Comparison
Finasteride and minoxidil, compared from both labels
These are the only two ingredients approved for pattern hair loss, and they are not alternatives in the usual sense: they act differently, they are obtained differently, and one of them is approved for women.
From the approved label
The two labels, side by side
| Propecia | Rogaine for men | |
|---|---|---|
| Approved uses | PropeciaPROPECIA is a 5α-reductase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in MEN ONLY. | Rogaine for menHair regrowth treatment for men |
| Forms and strengths | PropeciaPROPECIA tablets (1 mg) are tan, octagonal, film-coated convex tablets with "stylized P" logo on one side and PROPECIA on the other. 1 mg tablets. | Rogaine for menMinoxidil 5% w/w (without propellant) |
| How it is taken | PropeciaPROPECIA may be administered with or without meals. | Rogaine for menapply half a capful 2 times a day to the scalp in the hair loss area |
| Must not be used when | PropeciaPROPECIA is contraindicated in the following: Pregnancy. Finasteride use is contraindicated in women when they are or may potentially be pregnant. Because of the ability of Type II 5α-reductase inhibitors to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), finasteride may cause abnormalities of the external genitalia of a male fetus of a pregnant woman who receives finasteride. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if pregnancy occurs while taking this drug, the pregnant woman should be apprised of the potential hazard to the male fetus. In female rats, low doses of finasteride administered during pregnancy have produced abnormalities of the external genitalia in male offspring. | Rogaine for menyou are a woman; your amount of hair loss is different than that shown on side of this carton or your hair loss is on the front of the scalp. 5% minoxidil topical foam is not intended for frontal baldness or receding hairline. you have no family history of hair loss; your hair loss is sudden and/or patchy; you do not know the reason for your hair loss; you are under 18 years of age. Do not use on babies and children. your scalp is red, inflamed, infected, irritated, or painful; you use other medicines on the scalp |
| Common side effects | PropeciaMost common adverse reactions, reported in ≥1% of patients treated with PROPECIA and greater than in patients treated with placebo are: decreased libido, erectile dysfunction and ejaculation disorder. | Rogaine for menchest pain, rapid heartbeat, faintness, or dizziness occurs; sudden, unexplained weight gain occurs; your hands or feet swell; scalp irritation or redness occurs; unwanted facial hair growth occurs; you do not see hair regrowth in 4 months |
| Boxed warning | Propecia- | Rogaine for men- |
| Label holder | PropeciaOrganon LLC | Rogaine for menKenvue Brands LLC |
| Label version | Propecia14 October 2024 | Rogaine for men11 November 2024 |
Built at page render time from the same imported label data as the medicine pages, so it cannot drift away from them.
Written by us
Two different kinds of treatment
Finasteride is a prescription tablet acting on the hormone involved in follicle shrinkage. Minoxidil is applied to the scalp, sold over the counter, and its mechanism is not fully established even now.
That difference decides almost everything practical: one requires a consultation and carries hormonal warnings including those about pregnancy exposure, the other can be bought in a supermarket in several countries.
What both labels agree on
Both describe treatment as continuing rather than as a course. Neither claims a permanent change after stopping, and both describe what maintains the effect rather than what ends the condition.
Both are approved for pattern hair loss specifically, not for hair loss in general, which matters because hair loss from other causes will not respond to either and is a reason to have the cause identified rather than assumed.
Questions
- Can both be used together?
- Clinicians commonly prescribe both, but neither label describes the combination, so this page reports only what the documents cover.
- Which one works for women?
- Minoxidil holds an approval for women in its own product with its own label, shown on the minoxidil page. Finasteride's hair loss approval is for men.
- Which is cheaper?
- Both are inexpensive. Generic finasteride is a few euros a month; own-label minoxidil is comparable. The cost difference between them is smaller than the difference between brand and generic within each.
See also
- FinasterideA daily tablet approved for male pattern hair loss at 1 mg, and for the prostate at 5 mg, which is the same substance in a five times larger dose.
- Minoxidil, topicalThe only hair loss treatment sold without a prescription, applied to the scalp, and the only one approved for women as well as men.
Sources
- PROPECIA: prescribing informationDailyMed, US National Library of Medicine. Label version 14 October 2024
- Mens rogaine Minoxidil Unscented Formula: prescribing informationDailyMed, US National Library of Medicine. Label version 11 November 2024