Is Oral Finasteride Better Than Topical?

Oral Finasteride provides the gold standard for long-term hair stabilization.

It is an orally administered medication with a strong track record, proven 92%−93% effective at stabilizing hair loss in men. As the only FDA-approved oral treatment for male pattern hair loss, millions of patients have experienced long-term, effective, and safe results due to its systemic action in reducing the hair-miniaturizing hormone DHT throughout the body.

If you’re wondering if oral finasteride is better than topical, the primary difference lies in side effect profile and convenience. While oral delivery is easier (a single pill daily), its systemic nature carries a small risk of sexual side effects. Topical Finasteride is often viewed as a safer alternative, providing a localized action that may achieve comparable results on the scalp with markedly lower systemic absorption, reducing the risk of full-body side effects. However, topical formulations require daily application and have less long-term research data than the orally administered form.