Finasteride and Minoxidil: Are They The Same?

When your prescriber suggests that you take one of the two main courses of hair loss treatment, Minoxidil or Finasteride, or even combine the two treatments for a multi-faceted approach, you might be scratching your head as to why you’ve been advised to take one instead of the other, or both.

There’s a simple explanation for this and it’s down to what each medication does. This article will look at how similar Minoxidil and Finasteride are and discuss the differences between them.

How do Finasteride and Minoxidil differ?

To answer the initial question: no, Finasteride and Minoxidil are not the same. These are two separate forms of medication that work in different ways to try and achieve similar goals against male pattern hair loss.

Finasteride is typically provided as an oral tablet (which is FDA-approved) to stop the conversion of testosterone into DHT, a hormone which contributes towards hair loss and thinning. Less DHT in your system means that your hair cycle will have less of a resting phase and more of a growth stage for the strands to develop in.

Whereas, Minoxidil works to increase the blood flow and oxygen levels in your scalp by spreading a topical formula onto the affected areas. This should give the cells on your scalp better conditions to accept the crucial nutrients and vitamins your hair needs to grow.

Both medications, however, aim to slow, and hopefully stop, hair loss in its tracks so that your scalp and hair follicles are in a better condition to potentially commence regrowth. Sons provides both treatments, either individually or as part of one of our plans, to give you a fighting chance against male pattern hair loss.

Would using these medications together work?

Absolutely! You can significantly boost your chances of seeing the results you crave by using these two medications in tandem. Sons has a Duo Plan which incorporates the best of both drugs to fight your hair loss from two angles. Better still, the Full Works package has both Finasteride and Minoxidil plus other supplements and products to provide the very best chance of halting hair loss with our most effective treatment.

For men who react badly to topical treatments, there is an alternative option of the usual Finasteride tablet plus a Minoxidil capsule to approach the problem this way.

It’s important to bear in mind that no treatment is 100% effective. What works for some men might not work for you, and vice versa. Having said that, the likelihood that you’ll see positive results is strong as long as you maintain regular treatment as prescribed.

Ultimately, the final decision is down to your prescriber but you’ll be allowed to state your preference during your consultation. Explore the Sons website to find out the full range of products we offer.

All of our blog articles are reviewed for medical accuracy by our Medical Director before publication.

Posted in: All, Finasteride, Hair loss