Hair loss can make you desperate for solutions. You’ve probably searched for home remedies and dozens of over-the-counter products to no avail. So, you turn to medicine and find out that there are prescriptions out there meant to help people combat hair loss. Awesome! But wait—what are the side effects, again?
Oral finasteride is one of the go-to prescription treatments for hair loss, but its potential complications include impotence, reduced libido, swelling of the breast glands, testicle pain, and depression. Not fun.
That’s where XYON Topical Finasteride comes into play, helping you evade the side effects of oral finasteride. With its SiloxysSystem™ Gel technology, the personalized, compounded formula can help you manage your hair loss without the downsides of oral prescriptions.
In This Post
Key Takeaways
- XYON’s topical formula allows for fewer side effects and more localized treatment to target specific areas
- Gel composition & combination with XYON’s SiloxysSystem tech allows for a higher dose of topical finasteride (2.5% compared to <1%)
- Controlled release makes the formula last longer & absorb better for more efficacy
- Higher cost compared to other topical finasteride options
- Topical finasteride may still cause side effects in some people
- Doesn’t include minoxidil for 2-in-1 treatment
Table of Contents
Oral finasteride for hair loss: Are there any drawbacks?
There’s no doubt about oral finasteride’s effectiveness when it comes to treating hair loss in men. It works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that shrinks hair follicles and stops hair production.
While oral finasteride is clinically proven to be a successful hair loss treatment, it’s not without its fair share of side effects.
- Bodily effects: Though uncommon, it’s important to understand the risk before seeking a prescription. Erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, prostate cancer, and depression can occur in up to 10% of men who take oral finasteride from systemic exposure. Some men even develop post-finasteride syndrome, where symptoms persist even after they’ve stopped taking the medication.
- Decreased bioavailability and efficacy: Your body’s composition affects how well it can break down and absorb medication. Factors like the acidity of your stomach, your digestive tract, your liver, and a medication’s half-life all influence its efficacy. These changes affect how well the drug can pass through the bloodstream but also be flushed out of your body.
It’s important to note that not every person who takes oral finasteride will experience these side effects. Many will have no problems at all. However, the complications have been serious and extensive enough to warrant clinical significance.
In these ways, oral finasteride may not always deliver the results you’re hoping for, which is why the topical counterpart makes a great alternative.
Topical vs oral finasteride: Is topical finasteride a better alternative?
If you’ve tried oral finasteride and experienced side effects or didn’t see the results you were hoping for, your doctor may suggest topical finasteride. Both take about the same amount of time to produce results (3-6 months of continued use) but based on the above info; it only makes sense to think of topical finasteride as a safer alternative.
Topical finasteride is safer for many people because it doesn’t have to pass through your bloodstream. By applying the medication directly to your scalp, it can reach your hair follicles without needing to move through your digestive tract or liver, lowering exposure and side effects.
This also creates a different kind of efficacy when applying topical finasteride directly to the target area, but they are not all formulated the same. Most topicals deliver finasteride in an uncontrolled way with more medication than can actually be absorbed by the hair follicle cells, which is where XYON’s Topical Finasteride with SiloxysSystem™ Gel sets itself apart.
XYON Topical Finasteride review: How does it help reduce the side effects of finasteride?
XYON’s topical finasteride was designed differently than other topical formulas. SiloxysSystem™ Gel is a unique carrier that targets the delivery of finasteride to the scalp layer where hair follicles are located and keeps the majority of the drug molecules here, gradually depositing medication over time.
Not only does it provide all the benefits of usual topi
- Controlled release: XYON topical finasteride stays on your scalp 10 to 17 times more than other topical formulations thanks to its “mesh-like” structure created across the skin, which means it has more time to work its magic.
- Precision targeting: XYON offers better penetration, while Liposomes within the gel carry the finasteride to the layer of skin containing hair follicles, remaining there until absorbed by surrounding cells.
- Limited absorption: With the barrier-forming gel, there is 57% less absorption than other topicals, reducing the passive movement of medication into the bloodstream while still optimizing distribution.
Phew. That’s a lot, isn’t it? Hair loss is hard enough, and treating it can feel like you need a med school degree just to understand what’s happening with your body. But don’t worry— we (and XYON) have done all the research, so you can just get the facts without the headache.
