Minoxidil / Finasteride Solution

Overview

Minoxidil / Finasteride Solution is a combination of drug products that have been formulated into a topical solution to address androgenetic alopecia (the most common type of hair loss, driven by genetics and hormonal changes). The active ingredients in this preparation work synergistically to counteract the effects of testosterone metabolism and allow the hair to regrow. The preparation is applied to the affected area twice daily and may take up to four months of therapy to see a response.

Minoxidil

What was once used as an oral medication to treat high blood pressure, minoxidil applied topically is widely used today to stimulate the regrowth of hair without systemic vasodilation effects.¹ Its mechanism of action is unknown with regards to hair regrowth, but research suggests it decreases the latent period of the hair cycle (the time between shedding of telogen (resting) hair and the start of the next growth phase).^{2, 3} In other words, topical minoxidil may cause follicles in the telogen phase to shed, which are then replaced by thicker hairs in a new anagen (growth) phase.

Topical minoxidil is generally well tolerated and can be effective by itself if used during the early onset of alopecia. It is likely successful in promoting moderate hair growth in approximately 30% of men and 60% of women with androgenetic hair loss.⁴ Minoxidil is also known to stop the worsening of alopecia or provide mild hair growth.⁵ 

Finasteride

In normal testosterone metabolism, the body uses the enzyme 5-alpha reductase to convert it into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Long-term exposure to DHT has been shown to shrink and damage hair follicles. Since 5-Alpha reductase is found in the oil glands of hair follicles, it is believed that this pathway is a potential culprit in the progression of androgenetic alopecia. Researchers have found that by suppressing the production of DHT, hair follicle miniaturization can be slowed down or stopped if caught early enough.^{6, 7}

Finasteride is a powerful 5-alpha reductase inhibitor found in this formulation. It was originally approved by the FDA to increase and maintain maximum urine flow rate in men suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common condition in men over 50.⁸ It was later approved as an oral treatment for mild to moderate male pattern baldness of the vertex and anterior mid-scalp area in men.⁹ Researchers have found that combining topical finasteride with topical minoxidil may produce better results as compared to topical minoxidil alone.¹⁰ Common side effects of taking oral forms of finasteride include low libido, erectile dysfunction, reduced ejaculatory volume, and gynecomastia.^{11, 12}  Fortunately, it has been studied that topical finasteride, has a much lower systemic absorption than oral formulations and may not induce these adverse effects while still providing similar therapeutic outcomes as oral formulations.^{10, 11, 12}