Patient Satisfaction, Side Effects, and Other Reactions Reported by Adult Men Prescribed Compounded, Topical Finasteride via a National Telehealth Platform: A Retrospective Analysis of Real World Data

A retrospective analysis of 638,629 male patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) who were prescribed compounded, topical finasteride and minoxidil via a national telehealth platform revealed high patient satisfaction and good tolerability. Of the 151,352 patients who completed a follow-up check-in, 80.4% reported satisfaction with the treatment, while only 2.7% experienced side effects. Additionally, only 0.04% of all patients reported side effects or medication reactions outside of check-ins, and no patients discontinued treatment or sought higher care due to side effects. The study suggests that topical finasteride is a promising alternative to oral finasteride, though further research, including randomized controlled trials, is recommended to evaluate its efficacy, safety, and tolerability.