An Open, Randomized, Comparative Study of Oral Finasteride and 5% Topical Minoxidil in Male Androgenetic Alopecia
January 2004
in “Dermatology”
TLDR Oral finasteride works better than topical minoxidil for hair growth, both are safe.
This study compared the effectiveness of oral finasteride and 5% topical minoxidil in treating male androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The study found that both treatments were effective and safe, but oral finasteride was more effective in promoting hair growth than minoxidil. Mild side effects were observed in both groups, but they disappeared once the treatment was stopped. The study concluded that both treatments were effective and safe in treating mild to severe AGA. Combination therapy of finasteride and minoxidil was also found to be highly effective in increasing hair weight.
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