Raven Solution
A five-ingredient topical combining minoxidil, finasteride, tretinoin, vitamin E and fluocinolone.
Active ingredients: Minoxidil + Finasteride + Tretinoin + Vitamin E + Fluocinolone
$85 per month
No membership fee · No clinician fee · Free shipping
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Compounded, not FDA-approved. Minoxidil and finasteride are established hair-loss medications; the benefit of this exact combination is less established.
What it does
Minoxidil supports growth. Finasteride lowers DHT. Tretinoin changes skin turnover. Fluocinolone is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation. Vitamin E is included as an antioxidant ingredient.
What's in it
Minoxidil
- What it is
- Hair-growth medication / vasodilator.
- Hormone?
- Not a hormone.
- Why it's here
- Helps keep follicles in the growth phase.
Finasteride
- What it is
- 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor / DHT blocker.
- Hormone?
- Not a hormone.
- Why it's here
- Lowers DHT by reducing conversion of testosterone to DHT.
Tretinoin
- What it is
- Prescription retinoid derived from vitamin A.
- Hormone?
- Not a hormone.
- Why it's here
- Changes skin-cell turnover and may affect topical penetration.
- What to know
- It can cause redness, peeling, dryness, burning and sensitivity.
Vitamin E
- What it is
- Vitamin/antioxidant.
- Hormone?
- Not a hormone.
- Why it's here
- Its added hair-growth benefit in this exact compounded formula is not well established.
Fluocinolone
- What it is
- Topical corticosteroid.
- Hormone?
- It is a steroid medication, but not a sex hormone.
- Why it's here
- It reduces scalp inflammation and can also cause local steroid side effects with inappropriate or prolonged use.
Why choose this one?
Why choose this one
For men who want an all-in-one topical that addresses growth, DHT and scalp inflammation and are comfortable with a more complex formula.
Why choose another option?
A simpler formula may make more sense if you do not need a corticosteroid or tretinoin, or if your scalp is easily irritated.
Compare your options
Finasteride vs dutasteride
| Finasteride | Dutasteride | |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment type | 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (blocks the type II enzyme) | 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (blocks types I and II) |
| Who it's for | Men | Men |
| Formats | Topical combinations and an oral capsule | Oral capsule |
| Why choose it | FDA-approved (1 mg tablet) for male pattern hair loss; the most studied DHT blocker | Lowers DHT more; increased hair count more than finasteride 1 mg in a 24-week trial |
| What to know | Sexual side effects in a small minority | Off-label for hair loss; stays in the body for weeks |
| Pregnancy | Not for use in pregnancy; confirm handling precautions for compounded forms with your clinician or pharmacy | Capsules must not be handled by anyone who is or may become pregnant |
| Price at Avono | From $75 per month | From $59 per month |
Topical vs oral hair treatment
| Topical | Oral | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's used | Applied to the scalp, usually daily | Taken by mouth, usually daily |
| Whole-body exposure | Lower, though some is absorbed | Higher |
| Evidence context | In a 2024 trial in men, 5% topical minoxidil improved hair density at 24 weeks | In the same trial, 5 mg oral minoxidil also improved density and was not superior to topical |
| Common tradeoffs | Scalp irritation, residue, daily application | Unwanted body or facial hair with oral minoxidil; less often lightheadedness or fluid retention |
| Who may prefer it | People who want to limit whole-body effects | People who find daily application hard to keep up |
| Price at Avono | From $75 per month | From $59 per month |
Benefits and evidence
Finasteride 1 mg in men
- What the study found
- 1,553 men
- Who was studied
- 1,553 men ages 18 to 41 with male pattern hair loss
- What it means
- In two clinical trials involving 1,553 men, oral finasteride 1 mg significantly improved scalp hair counts over one and two years versus placebo.
- Important context
- Studied oral finasteride 1 mg daily. Avono topical and combination formulas were not studied in these trials. Oral finasteride · 1 mg per day · 1 and 2 years
- Source
- Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride Male Pattern Hair Loss Study Group Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1998, PMID 9777765
Evidence for Minoxidil, not for this exact formula
Topical minoxidil 5% vs 2%
- What the study found
- 45% more regrowth
- Who was studied
- 393 men with androgenetic alopecia
- What it means
- In a 48-week trial, 5% topical minoxidil produced 45% more hair regrowth than 2% topical minoxidil.
