Effectiveness and Safety of Topical Finasteride for Male Androgenetic Alopecia: Real World Data

The study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of topical finasteride 0.25% over 52 weeks in 146 men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Results showed a significant increase in target area hair count (TAHC) at both the vertex (+22.7 hairs/cm²) and frontotemporal regions (+32.3 hairs/cm²), along with improvements in hair width and the terminal-to-vellus hair ratio. The mean Male Hair Growth Questionnaire (MHGQ) score was 14.7, and the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) was +1.9, indicating positive outcomes. Mild, transient local irritation was reported in 6.2% of patients, with no systemic adverse effects. The findings suggest that topical finasteride is an effective and safe long-term treatment for male AGA, particularly in the frontotemporal regions.