Topical Finasteride in Hirsutism: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial on Adult Women

November 2005 in “ Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ”

Fariba Iraji, S Karbasioun, Ashraf Aminorroaya

TLDR Finasteride cream didn't significantly reduce hair more than a placebo, but users felt it helped.

The study investigated the efficacy of 0.5% finasteride cream in treating idiopathic hirsutism in 35 women by applying the cream to one side of the face and a placebo to the other. After 6 months, both the finasteride and placebo sides showed a significant reduction in hair number and thickness, but there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments. Despite the lack of objective changes, most patients reported a perceived decrease in hair growth on the finasteride-treated side.

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