When talking about hair loss, it’s hard not to discuss the variety of treatment options available. Because let’s be honest, focusing on the problem won’t help.
Let’s take a look at the three most used methods to help you battle balding.
First up is minoxidil. Then we’ll take a look at oral finasteride tablets. And last, but not least we’ll explain topical finasteride. That way you can make an informed decision on what method is right for your hair and lifestyle.
Minoxidil: a proven powerhouse method
Minoxidil has been around for a while now, making it a much studied treatment. Studies show up to 70% of men say that it has worked wonders for them, thus proving it an effective method to treat hair loss. A significant difference in the amount of hair loss has been reported when administering the cream on a daily basis.
Being a topical solution, it’s meant to be applied directly to the scalp and this twice a day. It works by helping dilate blood vessels surrounding your hair follicles. In turn this gets a better nutrient flow towards them. Eventually it helps your follicle to grow thicker and stronger hairs again. So if your experiencing thinning on the crown of your head this is the product for you. It encourages hair regrowth and prevents bald spots.
Pro’s:
- 70% satisfaction rate
- Simple usage
Con’s:
- Possible side effects: scalp irritation, because of alcohol
While this might already seem a very good product to use, there are of course others on the market that might prove more in your lane. Let’s check out the second one.
Finasteride tablets: a pill a day keeps hair loss away
A lot if not most treatments for male pattern baldness have finasteride in them. While 70% of men said the use of minoxidil helped them, finasteride has a whooping 90% satisfaction rate. Making it even more capable of doing its job than minoxidil. The DHT hormone is mostly responsible for balding and finasteride helps reduce these levels in your blood. By working that way it helps prevent more hair loss and improves regrowth rates.
To get the best results, you should take a tablet of finasteride a day. But it’s not without its side effects.
Side effects that have been reported are possible swelling, rashes and in some cases even erectile dysfunction. This might sound scary, but over 96% of guys simply do not experience any of these side effects. But those side effects are not as easily overlooked by most guys. That’s why a lot of people decide against taking it.
Pro’s:
- Even more effective than minoxidil (90%)
- Only swallow one pill
Con’s:
- Possible side effects: rashes and erectile dysfunction (4% of patients)
Those downsides to finasteride tablets have made the industry come up with a very creative solution. One that gets you all the pro’s and way less of the con’s.
Possible champion at battling hair loss: topical finasteride
The creative solution we just talked about is topical finasteride. A completely revolutionary concept in its niche! It’s just as good at doing what needs to be done as the finasteride tablets but has removed a lot of the side effects. And the biggest bonus is that it can effortlessly be combined with ingredients like minoxidil, making it a very powerful solution.
Topical means that you apply it on your skin. In this case directly to the scalp just like minoxidil. By doing this you reduce the effects on your other body parts drastically. Removing almost all of the side effects the tablets can get you. The only real side effects that remains the same are the itching sensations and irritation of the scalp, which are the same ones as for minoxidil.
Pro’s:
- Easy to use
- Topical only
- Reducing side effects drastically
Con’s:
- Possible side effects: itching, scalp irritation (in a small number of patients)
Freshman is a company that made grateful use of the possibilities topical finasteride provides. They offer a solution that combines finasteride and minoxidil in one treatment method to help you get rid of hair loss the best possible way. And they have removed harsh ingredients like alcohol and propylene glycol from their product, reducing the chances of irritation and itches.
To sum up, finasteride is the ingredient used to lessen your DHT hormone levels which are at the base of hair loss. While potent, in tablet form is does come with side effects that scare a lot of men away. minoxidil is easy to use and works by providing a better nutrient flow towards the hair follicles. By combining both ingredients in their topical form it removes most of the side effects, making it an ideal solution to use.
What would your choice be now that you have all this information?