Happy Head Review – Is Their Topical Finasteride Legit for Hair Loss?

Male pattern hair loss, aka androgenic alopecia or androgenetic alopecia, is a genetic condition signified by excessive loss of hair from the hairline and scalp. For men, thinning typically occurs at the top and front of the head, unlike female alopecia which affects the whole scalp, and generally starts later in life than for males. 

In other words, male alopecia is premature balding. It usually occurs in middle-aged men, even though younger adults are reporting increased cases of hair loss at ages as young as 25 and below. (Personal anecdote time: My dad lost all his hair by age 30, which he’ll be the first to tell you, was not fun.)

This kind of hair loss is closely linked with the male hormone (androgen) testosterone. A derivative of testosterone that is called dihydrotestosterone binds itself to hair follicles in the scalp, causing them to weaken and disrupt the hair cycle. The hair eventually falls out while the follicle becomes dormant, leading to baldness. 

An enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase is involved in the conversion of free testosterone found in blood serum to DHT. Having high levels of DHT will cause faster thinning and eventual baldness. 

Some men are more sensitive to DHT, meaning that they could experience faster hair loss despite having relatively normal levels. This sensitivity is dictated by genes inherited from your parents, which is why male pattern baldness tends to run in families, while other family’s maintain thick locks forever. 

In addition to genetics, male pattern blindness also has to do with factors such as stress and hormonal changes. The degree and speed of progression of male pattern baldness differ from man to man, but it eventually affects more than 50% of Caucasian men over 50 years of age. 

Finasteride is a pharmaceutical drug that inhibits the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme and stops it from producing DHT. Finasteride is so effective that it can reduce DHT production by about 70%, which significantly slows down hair loss.

Whether it is used alone or combined with other treatments for hair loss (like minoxidil aka Rogaine), Finasteride offers hair in the scalp a chance to grow back during the normal hair growth cycle, which can generally take several months.

For decades, Finasteride (and its close cousin Dutasteride) have been widely used and studied to determine their effectiveness in treating male pattern balding. Data from clinical trials suggest that Finasteride gives you a better than 80% chance of slowing down hair loss within 2 years, and slightly less than 70% after 5 years.

It’s helped millions of men over the last few decades, and thus, it’s sage to conclude that finasteride is very effective for most men. That said, some men experience side effects, so it’s important to check with a doctor and research alternatives before usage.

Learn how to reduce the side effects by choosing a topical (non-oral) version.

Compare the cost of finasteride and l

Finasteride has few side effects, but many of them are systemic and highly undesirable. This is one reason why many men are concerned with the potential effects of taking oral Finasteride on a long-term basis.  Potential adverse reactions include:

• Sexual dysfunction due to low DHT levels in blood serum
• Erectile dysfunction and problems with ejaculation
• Swelling and tenderness in the breasts 
• Swelling of the hands or feet
• Dizziness
• Weakness

These side effects manifest in less than 5% of men taking oral Finasteride, and then only in mild forms in the first few weeks of taking the drug until the body gets used to it. However, the sensitive nature of these adverse effects is enough for many men to consider safer alternatives to reduce Finasteride’s risks — no matter how unlikely.

In 2018, a comprehensive study on topical Finasteride was published which summarized findings from seven earlier studies and concluded that “preliminary results on the use of topical FNS (Finasteride) are limited but safe.” 

The seven studies reviewed all show that topical Finasteride is at least as effective as oral Finasteride in combating male pattern hair loss. Cutting to the chase: the results of several clinical studies showed decreased hair loss, increased hair counts at the end of the longest study (2 years), and improved hair growth. 

Clinical measurements showed that the amount of DHT in the scalp and plasma decreased, but it did not cause any changes in the levels of testosterone. Thus we can safely conclude that  use of topical Finasteride is an effective and safe way to treat alopecia for men, but studies are still ongoing to determine things like ideal frequency, safe dosage limits, and more. 

If you’re wondering whether you should ask your dermatologist about switching to topical Finasteride, the answer is yes and no. Yes, because although the drug has been tested and proven to work just as well as oral Finasteride in most cases, you should always speak with a physician before trying any new medications. And no, because there are easier, more convenient ways to get Rx hair loss meds than asking your physician or dermatologist to create a custom compound for your scalp.

Instead, we recommend Happy Head who makes it much easier to acquire consistently effective formulations, specifically designed for your condition, 100% online. 

So while we don’t recommend you get topical finasteride from your primary care physician, we do recommend it as a treatment in general (so long as you can afford the higher price tag than oral Finasteride!) Happy Head is a much, much simpler way to experiment with topical fin and ensure the correct dosage is shipped out to you every month. Much less hassle than a traditional visit to your dermatologist!

Until the FDA approves topical Finasteride, it will remain under the discretion of your dermatologist. Most are happy to prescribe it if you ask, even without a history of side effects with oral Finasteride, but the trouble lies in getting high-quality and reproducible compounded topical Finasteride formulations from pharmacists. 

At Happy Head, you can get a free consultation with certified dermatologists to talk about whether topical Finasteride might be the best solution for you. They will also review your history, listen to your problems with other hair loss medication, and create a custom prescription to suit your needs. The process starts with a quick, virtual consultation with one of their doctors. 

The actual online visit is fast an easy – you give them your gender, date of birth and email. Next you answer some questions about your hair loss, let them know if you’ve ever used minoxidil or finasteride before, tell them what medications you are already taking, etc. Super easy questions that you’ll already know the answers to. Then you’ll provide your mailing address, your billing information and finally you’ll have to upload a photo of your drivers license and a couple pictures of your thinning hair. It was super painless to do and took less than five minutes from start to finish. 

From there you’ll get prescribed a course of treatment that makes the most sense for your symptoms for free. Your custom topical finasteride solution will come in the mail, in discreet packaging, every month on a regular schedule so you don’t run out. Every year you may have to “renew” your prescription virtually, but generally this takes just a couple minutes online. Happy Head makes getting topical fin as simple as that!