- Important context
- Compared two strengths of topical minoxidil. It does not apply to oral minoxidil. Topical minoxidil 5% versus 2% and placebo · 5% and 2% topical solutions · 48 weeks
- Source
- A randomized clinical trial of 5% topical minoxidil versus 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2002, PMID 12196747
Evidence for Finasteride, not for this exact formula
Dutasteride vs finasteride
- What the study found
- 917 men
- Who was studied
- 917 men with androgenetic alopecia
- What it means
- In a 24-week randomized trial, dutasteride 0.5 mg significantly increased hair count and hair width compared with finasteride 1 mg and placebo.
- Important context
- Oral dutasteride compared with oral finasteride and placebo · Dutasteride 0.5 mg; finasteride 1 mg · 24 weeks
- Source
- A randomized, active- and placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of different doses of dutasteride versus placebo and finasteride in the treatment of male subjects with androgenetic alopecia Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2014, PMID 24411083
Common side effects
Scalp irritation, dryness, peeling or burning; unwanted hair growth outside the application area; possible systemic finasteride effects; and, with inappropriate or prolonged corticosteroid use, skin thinning or other local steroid effects.
What may help
General measures that may help with scalp irritation and early changes:
- Apply to a dry scalp, use only the amount prescribed and wash your hands afterwards.
- A gentle, fragrance-free shampoo can reduce dryness and itching.
- Let the formula dry before it touches pillows or others.
- Temporary shedding in the first one to two months of minoxidil treatment can happen as hair cycles reset. In one trial it affected 16% of men using topical minoxidil. It usually settles.
Stop and contact your clinician if irritation is severe or spreading. Do not change strength or frequency on your own.
Important safety information
Pregnancy and fertility. Not for anyone who is or may become pregnant. Finasteride exposure during pregnancy is a concern because it can affect the development of a male fetus. Confirm the exact handling precautions for this compounded topical with your clinician or pharmacy.
Pregnancy-related finasteride/tretinoin precautions. Topical steroid caution. Compounded, not FDA-approved.
This is a compounded medication. Compounded medications are prepared by licensed pharmacies and are not FDA-approved.
Prescription treatments require evaluation by a licensed clinician and are not appropriate for everyone. Some ingredients are not appropriate during pregnancy or for people who may become pregnant. Compounded formulas are not FDA-approved. Not available in all states.
When to contact your clinician
Contact your clinician about sexual side effects that bother you or persist, breast tenderness, enlargement or a lump, or changes in mood such as low mood or depression.
Tell your clinician about skin thinning, persistent redness, acne-like bumps or color changes where the formula is applied, which can happen with topical corticosteroids used for a long time.
Stop and contact your clinician for severe redness, blistering, swelling or a spreading rash, dizziness or a fast heartbeat after applying, or unexpected hair growth away from the scalp.
When to seek urgent care
Seek urgent help for thoughts of harming yourself, or signs of a serious allergic reaction. Finasteride exposure during pregnancy is a concern; confirm the exact handling precautions for this compounded topical with your clinician or pharmacy.
Questions people ask
Does this contain finasteride?
Yes. Raven contains finasteride, which reduces DHT. Hair Revive is the similar option without finasteride.
Why is a steroid like fluocinolone included?
Fluocinolone is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation. Topical corticosteroids can cause skin thinning, folliculitis or pigment changes with inappropriate or prolonged use, so use only as prescribed.
Can this affect sexual function?
It contains finasteride. Topical use can reduce some systemic exposure, but topical finasteride can still be absorbed systemically, and finasteride-related sexual or mood symptoms are possible.
Finasteride sexual side effects: how common are they?
In the clinical trials behind the U.S. label for finasteride 1 mg, 3.8% of men reported one or more sexual side effects, compared with 2.1% on placebo. Lower libido (1.8% vs 1.3%) and erectile dysfunction (1.3% vs 0.7%) were the most common. The label also describes post-marketing reports of sexual side effects that continued after stopping; a direct cause has not been established, but the reports are taken seriously. Topical use aims to lower whole-body exposure, but some finasteride can still be absorbed. Tell your clinician about any changes.
Why am I shedding more at first?
Minoxidil can push resting hairs out as new growth starts, so some people shed more in the first one to two months. In one trial this happened in 16% of men using topical minoxidil and 9% using oral minoxidil. It is usually temporary. Tell your clinician if shedding continues beyond a few months.
How long before I see results?
Hair grows slowly, so changes usually take months. In the finasteride trials and the 48-week topical minoxidil trial, results were measured over the better part of a year or longer. Your clinician can tell you when a review makes sense.
Discuss Raven Solution with a licensed clinician
Your clinician reviews your health history and decides whether this option, or another, is appropriate.
$85 per month
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Raven Solution $85 per month