Topical Minoxidil Fortified with Finasteride: Maintenance of Hair Density After Replacing Oral Finasteride

In a study conducted by Dr. Amit Agarkar and Dr. Pranay Gandhi, 50 male patients aged 20-40 with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) were initially treated with oral finasteride and 5% topical minoxidil for two years. After seeing improvements in hair density, they were switched to 5% topical minoxidil fortified with 0.1% finasteride. Of the 45 patients who continued treatment without interruption, 84.44% maintained good hair density. The remaining five patients, who had stopped treatment for 8-12 months and experienced a decrease in hair density, showed good improvement when they resumed treatment with the topical combination. The study concluded that topical finasteride with minoxidil is effective in maintaining hair density after initial improvement with oral finasteride, offering a well-tolerated alternative to indefinite oral finasteride use.