Topical Finasteride

1) Each XYON bottle has a built-in safety lock. Turn the safety lock to the open position and press down once to dispense a pre-measured amount (1 mL) of treatment.

2) Focus application of XYON topical finasteride to the affected areas of the scalp. If you have long or curly hair, you can try parting your hair to better access the scalp skin. Gently massage the treatment into the scalp for 20-30 seconds.

3) You're done. Style your hair as usual, but make sure that you wash your hands with soap and warm water after applying and/or touching the gel.

For your safety and to maximize the success of your treatment, it's important to follow the dosing instructions provided to you by your prescribing doctor. We typically recommend applying your topical treatment first thing in the morning to allow it to sit undisturbed on the scalp for as long as possible (4-8 hours is ideal). Avoid applying before bed to lower the risk of transfer to pillows and/or sheets.

Missed a dose? It happens. Simply resume usual application as soon as possible. Don't double up on missed doses or change your dosing frequency without first consulting with your prescribing doctor.

Some people may experience increased shedding in the first few weeks or months after starting a new hair loss treatment like topical finasteride. In many cases, this shedding will resolve with time. If it worsens or doesn't stop, we recommend notifying your prescribing doctor. Visit our page on on finasteride shedding to learn more.

In some cases, yes. Depending on your hair loss, a doctor may recommend combining finasteride with a complementary treatment such as minoxidil, to help increase the likelihood of treatment success.

Of note, there have been clinical studies conducted that have shown that taking finasteride and minoxidil together may be more effective at re-growing hair than finasteride on its own.

If you're wondering whether you need another treatment in addition to finasteride, we recommend consulting with a doctor.

Generally speaking, it takes about 6 months of consistent treatment with topical finasteride before you'll see visible improvements. For some patients, this process could take longer (e.g. up to a year). Re-growing hair is a marathon, not a sprint.

The concentration of finasteride in our topical formulation was chosen based on a series of clinical investigations. In the end, 2.5% finasteride in our topical gel struck a balance between safety and efficacy.

It's important to understand that the strength of the ingredients in any topical formulation depends on both the amount of ingredient present and the characteristics of the gel base. Our gel was specifically designed to help reduce systemic absorption. This is why doctors are able to prescribe higher concentrations to help address the needs and concerns of their patients.

All forms of finasteride require a prescription.

XYON topical finasteride is a compounded medication that is only available with a prescription following an online intake with a licensed physician.

The answer to this question depends on the individual. A recent review of the relative efficacy of common hair loss treatments found that oral finasteride and topical finasteride work similarly well. The biggest difference is in the risk of experiencing side effects. Generally speaking, topical finasteride has been associated with a lower risk of serious sexual side effects, mood changes and other adverse effects. But this risk reduction can vary between different topical formulations.

You can learn more about the differences between topical finasteride vs oral finasteride by visiting our blog post in the XYON Medical Library.

All medications come with a potential risk of side effects and topical finasteride is no exception. Compared to oral finasteride, topical finasteride is believed to result in fewer side effects due to less absorption of the drug into the bloodstream. The side effects of topical finasteride are similar to those of oral finasteride and can include: sexual dysfunction, decreased libido and mood changes. This is not an exhaustive list of all the possible adverse effects associated with finasteride use.

We have an article on side effects of finasteride if you'd like to learn more.

One large-scale Japanese study found the response rate to finasteride to be approximately 87% (Sato and Takeda, 2012). However, the success of hair loss treatment can vary between patients. It's important to remember that the success of treatment can be measured by a) amount of hair growth and b) whether hair loss has stabilized. Either result is positive.