Hair loss is common in men and tends to get worse with age. One study found that by 80 years old, 80% of men will experience at least some hair loss.
Whilst it’s becoming more normalised, losing your hair can be tough. For many men, going bald is not only stressful but affects their confidence and self-image. Being overweight or wanting to gain muscle are body insecurities you can work on. Improving, or even reducing, hair loss is often more challenging.
Hair loss treatment like micro-needling, creams (like topical minoxidil), and hair transplants (real or artificial) can help. One breakthrough treatment that has become more popular is finasteride. Finasteride can slow down hair loss, or even stop it completely.
In this article we talk about how finasteride works, the results you can expect, and answer some frequently asked questions.
What is Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia)?
The most common type of baldness in men is male androgenetic alopecia. Also known as male pattern baldness, this type of hair loss is associated with male hormones. In the UK, around 6.5 million men are affected.
Slow hair loss happens first, with a balding vertex scalp (the crown of your head), mild thinning of your hair, and a receding hairline. This gets worse, with further hair loss and limited scalp hair growth.
Unfortunately, male pattern baldness isn't curable.
Healthy hair growth requires a full growth cycle. In androgenic alopecia, the hair growth process is disrupted by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This sex hormone causes the hair follicles to shrink, resulting in shorter and thinning hair.
With time, follicles take longer and longer to produce new hairs. Eventually, they stop producing hairs completely. This results in further hair loss.
Usually, male pattern hair loss runs in families. Your genes are often to blame, but male baldness is sometimes caused by an underlying medical condition.
Hormonal issues, new medications, and cancers (like breast cancer) can cause hair loss. If you’re worried about a health condition causing your baldness, make sure to seek professional medical advice .
There are some effective hair loss treatment options for male pattern hair loss, including hair transplant, and hair loss medications such as finasteride.
The Science Behind Finasteride
How Does Finasteride Work?
Finasteride is useful for treating male pattern baldness. It works by stopping the body from breaking down the sex hormone testosterone to dihydrotestosterone DHT.
DHT disrupts hair follicles and the hair growth cycle, which can prevent healthy hair growth.
In men taking finasteride, blood levels of DHT are reduced by 70% . Levels of DHT measured at the scalp are also much lower after finasteride treatment. Blocking DHT production in this way can slow down hair loss, but as some DHT remains, finasteride can’t stop male pattern baldness completely.
As DHT is also produced in the prostate, finasteride is also used to treat an enlarged prostate.
What Does the Research Say?
Both topical finasteride (applied to the scalp) and oral finasteride tablets are proven to help men with male pattern baldness
Over 20 years of research show that taking oral finasteride stops hair loss and can improve hair production.
Evidence suggests topical finasteride improves average hair count and can stimulate hair growth after 24 weeks. Applying topical finasteride directly to the scalp can stop some of the side effects .
Oral finasteride and topical finasteride are both similarly effective treatment options.
It’s important to know that not everyone who takes finasteride regrows hair: results vary from person to person.
Real-Life Results
Can Finasteride Regrow Hair?
There’s a lot of evidence that Finasteride can slow hair loss , but does Finasteride work to promote hair growth?
A study of 500 Japanese men found that 91.5% of men had improved hair growth when taking 1mg of finasteride in tablet form. Over 10 years, 99% of the men experienced no further hair loss when taking finasteride.
Another study compared 1000 men taking finasteride to 1000 men who weren’t. Over 1 year, men not taking finasteride gradually lost more hair. Men taking finasteride had a significant increase in hair count.
Yes, there’s evidence that finasteride can regrow hair. But it doesn’t happen overnight.
When Can You Expect Results?
Results vary, but the average finasteride results timeline is as follows:
Immediately- Finasteride starts working to reduce the conversion of testosterone to DHT from the first dose. DHT levels will begin to reduce, but you won’t see any results yet.
1 month- DHT levels will reduce more and more. You may notice some temporary hair shedding, as old, poorer quality hair falls out to make way for new better-quality hair.
3-4 months- If you’re taking finasteride consistently, you should start to see some results from 3-4 months. Hair might return to bald patches where the follicles have been restimulated. You may notice increased hair thickness, and a modest but noticeable increase in growth.
6 months- Your hair will seem noticeably thicker to you and others. Bald patches will begin to be filled by new hair, and your hair will stop falling out so often.
12 months- The full effects of finasteride can take up to a year to materialise. After a year of constant finasteride use, hair should be thicker and longer, with fewer bald patches.
If you don't see noticeable effects after 12 months, finasteride might not help your hair regrowth. But in this time, it’s likely it will have worked to stabilize hair loss. Stopping finasteride is likely to increase the rate of hair loss.
Maximizing Finasteride's Effects
How Can You Improve Finasteride Results?
