Although both minoxidil and finasteride are proven to stop hair loss and encourage hair growth in some patients, nothing in life is perfect! There are some downsides to hair loss medication. Here are some things to consider before you embark on this path of hair loss treatment! 1. It may take awhile for hair to return. Finasteride should be taken for at least 3 months before a patient can expect to see results. Minoxidil takes at least 4 months of continuous use before it has a noticeable effect. 2. You may shed additional hair. Minoxidil can, ironically, cause hair loss as a side effect. This newly lost hair may return, but there’s actually no guarantee. 3. The medications don’t work for every patient. Minoxidil has a success rate around 50%; finasteride works in roughly 66% of men. Even in the patients experiencing success, these figures don’t show how many patients voluntarily continued the treatments after considering the cost, side effects, and inconvenience as factors. 4. If you stop using the medication, you’ll lose whatever hair you grew from it. 5. You’ll be paying for this medication for as long as you want to keep the hair. Minoxidil costs about $30 a month. Finasteride is a prescription medication, and the price varies from $60 to over $100 per monthâ€"depending on whether you get a generic or brand name, where you have your prescription filled, your health insurance coverage, and whether you order in bulk. 6. Application of medication can become tiresome. Minoxidil needs to be applied to your scalp once or twice a day. It can be left on the scalp for as little as 40 minutes, but 4 hours is ideal. Minoxidil users often need to experiment with different application times and methods in order to get results and minimize side effects like itching and dandruff. 7. The possible side effects are scary. Minoxidil can cause bodily hair growth and thickening (think â€wolf-manâ€). Finasterideâ€"more frighteninglyâ€"can interfere with a man’s most manly aspect (think â€wet noodle.â€) One of these side effects is a comic horror and one is a tragedy. Minoxidil can affect blood pressure. Finasteride has been linked to a higher incidence of male breast cancer. Both medications can cause drug interactions. Indisputably, there are patients that have used hair loss medications and consider them to be a true miracle. However, it’s likely that the vast majority of users find a reason to move on.
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