Oral finasteride vs topical finasteride - whats the difference?

Finasteride for hair loss

Finasteride belongs to a group of medicines known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.  By preventing the body from producing a male hormone in the scalp that restricts hair growth, finasteride treats male pattern hair loss also known as Androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Finasteride is used to treat male pattern baldness in men. 

This medicine works by lowering the levels of DHT, a hormone produced naturally by the body. Decreasing the amount of DHT in the body will ultimately lead to an increase in hair growth and slower hair loss. 

Finasteride UK

Finasteride, a prescription-only treatment is available in the UK. This means that a prescribing doctor must issue a prescription for you to get this medication, this can be done online using our online doctor’s service. 

Finasteride NHS

Finasteride isn’t yet available on the NHS but can be ordered privately. At OxfordOnlinePharmacy you can obtain a private prescription free of charge, our doctors are dedicated to issuing medication safely and efficiently using our online doctor's service.  

Finasteride price  

Even though Finasteride isn’t available on the NHS, this doesn’t always mean you could have obtained it a lot cheaper. The current NHS prescription charge as of April 2023 is £9.65 per item and as already mentioned – our private prescription service is free of charge. At OxfordOnlinePharmacy you can get finasteride for as cheap as 35p per tablet. 

Buy finasteride tablets online. 

Topical vs oral finasteride

Finasteride functions by preventing the hormone DHT from being produced. DHT is a byproduct of testosterone that harms hair follicles, causing them to shrink and eventually vanish. Men who naturally have higher DHT levels are more likely to experience hair loss. Finasteride can stop your hair loss if you use it regularly and combine it with other treatments. 

In this article, we'll look at some of the key distinctions between administering the medication topically versus orally. 

Oral finasteride

Oral finasteride tablets are an effective hair loss treatment often used by men for the treatment of AGA. The oral tablets are a convenient treatment option, as only one finasteride 1mg tablet is required to be taken daily.  

Finasteride alternative brands 

Oral finasteride is available in the UK as the generic Finasteride 1mg tablet, the branded version called Propecia 1mg Tablets and some people prefer the available brand Accord finasteride. While these tablets have the same function and active ingredient, the main difference is the price of the medication. 

Check out our oral finasteride medication online.

Topical finasteride

While side effects can be rare or often do not last more than a few weeks, it’s understandable that some people do not get on with oral medication and prefer a topical option.  

Men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) can benefit from oral finasteride, however, long-term treatment is not usually preferred by patients. By working only on hair follicles, a topical finasteride formulation has been created to reduce systemic exposure. (1) 

How to apply topical finasteride?

Topical finasteride should be applied daily. Only using the recommended number of sprays should be used to distribute among the 4 primary zones of hair loss.  

Hold the bottle 2 to 3 inches from the head while parting the hair slightly to allow the solution to reach the scalp, the top of the head, the sides of the front of the head and the crown of the head. 

Once the solution has been applied then you should massage it into your scalp. You must make sure the solution is completely dry and fully absorbed especially before you go to bed. 

The solution must be washed off daily, you can do this the next morning if you choose to sleep with it on. 

Important note: Topical finasteride is unsafe for women who are pregnant or attempting to conceive. If you are applying finasteride at night, if your partner falls into this category, avoid sharing a pillow with them and take precautions to limit their exposure. 

Does topical finasteride work as well as oral?

According to a 2014 study by the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, they found that Plasma DHT was reduced by 68 - 75% with the topical solution and by 62 - 72% with the tablet. No relevant changes occurred for plasma testosterone with either treatment. Meaning that although finasteride plasma exposure was significantly lower with the topical than with the oral product, a strong and comparable inhibition of plasma DHT was observed after one week of treatment with the topical and tablet finasteride formulations. (2) 

Another study compared the therapeutic effects of finasteride gel and tablet in treatment of the androgenetic alopecia and tablet in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. For 6 months, 45 male patients with androgenic alopecia underwent a random clinical trial. Half of the group took topical finasteride and the other oral finasteride.  

Each month, the two groups terminal hair counts, balding area sizes, and hair counts were compared. Between the two groups, there were no significant variations in terms of hair counts, hair thickness, or the size of the bald area. Between the two groups, repeated measurements revealed a significant rise in hair counts and terminal hair counts. This study's findings indicated that the therapeutic effects of finasteride gel and tablets were very similar to one another. (3) 

Can you take oral and topical finasteride?

No, there is no need to take both topical and oral finasteride as they work in the same way. If you do, you are ultimately overdosing on the medication, and this can cause severe adverse side effects.  

There are other things you can do if you want to get the most out of your hair loss treatment, such as making sure you do not miss a dose and taking oral finasteride alongside topical minoxidil solution or Alpecin C1 caffeine shampoo.

Take a look at our hair loss treatment packs for a discounted price when buying these medicines together.  

Side effects of finasteride

The oral drug finasteride (brand name Propecia) is often prescribed for treating male pattern hair loss. In 1999 the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved oral finasteride in the UK, and it has been used ever since. However, because oral finasteride has known sexual side effects, such as ED and decreased libido, switching to topical finasteride may be preferable for your hair follicles.  

Nevertheless, topical finasteride has not yet received MHRA approval, and little study has been done on its advantages, side effects or how it functions. (4) 

Topical finasteride vs oral summary

To conclude, while oral finasteride is a more convenient option to choose, topical may be the preferable option for those who do not take oral medicines.  The treatment procedure will remain the same regardless of the finasteride delivery mechanism you use.  

Oral finasteride has been a popular treatment for AGA since 1999 and is commonly used by men, reported side effects have been often short-term and not serious. In comparison, the new topical finasteride is yet to be MHRA-approved and to date, there have been few studies on it. 

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, PMID: 34634163 PMCID: PMC9297965 DOI: 10.1111/jdv.17738
2. National Library of Medicine, A novel finasteride 0.25% topical solution for androgenetic alopecia: pharmacokinetics and effects on plasma androgen levels in healthy male volunteers, PMID: 25074865 DOI: 10.5414/CP202119
3. Bioline, Comparing the therapeutic effects of finasteride gel and tablet in treatment of the androgenetic alopecia, Department of Dermatology, Boo Ali Sina (Avicenna) Hospital
4. National Library of Medicine, Finasteride and sexual side effects, Indian Dermatol Online J. 2012 Jan-Apr; 3(1): 62–65. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.93496

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