Is XYON Topical Finasteride really effective?
XYON has conducted clinical research to test the effectiveness of its topical finasteride and how well its SiloxysSystem Gel technology compared against other topical formulations of finasteride.
Most topical finasteride formulas contain between 0.1-1% finasteride. XYON’s time-released formulation allows it to be compounded at up to 2.5% finasteride for improved efficacy and increased hair regrowth, which can be accessed with XYON’s board-certified dermatologists.
While studies found that SiloxysSystem™ Gel technology does not completely prevent finasteride from entering systemic circulation, it can reduce the absorption of finasteride into the bloodstream and help minimize the effects on blood DHT levels in men compared to other topical fin formulations, leading to reduced risk of sexual dysfunction.
How to get started with XYON Health?
To access XYON’s custom compounded Topical Finasteride, you’ll need a prescription, which is easy to get started.
- Create your account: Provide personal information, answer a few questions about symptoms, & upload pics of your current hair situation.
- Consultation (free): A dermatologist will conduct a medical review of your information, which can take a few days.
- Confirm: You’ll receive an email from your dermatologist recommending a custom treatment plan, where you can communicate with them directly with any questions & provide payment information.
- Topical Fin prescription: ($297 for a 3-month supply): Once confirmed, the dermatologist will send your prescription to their compounding pharmacy, which will ship to you directly (3-5 business days).
- Subscription: Your subscription will be automatically renewed every three months, and a new shipment will be delivered.
Your subscription includes ongoing dermatologist consultations for any medical questions. You can opt out of your subscription at any time, or after 1 year, you’ll be reminded to follow up with a XYON dermatologist to renew your prescription.
XYON Topical Finasteride vs competitors
| Best Topical Finasteride | 
| 
| 
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Topical finasteride price | $297 quarterly ($99/month) | $150 quarterly ($50/month) | $120 for first 3 months ($40/month) $180 quarterly thereafter ($60/month) |
| Free consultation? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dosage concentration | 2.5% Finasteride | .1% Finasteride 6% Minoxidil | .25% Finasteride 5% Minoxidil |
| Customizable? | ✔ (Through prescription) | ✔ (Through prescription and product offerings) | ✔ (Through prescription and product offerings) |
| Form?(spray, gel, etc.) | Gel | Spray foam | Gel |
| Controlled release of finasteride? | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Precision targeting? | ✔ | 🟡 | 🟡 |
| Minoxidil included in the topical? | ❌ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Where is it available? | All U.S. states + Canada (not in Quebec) | All U.S. states | All U.S. states |
| Website | |||
XYON Health reviews: What are other customers across the internet and social media saying?
Despite limited personal reviews with XYON being a newer brand, we’ve found that most users either experience positive results or similar side effects. The higher concentration of finasteride may lead to adverse effects in people who are already sensitive to it, and in that case, it’s recommended to alternate days of use.
Ultimately, prescriptions are made on a case-by-case basis, hence the custom topical formula. We suggest reaching out to your doctor and the experts at XYON if you have any questions or concerns.
tl;dr – Is XYON Topical Finasteride effective?
Although it comes at a higher price point than other brands, XYON Topical Finasteride’s unique, first-of-it’s-kind application + SiloxysSystem™ Gel technology delivers compounded Finasteride prescribed by physicians specific to each patient. Within 3 to 6 months of use, patients can see results with significant improvement in the growth cycle, reduced hair shedding, and increased hair growth.
The formula reduces side effects and increases efficacy by making it easier for the topical finasteride to penetrate the hair follicles for a longer period of time while reducing the amount of medication that enters the body.
As a result, it could be an excellent alternative for someone who wants to try and alleviate or avoid the symptoms of oral finasteride or typical topical finasteride. Their free dermatologist consultation provides a way for patients to get their questions answered about the best treatment for them, so you’ve nothing to lose by getting started.
FAQ (Frequently asked questions)
The initial consultation with the dermatologist is free. The subscription for ongoing prescriptions is $297 for a 3-month supply ($99/mo).
You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time. Follow-up visits with the dermatologist are also complimentary as long as you have an active subscription.
Factors like age or genetics impact results, but growth is typically noticeable within 3 to 6 months of treatment with XYON’s Topical Finasteride.
