Does topical Finasteride work?

Finasteride is one of the most commonly used hair loss treatments for male pattern baldness. Until recently it was only available as an oral tablet, although, now you can get topical Finasteride in the UK. 

You may already be taking Finasteride tablets and considering switching to topical Finasteride or simply starting your hair loss journey, so, you may be wondering what the differences are (other than the obvious) and whether topical Finasteried actually works.

In this article, we will explore the effectiveness of topical finasteride, compare topical vs oral Finasteride and let you know where you can buy it from.

How Finasteride works

To put it simply, Finasteride works by blocking the DHT hormone which is naturally produced by your body.

DHT causes hair follicle shrinkage, thinning hair and eventual hair loss. Various treatments have been created to counteract the effects of DHT aiming to stop or even reverse male pattern hair loss, such as Finasteride 1mg tablets.

Finasteride gets to work quickly, however, it can take a while to notice the positive effects of the treatment. Finasteride should be taken as 1 tablet daily continuously.

What is topical Finasteride?

Finasteride taken orally is a commonly used treatment for male pattern baldness, but some patients may not want to use it long-term. To address this, a topical form of Finasteride has been created, which targets hair follicles directly, reducing the need for long-term oral therapy.

How to use topical Finasteride

Always follow the instructions provided by your doctor or pharmacist when using this medication. You can also consult the topical Finasteride patient information leaflet for complete guidance.

Apply this treatment to your scalp once daily, ideally at the same time each day.

Apply 6 pumps (1 ml) of the solution onto a dry scalp daily. Ensure the solution fully dries before using any hair styling products for optimal effectiveness.

This solution is for external use only and should only be applied to the scalp. If the solution comes into contact with your eyes, mouth, or broken skin, rinse with water immediately.

Topical Finasteride results

As this is a new hair loss product to Oxford Online Pharmacy, we have yet to receive any topical Finasteride reviews, although there are plenty of Finasteride reviews online for this treatment. 

We suggest looking at topical Finasteride Reddit pages where hair loss customers have shared their experiences and provided useful before and after images. 

We do have facts from multiple studies which support the effectiveness of topical Finasteride spray. The findings report that topical Finasteride hair loss treatment works by stopping further hair loss, sometimes even regrowing hair, and is well-received by users. Its effectiveness is comparable to oral Finasteride, yet it results in much lower systemic exposure and has a reduced effect on serum DHT levels. 1

Does topical Finasteride have side effects?

Like all medicines, there is a risk of experiencing side effects and it is not uncommon to experience them when starting a new medicine, although not everyone gets them. Let's take a look at the reported topical Finasteride side effects:

The most common side effect, irritated skin, usually clears up by itself after a few days of treatment. 

See below a list of side effects reported with the use of this hair loss spray: 

Very common (more than 1 in 10 people): Persistent irritation causing redness or a rash. 

Common (less than 1 in 10 people): A rash or itchy skin, shortness of breath, excessive hair growth. 

Uncommon (less than 1 in 100 people): Feeling sick.

Topical vs oral Finasteride 

So now you probably think topical Finasteride sounds great but what are the differences between oral and topical Finasteride?

As mentioned above, oral Finasteride isn’t suitable for those who can’t take tablets.

Applying Finasteride topically is more time-consuming than taking one Finasteride tablet daily. 

Topical Finasteride has a lower chance of systemic side effects than the tablet version because it is applied topically.

There is more chance you will get scalp irritation with the topical treatments compared to tablets. 

At Oxford Online Pharmacy Finasteride tablets start from £23.44 for 2 months' worth of treatment and Finasteride topical solution costs £44.99 for 2 months' worth of treatment.*

Check out our dedicated blog article on the differences between topical and oral Finasteride for more information.

Who shouldn’t use topical Finasteride?

Topical Finasteride UK isn’t suitable for everyone, you should first consider whether any of the following applies to you:

• This medicine should not be used by people under the age of 18.
• You should always inform a doctor of any other medicines you are taking as they may interact with this treatment.
• If you are having a blood test for prostate cancer you should tell your doctor you are using this medicine, as Finasteride can affect the results of the test.
• If you are trying for a baby. Finasteride can affect fertility, find out more information on this topic by reading our dedicated article on conception while using Finasteride.
• Females should not take Finasteride. If you are looking to treat female pattern hair loss you can find more information about available treatments here.
• If your partner is pregnant, they shouldn’t come into contact with Finasteride as it could affect an unborn baby.
• If you experience a low mood, feelings of depression or have thoughts of suicide, stop taking this medication immediately and contact your doctor. This can be a side effect of Finasteride.

You must also mention any medical conditions you have so our online doctors can ensure your suitability and safety for using this medicine.

Where to buy topical Finasteride?

Topical Finasteride is available from Oxford Online Pharmacy as a spray. It also contains another popular active ingredient in hair loss, Minoxidil.

Minoxidil and Finasteride topical solution is a game-changer in hair loss therapy, as these two widely used active ingredients work together in different ways to stop hereditary hair loss and promote hair growth.

Minoxidil is available as tablets and capsules, as a topical solution, or as the branded version Regaine topical foam and solution.

How does topical Minoxidil work?

In 4 different ways, Minoxidil topical solution works to stimulate hair growth and prevent further hair loss:

1. Follicular miniaturisation is reversed
2. Enhances the blood flow surrounding the follicles
3. Encourages follicular growth phase movement
4. Extends the growing phase of each follicle

During a clinical study involving patients experiencing hair loss, those treated with either 2% or 5% topical Minoxidil UK demonstrated a significant improvement in increased hair growth and a reduction in hair loss. Superior outcomes were observed with the 5% formulation.

You can find out more about our minoxidil range through our dedicated blog article here.

Buy topical Finasteride and Minoxidil spray

You can buy topical Finasteride, Minoxidil and Tretinion spray from Oxford Online Pharmacy to treat hair loss in men after completing our online doctor consultation. 

To find out more about this product, visit our dedicated topical Finasteride, Minoxidil and Tretinion product page. 

Alternatively, you can read more about topical Finasteride, Minoxidil and Tretinion solution in our blog article here. 

To conclude, does topical Finasteride work?

Yes, topical Finasteride does work for most people and is a great choice if you are looking to treat a type of hair loss called male pattern baldness. 

Whether you choose to use Finasteride topical or oral medication, you should expect to see similar results as they both work in almost the same way and can be as effective as one another. 

It is important to note that both of these hair growth therapies shouldn’t be used together. This won’t help your hair grow quicker and it may cause serious side effects. 

If you are taking Finasteride tablets and considering using a topical therapy alongside them, you could consider Minoxidil solution, also known as Regaine. Or even swap your tablets for Finasteride, Minoxidil and Tretinion spray.

References

1. National Library of Medicine - Efficacy and safety of topical finasteride spray solution for male androgenetic alopecia: a phase III, randomized, controlled clinical trial

*Prices are as of 26.03.24 and are subject to change.