right they do sell Retin A on eBay! (I've been using on my face for anti ageing).

 

[Norwood One]

So how does one go about making a topical finasteride/minoxidil solution? Sounds interesting.