Efficacy and safety of 3% minoxidil versus combined 3% minoxidil / 0.1% finasteride in male pattern hair loss: a randomized, double-blind, comparative study.

In a study conducted 10 years ago, 40 men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) were treated with either 3% minoxidil lotion (MNX) or a combined 3% minoxidil and 0.1% finasteride lotion (MFX) for 24 weeks. The results showed that while both treatments increased hair counts from the baseline, the difference was statistically significant only in the MFX group (p = 0.044). However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of change in hair counts at 24 weeks from the baseline (p = 0.503). The MFX treatment showed significantly higher efficacy than the MNX treatment according to global photographic assessment (p = 0.003). No significant difference in side effects was observed between the two groups. The study concluded that despite the lack of statistical difference in hair count changes between the two groups, the MFX treatment showed significantly greater improvement in global photographic assessment and may be a safe and effective treatment option for AGA.