Great article, thank you for the detailed info. What are your thoughts on topical saw palmetto with regards to potential side-effects? How likely is one to experience side-effects from the supplement when taking it topically compared to orally? Is there any way to breakdown the percentage of DHT in the body that is effected when taking it topically? By the way I mean with regards to a spray that would be left on the hair as opposed to a shampoo that would be washed out. Thanks for the help!

Hi, I know this was posted a while ago but wondering what happened Jules after you stopped? I am in an almost identical situation, and have read enough to know that my hair is likely to fall out quickly now I have stopped Fin – did the natural supplements help at all during the transition? Thanks

https://www.sevenminerals.com/products/anti-hair-loss-magnesium-spray-organic-natural

‘ANTI-HAIR LOSS Magnesium Spray. Organic, Natural Product – Thinning Hair And Hair Loss Treatment For Men And Women …’

Ingredients:

‘Magnesium oil, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Thyme Oil, Organic Rosemary Oil, Organic Lavender
Oil, and Organic Cedarwood Oil’

It’s 95% magnesium oil, and 5% essential oils. I spray it on the scalp every other day, leave for 20-30 minutes, then wash off.

When I first used it, my scalp was tingling, then I could feel my scalp loosening up as if it had been massaged. This sensation happened for the next 4-5 uses, then it went away but my scalp feels more ‘relaxed’. I also noticed an itching sensation but only in the thinnest areas of the scalp hair. That could have been due to the magnesium oil making more contact in those areas, or something else.

It’s possible that my scalp had calcification, but each essential oil in that formula does have some evidence about its effectiveness. You can read about them (and others) here https://www.healthline.com/health/essential-oils-for-hair-growth

I also use magnesium oil spray on my skin too. The essential oils may also be helping to reduce inflammation and block DHT. You can make your own mixture if you wish.

Oh where did you find that cortisol causes hypothyroidism?

Those were actually two of the articles I drew my interest in topical finasteride from! I’m based in the U.S and have also seen various clinics offering this. I’m still reluctant to try any form (oral or topical) but out of curiosity, is there any particular clinic that you recommend that is offering this dilution? If there’s a conflict of interest in mentioning a clinic by name feel free to e-mail me instead.

Hey Jake,

It’s a great question. I’ve been in communication with a few dermatologists about this. The clinical evidence for topical finasteride, at least in terms of reductions to scalp versus serum DHT, look promising. See this study, and this review:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26636418

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6609098/

The “sweet spot” for topical finasteride – at least in terms of maximizing scalp DHT reduction while minimizing serum DHT reduction – seems to be 0.4 mL per application at a 0.2275% dilution.

However, there are A LOT of clinics offering this, and with mixed results (per the anecdotes from those dermatologists). The problem is that delivery and compounding methods, as well as adjunct ingredients, vary wildly across manufacturers and clinics. It seems like the majority of topical formulations, at least so far, are missing the mark (anecdotally) in terms of hair regrowth.

The clinic with the most anecdotal success seems to be coming out of Italy. Where are you based?

Best,
Rob

You highlighted some great alternatives therapies to oral finasteride that may/may not reduce serum DHT (and therein decrease hair loss). However, how likely would sexual side effects persists if a topical vehicle would be utilized in low-dose finesterade. I have found various articles talking about a moderate reduction (~30) in serum DHT while significantly reducing local DHT in hair follicles. What are your thoughts on this and is it worth the risk?

Could you tell us your opinion about zix (zinc + b6) it’s a topical and there’s a huge thread on hlt.com.

Greetings,

Ken

Hey Stuart,

I agree! The study duration was probably not long enough to conclude if androgen receptor remodeling was permanent. While it does raise cause for concern, we can’t apply this research to all men taking finasteride for AGA. There are just too many differences.

Thanks for sharing the quercitin + finasteride paper! To summarize the results (for anyone else reading) – the authors found that, compared to finasteride alone, quercitin + finasteride counteracted the serum DHT-reducing effects of finasteride but still led to a reduction in prostate weight. To me, that implies that quercitin + finasteride might help to isolate finasteride’s effects on the prostate to just those tissues.

Before making any recommendations, I’d need to see (1) DHT levels in the prostate from the quercitin + finasteride group, (2) human studies showing the same results, and (3) human studies demonstrating the same effects on scalp skin in balding regions. But, it seems like this preliminary study opens up the possibility that quercitin + finasteride (for humans) might help to isolate finasteride’s effects and maybe even stave off some risk of adverse effects.

Thanks again for finding this!

Best,
Rob