Many people may think that all hair loss treatments are the same.
Ingredients that have already been recognized as effective as AGA therapeutics include"Finasteride, Dutasteride, Minoxidil".

It is basically used as an oral or external medicine, and injections are also effective.
This time, I would like to talk about whether there is a difference between commercially available treatment drugs and AGA treatment drugs prescribed at the clinic.

Pitfalls of privately imported drugs

Personally importing medicines is a much cheaper option than having them prescribed at a clinic, but our clinic does not recommend privately importing medicines.
Privately imported medicines may be counterfeit, and it is unclear whether they actually contain effective ingredients.
The most decisive reason is support when side effects occur.

■ Side effects
It is said that finasteride and dutasteride may cause liver dysfunction as a side effect.
This side effect is difficult to detect without a blood test.
If the medicine is prescribed at a clinic, the doctor will periodically check for side effects.
In the case of personal import, you must check for side effects yourself, and self-judgment is very dangerous.

Are there any differences in the oral medications prescribed at the clinic?

Medications prescribed at clinics are not only different from commercially available medications, but also have different ingredients depending on the clinic.

■If there are no differences in ingredients depending on the clinic
sold by pharmaceutical companiesIf you are a clinic that prescribes medicine to patients as is, you can generally assume that the medicine contains only the ingredients listed on the package.

■If the ingredients differ depending on the clinic
Some clinics do not prescribe medicines from pharmaceutical companies, but instead prescribe their own original medicines.
The great thing about original drugs is that you can freely change the ingredients and concentration, and you can even combine ingredients into one drug that can be more effective when used together.
By combining ingredients and vitamin elements that are effective for hair growth into one medicine, there is no need to take multiple medicines.
For the treatment of AGA, many clinics recommend the combination of finasteride/dutasteride and minoxidil, so some clinics may be able to summarize the combination in advance.
To find out more about the medicines we handle and the differences in dosage and ingredient concentration, it is best to inquire through the clinic's website or by phone, and listen to what they have to say.

Click here to learn more about our clinic's original oral medications.
1 year in development Dr. TOUHI's original AGA treatment Fina&Mino (2.5mg/5mg)

Are there any differences in the ingredients of topical medications?

■Over-the-counter medicines
In recent years, due to rising demand, more and more products can be easily purchased at pharmacies.
RiUP is a well-known product that contains minoxidil.

For over-the-counter drugs, the concentration of ingredients that are effective for hair growth is lower than those prescribed in clinics.
There is a rule that pharmacies can only handle ingredients with a concentration of up to 5%.
If the concentration is not suitable for your symptoms, you may not be able to feel the effect even if you use it.

■Prescription at the clinic
At the clinic, we can prescribe medicines with a concentration of 7% to 10% or more depending on the symptoms, so it is easier to feel the effects of the medicines.
When it comes to topical minoxidil, I think it's best to pay attention to the concentration of the ingredients.

Also, it is not true that the higher the concentration of ingredients, the better; it is said that increasing the concentration too high increases the risk.
As the concentration increases, it becomes powdery and dry, causing itching and dandruff, which can lead to scalp problems for some people, so be careful.

Recently, topical finasteride has been found to be effective, and more and more clinics are selling it.
If you are concerned, it would be a good idea to check out the clinics that handle them and visit them.

Are there any differences in the ingredients of mesotherapy?

Mesotherapy refers to all treatments that involve administering active ingredients directly into the skin through injections.
Compared to oral and topical drugs, prices and treatment methods vary from clinic to clinic.

The drugs used for mesotherapy vary depending on the clinic, and there are various treatment methods.
In recent years, new treatments have been emerging and treatments are evolving, and the number of clinics that handle exosomes and PRP has increased.

For detailed explanations of treatment methods, please refer to the article below.
[AGA] More effective than minoxidil!? A hair specialist thoroughly explains the latest hair loss treatment [Thinning hair]
Are exosomes effective for thinning hair?
Rejuvenate your hair roots and cure thinning hair! What is the latest treatment "PRP therapy"?

We tend to pay attention to clinics and treatments that are cheap, but we also need to suspect that the ingredients may be diluted.
For example, if you are told to administer a drug at a clinic, what percentage of it is the active ingredient?
What if the concentration of active ingredients was low and there were almost no effective ingredients in the anesthesia? Would you want to use the drug even if it is cheap?
Of course, anesthesia is necessary so that you do not feel any pain during the injection.

However, since it is a clinic original, they cannot tell you the ingredient ratio unless you ask.If you are concerned about its effectiveness, we recommend checking it in advance.
There is always a reason for the difference in price, so instead of just looking at the price, I would like you to focus on the ingredients of the drug and the effectiveness of the treatment.

It is also said that the risk of treatment increases if the concentration of the drug is too high.
There are regulations such as how many times the product must be diluted.I would also like you to know that there are no clinics that use ingredients at 100% concentration.

Summary of this time

Each clinic has its own characteristics regarding oral medications, topical medications, and mesotherapy, so we recommend that you inquire and choose the one that best suits your symptoms and wishes.