The Effects of Finasteride on Scalp Skin and Serum Androgen Levels in Men with Androgenetic Alopecia

    October 1999 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”
    Lynn A. Drake, Maria K. Hordinsky, Virginia C. Fiedler, James B. Swinehart, Walter Unger, Paul C. Cotterill, Diane Thiboutot, Nicholas J. Lowe, Coleman Jacobson, David A. Whiting, Sam Stieglitz, Stephen R. Kraus, Edmond I. Griffin, Darryl S. Weiss, Patrick Carrington, Christopher Gencheff, Gary L. Cole, David M. Pariser, Edwin M. Epstein, Wesley Tanaka, Aimee Dallob, Kristel Vandormael, Lori A. Geissler, Joanne Waldsteicher
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    TLDR Finasteride effectively reduces hair loss by decreasing androgen levels.
    Finasteride is an effective treatment for androgenetic alopecia in men. It reduces serum and scalp skin androgen levels, particularly DHT, which contributes to hair loss. The drug inhibits type 2 5α-reductase, which converts testosterone to DHT. The study involved a large number of participants and found that doses as low as 0.2 mg per day can effectively decrease scalp skin and serum DHT levels. Higher doses result in greater reductions but may also increase scalp skin testosterone levels. Finasteride is safe and well-tolerated with minimal side effects. The drug can also improve the overall health and quality of scalp skin.
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      FCE 28260: A Forgotten 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

      community FCE 28260: A Forgotten 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

      in Research  330 upvotes 1 year ago
      FCE 28260 (PNU 156765), an under-explored 5α-reductase inhibitor, showcases promising results in research by Giudici et al., outperforming well-known treatments like Finasteride in reducing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Its superior efficacy, demonstrated through lower IC50 values in both natural and human recombinant enzyme studies, suggests it could offer more effective management of DHT-related conditions. Additionally, its lower molecular weight hints at better potential for topical application, potentially offering advantages in treating conditions such as androgenic alopecia. Despite its potential, it has not advanced in development, possibly due to financial limitations, leaving its therapeutic prospects and side effect profile largely unexplored.

      community Sugar and Hair loss connections

      in Research/Science  41 upvotes 10 months ago
      High sugar diets may worsen hair loss by increasing 5α-reductase activity and androgen levels, especially in women with PCOS. A low sugar diet might reduce scalp DHT levels, similar to finasteride, but genetics also significantly influence hair loss.

      community My Theory Of Androgenic Alopecia

      in Research/Science  19 upvotes 4 months ago
      Hair loss is linked to cellular physiology and the IGF-1 to TGF-B1 ratio, not just androgen sensitivity. The theory lacks evidence, while finasteride and minoxidil are effective treatments.

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