Photographic Documentation of the Effectiveness of 1 mg Oral Finasteride in the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia in Men in Routine General Practice in Switzerland

A 6-month, prospective, open, multicenter cohort study in 265 men with male pattern hair loss treated with 1 mg/day oral finasteride (Propecia) was conducted by 52 Swiss dermatologists. Using a stereotactic device for Polaroid photographs of the vertex and frontal areas, significant hair growth improvements were observed in 54% of patients in the vertex region and 48.7% in the frontal area. Additionally, no progression of hair loss was noted in 38% (vertex) and 47% (frontal region) of patients. Both clinical investigators and a blinded expert panel confirmed these results, which were also supported by patient self-assessments. Propecia was well-tolerated with no significant safety concerns, and the photographic method was well accepted by physicians. The study's findings were consistent with previous multicenter, placebo-controlled studies on oral finasteride.