Is Propecia Better than Rogaine? | Hair Loss & Hair Transplant Surgery Guide


Propecia is a well-known treatment that is used to combat hair loss. However, there are a number of other treatments available which claim to prevent hair loss. Another medication that is known to be effective in treating male pattern baldness is Rogaine. How does Rogaine compare to Propecia and how does it differ as a treatment?

Rogaine is well known for treating hair loss and it differs to Propecia mainly in the way that it is taken. Propecia is taken as an oral tablet once a day, every day whereas Rogaine is a cream that must be applied to the scalp twice a day. Therefore, it is more of a hassle than Propecia, as it must be applied more than once. However, its application does not take very long.

It also has a different mechanism by which it tackles hair loss. Propecia is hormonal medication that inhibits the enzyme that breaks down testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Rogaine on the other hand works by stimulating the shrunken follicles to increase hair growth therefore, if you use the topical solution for a long period of time, the follicles will increase in size and hopefully produce thicker hair strands.

A major difference between the two medications is that both men and women can use Rogaine whereas only men can use Propecia. Rogaine seems to be effective in both sexes whereas Propecia can have adverse effects on women who are pregnant as it can cause abnormal development of their baby. Another big difference is that in order to take Propecia, you must be prescribed the medication by your doctor. Rogaine does not need a prescription and can be brought over the counter by anyone who feels that they are experiencing hair loss.

Both Propecia and Rogaine are successful in their own way. Propecia is more successful at stopping further hair loss than any other medication. Rogaine, on the other hand is better at promoting new hair growth. Although they differ in the area in which they are successful, both have a similar time frame. In both cases, you will start to see an effect, a few months into the treatment, usually at around three to four months. Both also have quite high success rates and many people who use these medications are satisfied with the outcome. If after either 6 months of using Rogaine, or a year after using Propecia, you have not seen any improvements, then these treatments are probably not the best for you and you should seek other options.

Both medications have side effects although these are rare. Propecia side effects include sexual dysfunction, decreased sexual desire and there is the possibility that you may have an allergic reaction. The side effects that Rogaine may cause differ to these due to the fact that it is applied onto your skin, rather than entering into your blood stream. If any side effects occur, they will usually be itching and inflammation of the scalp and you may experience an increase in dandruff.

A final similarity between these two medications is that once you stop taking the treatment, the effects will disappear and you will start experiencing hair loss once more. Within six months of stopping the treatment, hair loss starts to reoccur. Therefore, you must be constantly taking these medications in order to maintain their effect. This means that the treatment is quite costly, as the NHS will not cover hair loss treatment. Both Rogaine and Propecia vary in price, depending on where you buy them but they do not differ much in price between the two treatments.

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