Topical DHT Blocker?

Hi there – I am a 22 year old who is just now noticing a receding hairline. Just a year ago this wasn’t a problem for me so I think it has progressed since January of this year. My dad and one of my brothers went bald, with only hair on the sides of their heads. My other brother just has a receding hairline with a large forehead. Obviously I have some concerns since it runs in my family.

I know you recommend Propecia but I am scared to take it because of the side effects. I suffered from a small case of gynecomastia growing up and got surgery to fix it. I am scared that taking Propecia would bring this condition back, or bring other unwanted side effects. I currently use a topical solution that claims to be the “topical version of Propecia” and is a DHT blocker. It is hard to tell if it’s working or not. What are the risks of taking Propecia?

There may be no connection between the youthful gynecomastia you had as a child and the side effects of this drug. You are worrying about something that has not happened to you yet. If you take Propecia and have any problems with it, stop it and the drug will be out of your system in days, along with any side effects like gynecomastia (risk is less than 1 in 500 patients).

There is no topical Propecia (finasteride). Also, the ability to absorb this drug through the skin is not reported anywhere I have read.