Category Archives: Topical Finasteride

Topical Finasteride

Topical Finasteride Delivery Systems

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Update: November 2022 — An interesting new paper titled “Biomaterials for treatment of baldness” just got published. They used finasteride-loaded poly D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) naoparticles to deliver finasteride locally to the scalp. The drug can penetrate more easily and remain in the acting site for a longer duration of 5-6 weeks.

Update: October 2022 — Chinese researchers have bioengineered polyester nanoparticles for the synergistic treatment of androgenic alopecia. They do this via the 1) Supression of 5α-reductase (via Dutasteride in this case); and 2) Knockdown of the androgen receptor. The delivery technology utilized is called PLGA-DUT/siAR@DPCM nanoparticles. Dutasteride and siAR are both delivered topically to dermal papilla cells.

Update: July 2021 — Sustained release of topical finasteride via novel tip-loaded dissolving and implantable microneedle array patches.

I have covered topical finasteride for hair loss at regular intervals on this blog. Many of us are eagerly awaiting the final results from Polichem’s P-3074 Phase 3 clinical trials. Those trials ended in March 2018 and involved a sizable 459 male participants.

Topical Finasteride
Topical finasteride for hair loss treatment.

More importantly, a number of hair transplant surgeons and pharmacies have in recent years started compounding their own version of topical finasteride.

In rare instances, they are even making the stronger topical dutasteride. Almost all local compounding pharmacies in the USA are able to make their own in-house topical finasteride.

From what I have read online and after calling several local pharmacies, it seems like gel-based topical finasteride is the most popular current topical option. Finasteride gel and finasteride tablets showed similar hair growth success rates per this 2009 study from Iran.

You can also get topical finasteride in various liquid solutions; creams; lotions; ointments; pastes; aerosol sprays; microsponges; and more.

Topical Finasteride Drug Delivery

It seems like there are numerous ever increasing potential ways in which to deliver topical finasteride to the scalp. Each drug delivery mechanism not only impacts final hair growth results, but also side effects. The ultimate aim in creating both topical finasteride and topical dutasteride is to drastically reduce potential side effects from the oral versions.

Update: New article summarizing novel topical hair loss drug delivery systems. Mechanisms of delivery include via:

  • Microneedling.
  • Laser.
  • Radio-Frequency.
  • Ultrasound Sonophoresis.
  • Iontophoresis.
  • Nanoparticle Delivery.

“What I foresee for the future is a delivery system that allows not only selective targeting, but also very prolonged delivery.”

Nanoparticle Delivery of Finasteride

2013 (South Korea): Enhanced topical delivery of finasteride using Glyceryl Monooleate-Based Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles.

2014 (Brazil): Nanotechnology in Dermatology.

2017 (UK): Preparation and characterization of dutasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers.

2018 (Brazil): Nanotechnology advances for hair loss.

2020 (Brazil): Novel iron oxide nanocarriers loading finasteride or dutasteride.

Chitosan

2008 (EU): Original Polichem patent on a chitosan-based delivery system for topical fin.

2020 (Brazil): Nanocapsules with chitosan-coating and dutasteride hair follicle targeting.

Liposomal

2007 (India): Development of liposomal systems of finasteride for topical applications.

Laser-Assisted

2018 (Brazil): Fractional non-ablative laser-assisted delivery.

Iontophoresis delivery of finasteride is also being researched. Some of the above methods can overlap with each other or be used in combination. I have not tried to put too much effort into the science for the time being, and will probably expand this post in the future.

If you have tried using topical dutasteride or finasteride, do comment on how you obtained the product. And if possible, the format (gel, solution, cream) and carrier vehicle. Did you see reasonable results? Any side effects?

Hasson & Wong, Topical Finasteride

Dr. Hasson Switches to Topical Finasteride

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All my posts on topical finasteride seem to be quite popular. In hindsight, this is not surprising when considering the fact that I get emails about topical finasteride at least several times a month. People really want to ditch oral finasteride and switch to the topical version in order to reduce their chances of systemic side effects.

Local compounding pharmacies in most cities will be able to make topical finasteride for you if you ask. However, most of us are eagerly awaiting two thoroughly tested products that could be available for sale worldwide in the near future.

  1. The first of these two is Spanish (previously Swiss) company Polichem’s P-3074 product, which I have covered on this blog several times in the past. European Phase 3 clinical trials for P-3074 are almost completed, while US Phase 3 clinical trials are expected to be completed in May 2018. Moreover, in 2016, an Italian study found the product (when applied to the scalp twice per day) to have superior results to oral finasteride. Several other favorable studies from prior years have also been covered on this blog in the past. P-3074 is vehicled in Hydroxypropyl-Chitosan.
  2. The second of these two products is Canadian hair transplant clinic Hasson & Wong’s topical finasteride. This product is being manufactured in partnership with Italy’s Farmacia Parati. Without this partnership with a well known reputable pharmacy, I would have not put this product in the same category as Polichem’s product. The Hasson & Wong product is a liposomal formulation that has been modified via the attachment of silicone particles to the liposomes.

Perhaps a third company can develop nanoparticle based finasteride delivery in the future?

Dr. Hasson Topical Finasteride Update

Since 2014, Dr. Victor Hasson has provided this blog with regular updates about the status of his clinic’s topical finasteride (e.g., see here and here). Canadian hair loss sufferers have been able to obtain the product from his clinic. And Europeans have been able to access the product via Farmacia Parati.

However, people in other regions of the world including the US have had no such luck. There are a number of regulatory hurdles that Dr. Hasson has been trying to overcome in order to sell in the US.

Last week, Dr. Hasson called me out of the blue and mentioned some new developments, the gist of which are highlighted in the latest blog post on his website. I did not record his call, but below are some highlights that I recollect:

  • Dr. Hasson will answer any intelligent reader questions if you post them in the comments to this post.
  • Hasson & Wong will no longer prescribe oral finasteride and has entirely moved to topical finasteride.
  • Since February 2017, they have been using their third generation of topical finasteride.
  • Results from topical finasteride (based on analysis of around 800 patients in the Vancouver, BC area over the past several years) have been at least as good as those from oral finasteride.
  • Side effects from topical finasteride have so far been nonexistent.
  • The Hasson & Wong clinic will post a number of updates with patient photos related to this latest development on their website in the coming weeks.
  • US sales should finally become a reality in the near future. Dr. Hasson has selected some pharmacies in the US that will compound his proprietary product.
  • I asked about topical dutasteride (which interests me more than topical finasteride), and Dr. Hasson mentioned that this product is next in line. He talked about some scientific reason that makes the topical dutasteride molecule even more amenable to the scalp and scalp absorption than the topical finasteride molecule. I will ask him to elaborate in the comments to this post.
  • Dr. Hasson mentioned that it has been difficult for him to get his hands on sufficient quantities of dutasteride and therefore their research in that area has lagged. Results from topical dutasteride are superior to those from topical finasteride. This matches what we know regarding the difference in hair growth results between the oral versions of both drugs.