Oral minoxidil tablets and topical Finasteride are both hair loss treatment options. But, can you use both together? Learn more here.
Topical Minoxidil and oral Finasteride are the top two hair loss treatments for men dealing with male pattern hair loss, and these both get the stamp of FDA-approval for hair loss as well. These two are also commonly prescribed and used together.
But, there are also sources for swapped routes of these medications that are considered off-label use for hair loss, even though they contain the same active ingredients. Specifically, that would be oral Minoxidil in tablet form and topical Finasteride as a gel or lotion. So, can you also use oral Minoxidil and topical Finasteride together?
Below, we will cover the basics of combining oral minoxidil with topical finasteride, including how they work, if there may be any interactions between them, and why combination hair loss treatment therapy may give you the best of both worlds.
Minoxidil and Finasteride attack hair loss from different angles, making them a good pairing for use together.
Minoxidil is thought to help with general hair growth by improving scalp blood flow, and by bumping the hair follicles into the growth phase of the hair cycle.
Finasteride works differently, by targeting the hormone DHT which is responsible for follicle damage in patterned hair loss. DHT is normally produced from some of the testosterone in the body. But, Finasteride helps reduce the conversion of testosterone to DHT, aiding in slowing male pattern hair loss.
When used together, you may experience boosted hair growth from Minoxidil, and slowed hair loss from Finasteride.
There are currently no known drug interactions between Minoxidil and Finasteride. So, you shouldn’t worry about issues from using these together.
However, it is important to note that just because Minoxidil and Finasteride don’t interact with each other, you may still experience side effects from one or both of these medications.
The side effects of oral Minoxidil may include cardiac issues, too low blood pressure, or leg swelling, just to name a few. Topical Finasteride side effects tend to include irritation at the application site, and rare potential sexual side effects, among others. Although, it is thought that topical Finasteride has less risk for side effects than oral Finasteride.
Since both oral Minoxidil and topical Finasteride are prescription-only medications, your doctor will take into account your current health and medications and make sure these are safe choices for you before issuing the prescription.
As we hinted at above, you may ultimately get better hair loss treatment results from using two medications with different mechanisms together. And, Minoxidil and Finasteride are a common pairing in the world of hair loss treatment.
If oral Minoxidil is not a good fit for you due to your current health conditions or you do not tolerate treatment well, it does not mean that Minoxidil is out completely. Topical Minoxidil is typically better tolerated than oral Minoxidil and may deliver similar results when it comes to hair loss.
On the flip side, oral Finasteride is also an option over topical Finasteride. Although it is important to note that oral options tend to expose more of the body to the chemical and may come along with more side effects, including the potential sexual side effects.
So, you have choices when it comes to using Minoxidil and Finasteride together, since they both have topical and oral options.
If you are considering a dual approach to hair loss treatment with both Minoxidil and Finasteride, keep in mind that your doctor is there to help you identify the pros and cons and help you set up the safest and most logical approach for you.
Here at Strut Health, we are at the forefront of hair loss treatment options. We offer the ability to get FDA-approved or off-label topical or oral Minoxidil and Finasteride treatments from the comfort of your home with our secure telemedicine platform.
Simply select the treatments you are considering, complete a questionnaire and image-based online consultation in under 15 minutes, and checkout. Our U.S. licensed doctors will review your information, and issue a prescription for you, if appropriate.
Then, your hair loss treatments will be shipped to your front door from a U.S. compounding pharmacy with our fast and free shipping.
If you aren’t sure which hair loss treatment is the best option for you, reach out to us and our doctors can help advise.
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