Finasteride is useful alone, but results are better when you think about all aspects of your hair health. Our top tips include:
Avoiding harsh hair products
Removing damaging products from your hair care toolkit can help prevent further damage. This means your remaining hair is in better condition, and you’ll experience less hair loss due to chemical damage.
Good hair care habits
This means limiting heat, only brushing or combing your hair gently, and avoiding colouring/dyeing your hair. Good quality conditioner plays an important role in keeping your hair moisturised and less prone to damage.
Scalp hair care routine
Scalp nourishing treatments, like specialist hair loss prevention shampoo, help lock in moisture and maintain scalp health.
Scalp massage
Standardized scalp massages can help limit hair loss: this type of massage stimulates blood flow to the scalp. A recent study showed that standardized scalp massage results in stable or improved hair loss in 68.9% of people.
Combining finasteride with other treatments
Combining finasteride with other hair loss treatment options, like light therapy or minoxidil, gives you the benefits of both treatments. We talk more about minoxidil below.
The Power of Combining Finasteride and Minoxidil
Another popular hair loss treatment , minoxidil works to improve blood flow to the scalp. By delivering nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles, they can produce more hair.
Studies show that combining the treatments results in less hair loss and more hair regrowth than using one therapy alone.
Risks and Side Effects of Finasteride
We’ve discussed how finasteride can be an effective way to prevent hair loss, and that many men with male pattern baldness experienced hair regrowth. But, as with any medical treatment, finasteride has some side effects.
Common side effects include loss of sexual desire, erectile dysfunction , issues with ejaculation, and depression. Some evidence suggests that depression is often linked to sexual dysfunction.
Many of these side effects are improved if finasteride is given topically (directly to the scalp). When applying topical finasteride directly to the scalp, there may be some itching, redness, tingling, or burning.
Plenty of men take finasteride without any side effects. Seek medical advice if you’re concerned about side effects at any point.
Alternatives to Finasteride
If you don’t like the sound of finasteride, or you’ve tried it and it didn’t work, there are other hair loss treatments available. These vary from essential oils to invasive micro needling .
We’ll discuss some of the NHS-recommended options.
Minoxidil
Unlike finasteride, women can take minoxidil. As we discussed earlier, this treatment helps improve scalp blood flow and can help with treating hair loss.
Low-level Light Therapy
Scalp stimulation using low-dose laser treatment has some evidence behind it, and features on the NHS website. But you’ll have to pay privately, making it expensive, and long-term safety is unknown.
Hair Transplant
Hair from the back of your head is surgically removed and placed in areas with no or limited hair growth. This method can give good results but doesn’t work for everyone. It’s not covered on the NHS and can be very painful.
If you're considering an alternative to finasteride, make sure to do your research or speak to us .
So, Does Finasteride Actually Work?
The short answer to “Does Finasteride work?” is yes, but it’s not guaranteed to work for everyone. Finasteride is an effective hair loss treatment that is usually well tolerated, although it can lead to sexual- and mood-related side effects.
Thinking finasteride could be a good option for you? QuickMeds can help you buy your finasteride online with convenient, discreet delivery. Click here to start your consultation .
Frequently Asked Questions about Finasteride
How long does it take for Finasteride to work?
Men regrow hair at different rates, so results vary when treating hair loss.
Finasteride results aren’t seen straight away. The medication starts working from the first dose, but your hair follicles can’t produce new hairs immediately.
In 3-6 months, you can expect to notice improved hair thickness and increased hair count.
Can Finasteride regrow hair?
Yes, evidence suggests finasteride can help improve hair coverage. Results do vary from person to person. Read more in the article above.
Is Finasteride effective for everyone?
Finasteride can be an effective treatment, but it's not effective in 100% of people.
Men with male pattern hair loss can benefit from finasteride. Those under 18 years of age and women, especially pregnant women, should not take finasteride.
Make sure to discuss any medical conditions you have with a medical professional before starting treatment.
What are some ways to improve the results of Finasteride?
Taking daily finasteride for over a year can help improve the results. We also discuss other medications and hair care routines that can help make finasteride more effective above.
Is Finasteride safe?
Yes, no significant side effects have been recorded for finasteride. Sexual dysfunction is most common, followed by depression. Please contact a health professional if you are experiencing worrying side effects.
Can I stop taking Finasteride once my hair loss improves?
Finasteride only works well whilst you continue to take it. If you stop, you’re likely to lose most of the hair that has grown back, and maybe even lose more.
What should I do if I experience side effects from finasteride?
Talk to your doctor immediately if you experience side effects. They can advise you about whether to stop finasteride.
Can Women Use Finasteride?
Finasteride is prescribed to women in special cases, but generally no. Pregnant women especially should not take finasteride, as it can cause birth defects.
Is Finasteride Safe for Long-Term Use?
Yes, finasteride is considered safe to be used for 10+ years. No serious side effects were found in long-term studies .