Does Finasteride, Minoxidil, Tretinoin Cure Hair Loss?

Have you been researching for hair loss cure recently? You have surely found many hair loss solutions and probably see Minoxidil, Finasteride, and Tretinoin pop up frequently. But, what exactly do these prescription medications and other hair loss topical solutions do for your hair? Read on to find out.

Minoxidil

The Basics: Minoxidil stimulates hair growth, slows additional balding, and improves blood flow to the hair follicles by widening blood vessels. A 6% Minoxidil solution promotes hair growth by reactivating dormant follicles.

The Data: Minoxidil has been used for hair loss treatment for several decades. The medication affects follicular cells by enhancing hair growth and reducing hair loss. Mori and Uno discovered that a minoxidil solution shortened the telogen phase to 1 to 2 days in treated rats compared to approximately 20 days in untreated rats. There was an increase in the rate of DNA synthesis in anagen bulbs, suggesting that minoxidil stimulated secondary hair germ cells of telogen follicles and caused a rapid shift to the anagen phase. Read More

Finasteride Topical and Oral Pill

The Basics: Finasteride blocks the production of a hair loss hormone called DHT and stops more hair from falling out.

The Data: Oral Finasteride is FDA approved and has proven results for hair growth. Finasteride inhibits an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. The 5-alpha-reductase enzyme changes testosterone to another hormone and is one of the causes of hair loss in males. Since Finasteride blocks this enzyme, it will increase testosterone levels in the body and increase hair growth on the scalp. Oral Finasteride does have side effects, so a topical serum has been tested with similar results.

Tretinoin

The Basics: Tretinoin promotes healthy turnover in hair follicles to stimulate effective growth and speeds up the skin cell turnover process. Clinical studies have shown better hair growth and improved efficacy when prescription Tretinoin is combined with Minoxidil.

The Data: Tretinoin, also known as all-trans retinoic acid, is often combined with Minoxidil since they are reported to complement each other. Together, they create denser hair regrowth than either compound alone. Vitamin A and retinoic acid are reported to play a critical part in the growth, differentiation, and maintenance of hair follicles. Topical Tretinoin is known to control the hair growth cycle and has been promoted to stimulate the growth of sub-optimal hairs.

The Trichologists and hair loss specialists at HPIHair often use a combination of these topical solutions. We apply a science-based approach to get to the root of your scalp and hair issues. Each client receives a customized plan to start on their hair growth journey. Have questions or clarifications? We are more than happy to answer them. Request a consultation with us!