HealthyStudy

Finasteride vs minoxidil

Propecia: approved for hair lossMen's Rogaine Extra Strength: approved for hair loss

Finasteride and topical minoxidil are the only two ingredients with an FDA approval for pattern hair loss. Everything else discussed for hair loss is either approved for something else or not approved at all. This page compares the two labels.

Side by side, straight from the labels

This table is generated from the two source labels, not typed out by hand, so it cannot drift from what the regulator approved.

From the FDA labels

Label sectionPropeciaFINASTERIDEMen's Rogaine Extra StrengthMINOXIDIL
Active ingredientFinasterideType II 5-alpha reductase inhibitorMinoxidilTopical hair regrowth treatment
SupplyPrescriptionOver the counter
Boxed warningNoneNone
What the FDA approved it for
  • PROPECIA ® is indicated for the treatment of male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in MEN ONLY.
  • Efficacy in bitemporal recession has not been established.
  • PROPECIA is not indicated for use in women.
  • PROPECIA is a 5α-reductase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in MEN ONLY.
  • Hair regrowth treatment for men
  • to regrow hair on the top of the scalp (vertex only, see pictures on side of carton)
Forms and strengths
  • PROPECIA 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.
  • Minoxidil 5% w/v
How the label says it is taken
  • PROPECIA may be administered with or without meals.
  • The recommended dose of PROPECIA is one tablet (1 mg) taken once daily.
  • In general, daily use for three months or more is necessary before benefit is observed.
  • Continued use is recommended to sustain benefit, which should be re-evaluated periodically.
  • apply one mL with dropper 2 times a day directly onto the scalp in the hair loss area
  • using more or more often will not improve results
  • continued use is necessary to increase and keep your hair regrowth, or hair loss will begin again
Most common adverse reactions
  • most 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.
  • the most frequently reported adverse reactions. Table 2 presents the only clinical adverse reactions considered possibly, probably or definitely drug related by the investigator, for which the incidence on PROSCAR was ≥1% and greater than placebo over the 4 years of the study.
  • chest 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
Warnings and precautions
  • PROPECIA is not indicated for use in women or pediatric patients.
  • Women should not handle crushed or broken PROPECIA tablets when they are pregnant or may potentially be pregnant due to potential risk to a male fetus.
  • PROPECIA causes a decrease in serum PSA levels.
  • Any confirmed increase in PSA while on PROPECIA may signal the presence of prostate cancer and should be evaluated, even if those values are still within the normal range for men not taking a 5α-reductase inhibitor. 5α-reductase inhibitors may increase the risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
  • Ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease
  • do not apply on other parts of the body
  • avoid contact with the eyes. In case of accidental contact, rinse eyes with large amounts of cool tap water.
  • some people have experienced changes in hair color and/or texture
  • it takes time to regrow hair. Results may occur at 2 months with twice a day usage. For some men, you may need to use this product for at least 4 months before you see results.
  • the amount of hair regrowth is different for each person. This product will not work for all men.
Contraindications
  • PROPECIA 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.
  • you are a woman
  • your amount of hair loss is different than that shown on the side of this carton or your hair loss is on the front of the scalp. 5% minoxidil topical solution 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
Drug interactions
  • Cytochrome P450-Linked Drug Metabolizing Enzyme System No drug interactions of clinical importance have been identified.
  • Finasteride does not appear to affect the cytochrome P450-linked drug-metabolizing enzyme system.
  • Compounds that have been tested in man include antipyrine, digoxin, propranolol, theophylline, and warfarin and no clinically meaningful interactions were found. Other Concomitant Therapy Although specific interaction studies were not performed, finasteride doses of 1 mg or more were concomitantly used in clinical studies with acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, α-blockers, analgesics,...
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Label version14 October 20246 September 2024

One is a prescription tablet, the other is bought off the shelf

Written by us

Finasteride is a prescription tablet taken once daily, and it is documented in a full prescribing information document. Topical minoxidil is sold over the counter under a Drug Facts label, applied to the scalp, and the two documents are not even the same kind of document.

That difference shows up throughout this comparison: prescription labels list contraindications and drug interactions, while Drug Facts labels list what to do and when to stop.

They are approved for different populations

Written by us

The Propecia label states that finasteride is indicated in men only and is not indicated for use in women. Topical minoxidil is approved for both men and women, as separate products with their own labels, formulations and directions.

Both labels say the effect depends on continued use

Written by us

The Propecia label states that continued use is recommended to sustain benefit and that benefit should be re-evaluated periodically. The minoxidil label states that continued use is necessary to increase and keep hair regrowth, and that hair loss will begin again otherwise. On this point the two documents agree.

The safety sections are not comparable

Written by us

Finasteride's label lists sexual adverse reactions and is contraindicated in pregnancy, with a warning about handling broken tablets. The minoxidil Drug Facts label lists local scalp effects and systemic signs that should prompt stopping the product. Because one is a systemic tablet and the other is applied to the scalp, these lists are not two versions of the same thing.

Common questions

Can they be used together?
Whether to combine treatments is a clinical decision and neither label addresses the other product. This page reports what each label states separately.
Which one works better?
The labels do not compare them, they were approved on separate evidence, and this page does not rank them.
Is minoxidil available for women?
Yes. There are separate approved products for women with their own Drug Facts labels and their own concentrations and directions.

Sources

Every fact above comes from one of these documents. The date is the effective date of the label version this page was built from.

Page last updated: 29 July 2026

Compiled by the HealthyStudy editorial team from FDA source documents. No medical reviewer is credited on this page, because none reviewed it.