Minoxidil vs finasteride: what each one does, and what people who asked were told
The two hair-loss drugs work differently, and “which one should I take?” is one of the most common questions on reddit's hair-loss forums. This page puts three things side by side: what the US labels say, what commenters answered in 742 threads where someone asked (2013–2026), and how 2,525 people described their own results after six months or more on one, the other, or both.
In short: in 674 threads where commenters gave advice, the most common answer was “finasteride first” (32% of threads), then “both” (26%). “Minoxidil alone is fine” was the main answer in 5%. That is community advice, not medical advice: what to take is a question for a doctor who can look at your scalp.
What the labels say
| Finasteride 1 mg tablets (Propecia) | Minoxidil 5% foam (over the counter) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it 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…)” |
| How you take it | “One tablet (1 mg) taken once daily” | On the scalp; results “at 2 months with twice a day usage” |
| Front of the scalp | “Efficacy in bitemporal recession has not been established.” | “not intended for frontal baldness or receding hairline” |
| How long before it shows | “daily use for three months or more is necessary before benefit is observed” | “For some men, you may need to use this product for at least 4 months before you see results.” |
| If you stop | “Withdrawal of treatment leads to reversal of effect within 12 months.” | “continued use is necessary to increase and keep your hair regrowth or hair loss will begin again” |
| Women | “not indicated for use in women” | This men's foam: “Do not use if you are a woman” |
Sources: the Propecia label and a 5% minoxidil foam label on DailyMed, checked 16 Oct 2026. The finasteride label's side-effect figures are quoted on the finasteride results page.
Many people on reddit use forms neither label covers. Oral minoxidil is a blood-pressure tablet: its US label says minoxidil tablets “are indicated only in the treatment of hypertension that is symptomatic or associated with target organ damage and is not manageable with maximum therapeutic doses of a diuretic plus two other antihypertensive drugs”, with a boxed warning that it “can cause pericardial effusion, occasionally progressing to tamponade” (DailyMed, checked 16 Oct 2026); the low doses used for hair are prescribed off that label. Topical finasteride isn't covered by the Propecia label either.
What commenters told people who asked
742 threads asked a version of the question: “which one?” (179), “is one alone enough?” (353) or “should I add the other?” (210). In 674 of them commenters gave advice on it. The main advice per thread:
- finasteride is the one that matters (minoxidil alone won’t stop the loss)
- take both
- finasteride alone is enough, minoxidil optional
- minoxidil alone is a fair choice
- see a dermatologist or doctor first
- commenters split
Everything commenters suggested
Share of the 674 threads where at least one top comment said it:
- 51%take both
- 50%finasteride (or another DHT blocker) is the important one
- 32%finasteride alone is enough
- 15%minoxidil alone is fine
- 8%finasteride side effects are rare or overblown
- 7%see a dermatologist or doctor
- 6%consider dutasteride
- 5%try oral minoxidil
- 4%warning about finasteride side effects
- 3%try topical finasteride
Why people hesitated
274 askers said why they were reluctant to take one of the two:
- 31%afraid of finasteride’s side effects
- 26%another reason
- 23%minoxidil’s daily routine, mess or effect on styling
- 14%minoxidil’s side effects
- 6%cost
When the asker was afraid of finasteride's side effects (78 threads with advice), the main answer was still that finasteride matters most in 59% of them; in 14% it was that minoxidil alone is a fair choice, and in 18% commenters split. In 41% someone said the side effects are rare or overblown, in 8% someone warned about them, and in 15% someone suggested topical finasteride.
Has the advice changed?
| Threads from | With advice | Finasteride first | Both | Minoxidil alone fine | Someone suggests oral minoxidil | … topical finasteride |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| up to 2019 | 192 | 24% | 27% | 10% | 1% | 1% |
| 2020–2022 | 253 | 32% | 26% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| 2023 onwards | 229 | 40% | 25% | 2% | 9% | 5% |
In commenters' words
“finasteride first”
“if your hair is miniaturizing due to DHT then you need to block DHT to have meaningful stability long term.”
A reply to Why did my doctor prescribe oral minoxidil instead of fin (reddit, Apr 2026)“It's better than nothing but it'll be shortlived without a 5ar blocker unfortunately.”
