S5 Cream vs Dr. Lee’s Spiro

Are you thinking of using spiro 5% cream? Well, you aren’t alone. Many people are using this topical product, thanks to it’s 5% concentrated Spironolactone, which is a potent synthetic drug that is also a potent anti-androgen. Spironolactone has a double effect – it converts testosterone to estrogen and prevents the DHT from linking to the DHT receptors in the follicles.  This is different then other DHT blockers such as Propecia & dutasteride that function by reducing the production of the enzyme 5AR that converts testosterone to DHT. Spironolactone is working on the testosterone itself and blocking the existing DHT from arriving to the follicles. Spironolactone can be used by both men and women, but it’s still important to remember that just like dutasteride it is not FDA approved for pattern baldness, or any other hair loss condition. Still, it is being sold by few online stores:

1. hairlosstalk.com – the popular hairloss site, under the name of “S5 Cream”

2. minoxidil.com – Dr. Lee’s website, under the name of “Spironolactone Lotion 5%”

3. wholesalehairproducts.com – another site that sells topicals, but as it doesn’t provide info about its complete spiro cream ingredients, I won’t refer to this product.

4. genhair.com – sells S5 cream for the same price as hairlosstalk (I would keep out of this site, last time it was updated was in 2007, and they don’t answer emails).

Both products contain Spironolactone 5%, but are a bit different when it comes to the rest of the ingredients.

S5 Spiro vs Dr. Lee’s Spiro – Ingredients

Both products are sold in 2 oz (60 ml) jars. The ingredients lists are taken form the products sites.

» S5 spiro contains: 5% Spironolactone, 1% Caffeine, 0.025% Retinol, Menthol, Rosemary Oil

» Dr. Lee’s Spiro contains: 5% Spironolactone, aloe vera gel, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, alkyl octanoate, mineral oil, dimethicone, tocopherol acetate, magnesium aluminum silicate, sorbitol, disodium EDTA, methylparaben, dimethlydimethyl hydantoin.

You can see that Dr. Lee’s spiro is richer in moisturizers and has more ingredients. S5 smells worst than Dr. Lee but S5 is thinner than Dr. Lee, it’s a bit easier to spread on the scalp and it’s absorbed quicker. It terms of effectiveness – they considered to provide the same effect.

S5 Spiro vs Dr. Lee’s Spiro – Price

» S5 spiro costs $29.95 per jar.

» Dr. Lee’s Spiro costs $30.95 per jar.

The cost is not a factor here, and at the time this post is written – S5 is out of stock.

Bottom Line

No product out of these two shows priority over the other, so it’s up to you to choose. There are no clinical studies about topical spiro for hair loss. Some users report it works for them and some see no results, but you can say that on most hair loss treatments. Those who see improvement in their condition report it helps to thicken the hair and stop shedding . According to Dr. Lee, spiro 5% lotion works in synergy with minoxidil, and improves the overall results. Since it comes in a cream, it also adds moisture and prevents dandruff and itchiness (a common side effect of minoxidil).