To switch to Topical Finasteride?

[more]

The Switch?

Background
So I'm about just about to turn 25 and I have been experiencing MPB for about 3-4 years. My hairloss coincidently or not began right about the time I stopped taking accutane in 2011 which I was on for about 11 months. Male pattern baldness runs in my fathers side of the family, where as my mothers brothers all have full heads of hair well into there 50s. My dad said he didn't start thinning until his mid to late thirties and only now, he's turning 60 this year, is he approaching a true NW6 after having noticeably thinned over the last decade.
Basically I'm almost 25 and I feel like I've lost in a diffuse patten about 50-55% of my hair on the top of my head. I've been taking minoxidol 5% for over 2.5 years and only about 6 months ago switch to the foam (rogaine) from the liquid. The foam (IMO) has improved my hair. I had problems with the liquid minox 5% as the alcohol in it would severely dry my scalp out and cause serious irritation and dandruff. It feels like the Foam has not only improved my hair thickness, but has stopped the flakes and the itching.

Finasteride
My fin experience began in August 2012 and I have been on it since. I went through some minor sides that have subsided while I've been on the drug, but I still find they exist. Mostly it was mental at the beginning, but I have noticed since the beginning of my time on fin that I have added a layer of cellulite (?) fat on my naturally very skinny chest/stomach and hips/butt. It hasn't increased since I've been on the drug, only continued to remain despite my workout routine.
At first, my extremely low dose of fin (literally 1/4 of a 1mg tab every 5 days) thickened my hair up greatly. This lasted about 3 months and I thought I was cured. This was Not the case though. My hair began slowly thinning again by early 2013 and has continued to up until now even after upping my fin dose to the recommended 1mg a day.

So to switch?
I am thinking about switching to the topical Fin gel from the oral stuff. Does anyone have any advice for a diffuse thinner like myself that has switched from the tab to the gel or topical form of Fin? Does anyone have a recommended brand? Has anyone noticed improvement after switching or starting the topical form of Fin?
Anything would be appreciated guys. I'm just trying to fight the good fight for as long as I can. This will probably be my lat ditch effort with Fin.
Side note
I live in Canada. Is the topical form of the drug legal or available to purchase here? Thanks guys.

[Dan26]

Topical fin works because it passes into the bloodstream. You will either get the sides still or it wont work.

I'd recommend a small DAILY dose ie 0.2mg per day. If you really can't handle it perhaps try RU. Seems like you respond well to AAs so you would know pretty quick how it works for you.

[deuce]

Where is the Swedish topical Joe from Staten Island talking about on tbt. I cannot find it on the internet. I think it is called fg 301?

[Mike K]

How long have you been on the full 1 mg/d? If the only side effect you are having is a small amount of fat, have you considered dutasteride?

[more]

Dan26 you're from Canada? Have you tried Topical Fin? Do you have a brand of it that you have tried and did you get it via prescription through a dermatologist? I have a derm here, but I never asked him about topical Fin and he wrote me a script for the 1mg pills.
Any info would be appreciated.

[Notcoolanymore]

Geez, where the hell have I been? Topical fin has been tested, proven effective, and is available?

[deuce]

Well Notcool. I know the Swedish are working on a film for topical film which penetrates the scalp real well and lowers scalp dht by 71% as opposed to oral which eliminates it by 51%. Serum DHT is supposedly reduced to around 51 % which oral also lowers it to around 51%. So if you get sides from FIN oral you will most likely get them from this topical. But I may be wrong. i heard people say that you will not get sides as bad with the topical. But if you tolerate FIN well then this can be awesome for you. Me I get soft erections on oral Fin which is most likely mental. They are doing a new study on it now. Which is only a two month study so we should know more about sides with this topical.

[thechamp]

Well Notcool. I know the Swedish are working on a film for topical film which penetrates the scalp real well and lowers scalp dht by 71% as opposed to oral which eliminates it by 51%. Serum DHT is supposedly reduced to around 51 % which oral also lowers it to around 51%. So if you get sides from FIN oral you will most likely get them from this topical. But I may be wrong. i heard people say that you will not get sides as bad with the topical. But if you tolerate FIN well then this can be awesome for you. Me I get soft erections on oral Fin which is most likely mental. They are doing a new study on it now. Which is only a two month study so we should know more about sides with this topical.

Well I still want to try topical fin since I gain weight on oral fin everyone thinks I will still get sides trying it topically?

[FearTheLoss]

hasson and wong is prescribing some kind of topical fin they have custom made. I've talked to them twice about it, and they said patients have been experiencing no sides, however, it doesn't work as well as oral fin, but is better than minox.

[deuce]

Well I still want to try topical fin since I gain weight on oral fin everyone thinks I will still get sides trying it topically?

I do not know. I am waiting on more info from the trials. The trials will be complete in May. Dr. Nigam said in the old forums from last year that people would not have any sides from this, but he did not offer any evidence. And we all know how Dr. Nigam is. If this could hold me off until CB comes out that would be amazing. But if there was reduced serum DHT then I cannot see why one would not have sides. I am emailing the company conducting the study tomorrow to get more info.