A reply to Oral Minoxidil only users (no fin-dut) (reddit, Apr 2026)“Using minoxidil without finasteride is like watering a plant while someone keeps cutting the roots.”
“I would start with just fin to gauge what it does alone and then decide on min later.”
A reply to M23- About to start Fin. Should i start on min at the same time or just try fin at first? (reddit, Mar 2026)
“both”
“Why not just use the min and fin? You'll most likely get much better and quicker results”
A reply to Ordered fin/min combo spray. Wish I just ordered fin spray. Should I sacrifice what I’ve ordered and just order fin? (reddit, Oct 2025)“The two work through different pathways, take both idk why you’re asking one or the other”
A reply to Oral finasteride or Oral minoxidil? (reddit, Sept 2025)“It gives you an extra boost in slowing down hair loss alongside fin.”
A reply to What are the pros of adding min to fin regimen? (reddit, Aug 2025)“The hair that grew out only because of minoxidil is min dependent.”
A reply to Can I Maintain Minoxidil Gains With Finasteride Only? (reddit, Jul 2025)
“finasteride alone is enough”
“You really don’t want to have to take oral min or topical min for the rest of your life if you don’t have to.”
A reply to Strategy for early thinning; fin + min OR fin first, min later (reddit, Apr 2026)“Fin alone is often very effective for a receding hairline, especially at 24.”
A reply to Likely quitting Min, starting Fin - anything to be aware of? (reddit, Apr 2026)“Fin primarily stops balding, but in some cases can reverse balding.”
A reply to Can Finasteride cause regrowth WITHOUT Minoxidil? (reddit, Mar 2026)“I started fin at NW2 and am still NW2 after all these years”
A reply to Why is it uncommon to just use fin instead of fin and min? (reddit, Dec 2025)
“minoxidil alone is fine”
“If you have min and plan to use it, then go ahead and start it”
A reply to Is it worth to only use Min at first or any way to cheaply buy Fin in the US? (reddit, Jul 2024)“It's better than nothing but you will have to stick with minoxidil for life.”
A reply to Using minoxidil without finasteride (reddit, May 2024)“If you’re happy with the results so far I would say no”
A reply to Should I hop on fin if minox is working well for me? (reddit, Sept 2022)“Start with min and microneedling, you will be fine.”
A reply to Balding at 17, should i start taking min/fin? What are ny other options? (reddit, Jul 2022)
How people described their own results (6 months or more)
From the progress reports behind our minoxidil and finasteride results pages: one report per person, their latest at 6 months or more. People who also used dutasteride are left out.
| What they used | People | regrowth | holding | worse | unclear | mention shedding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minoxidil only: topical (or form not stated) | 165 | 35% | 7% | 16% | 42% | 19% |
| Finasteride tablets only (or form not stated) | 1,047 | 25% | 12% | 30% | 33% | 17% |
| Topical finasteride only | 29 | 24% | 7% | 24% | 45% | 21% |
| Minoxidil + finasteride | 1,268 | 36% | 7% | 23% | 34% | 19% |
This compares groups of people who chose to post, not treatments in a trial. Who takes which drug differs in age, how much hair they had lost and for how long, and why they posted (people still losing hair often post to ask whether to change something). Use it to see how people talk about their results, not to rank the drugs.
What askers ended up doing
49 of the 669 people who asked later posted their own progress report (2 months or more after asking). In their latest one, 18 were on both, 22 on finasteride without minoxidil, 7 on minoxidil without finasteride and 2 on dutasteride. 31% described regrowth, 6% said it was holding and 31% that it was getting worse.
Only people who kept posting are in this group, and people happy with a choice post more updates.
How this page was made
We took reddit threads whose title names both drugs and reads like a question (progress reports, transplant and beard threads left out) and read the asker's post and the top comments by other people: what was asked, why the asker hesitated, and what commenters advised. Threads that were about something else (dosing, buying, shedding, stopping) are not counted. Each quote is copied word for word from the comment in the thread it links to. The results table reuses the classified progress reports from the minoxidil and finasteride results pages. Removed posts are left out, usernames are not shown, and posts that mention suicide or self-harm are never quoted. Data as of Oct 2026.
Next: minoxidil results, finasteride results, does creatine cause hair loss?, the receding-hairline self-check, the Norwood stages, or, if a transplant is ever the question, the independent doctor directory.
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