June 10 2008, 10:31 am PT | Posted in: FUE + Hair Loss Causes
Hi Dr. Rassman
Is there any risk of shedding phenomenon after FUE procedure at donor site(most of which is occipital area)?
You will likely not shed from the donor area, but I suppose there is a small risk with any surgery done on the scalp. The mechanism will be the same that causes a telogen effluvium from almost any stressful event. I am curious as to what is driving the question. Has something happened to you as a result of an FUE?
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I have a question about finasteride as a topical solution. There is much speculation that topical usage of finasteride is as effective as oral administration. I even heard that some chemists are grinding finasteride and dutasteride into some vehicle like alcohol and apply it topically. There is also a company (www.hairgrowthmd.com) selling combined minoxidil and finasteride as a spray product and claiming the success with no side effects. Considering the fact that finasteride has large molecule size ( C23H36N2O2 with a molecular weight of 372.549), it is hard to predict that the topical form is to have any effect on the hair follicles (they have to penetrate the epidermis and enter the capillaries in the dermis and subcutaneous layer). As far as I know, FDA has approved only oral administration for 1mg a day for male patterned hair loss.
Do you have any opinion or suggestion regarding to use finasteride in a topical form?
P.S. There is also one publication on this: “Hajheydari Z, Akbari J, Saeedi M, Shokoohi L. Comparing the therapeutic effects of finasteride gel and tablet in treatment of the androgenetic alopecia. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2009;75:47-51″
thanks