Up until a couple of decades ago, hair loss was something that guys just had to accept and take in stride.
Then came finasteride, a medication for treating hair loss that gained approval from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 as brand-name Propecia®.
As a daily-use medication, finasteride offers men experiencing hair loss the option of slowing down, stopping or even, in some cases, reversing baldness.
If you’re starting to lose your hair, you may have looked into using finasteride, either by itself or in combination with other treatments, to shield yourself from further hair loss.
Below, we’ve explained:
What you can expect in terms of finasteride results
From how long it takes to produce improvements
The general success rate you can expect from finasteride
We’ve also shared a few practical, science-based tips and techniques to help you get the best possible results from finasteride.
Does Finasteride Work?
When it comes to taking any kind of hair loss medication, your first question is probably, "does this stuff work?" Actually, it might also be, “does this stuff taste bad?” but we digress.
Male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is a common issue that the majority of men — 53 percent of men in their 40s, according to some studies — will have to deal with at some point in life.
Not only do we know that finasteride works, but we also know how it works, and when you can start expecting results after you start using it. Here’s why finasteride works.
Finasteride Blocks DHT to Stop Hair Loss
Finasteride is one of two 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, along with dutasteride. 5-alpha reductase is an enzyme that your body eventually converts into a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
This hormone is associated with hair loss (specifically androgenic alopecia or male pattern hair loss), as well as an enlarged prostate, which can lead to benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The amount of DHT your body can produce is, for many people, tied to the amount of 5-alpha reductase you have.
So, when the active ingredient finasteride goes to work, it effectively prevents some of your DHT from ever having a chance to mess with your body — specifically, stopping it from messing with your scalp and hair.
Research shows that the overwhelming majority of men who use finasteride experience no additional hair loss during treatment.
In a review published in the journal Drugs, researchers found that 83 percent of men with male pattern baldness experienced no change in their hair count after using finasteride over a period of two years.
In comparison, only 28 percent of men who used a non-therapeutic placebo did not experience any change in hair count.
A different finasteride study published by the Tokyo Medical Clinic found that more than 99 percent of men with male pattern baldness experienced no worsening of their hair loss during treatment.
You can think of finasteride as something like a pause button for your hair loss. While there’s no guarantee that you’ll grow back the hair you’ve lost, the overwhelming majority of men who use finasteride find that their hair loss doesn’t become more severe during treatment.
Keep your hairline where it is
Many Men Regrow Hair While Taking Finasteride
If your hair loss isn’t severe, your daily dose of finasteride may also help you to regrow hair in areas of your scalp or receding hairline that only have mild thinning.
In a large-scale clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology researchers found that men who used finasteride to treat male pattern baldness experienced a clinically significant increase in their average hair count over a period of two years.
At the beginning of the study, the men had an average hair count of 876 hairs per square inch of balding vertex scalp.
After two years of treatment with finasteride, this increased to an average of 1,014 hairs per square inch, or approximately 16 percent more hair per inch of skin.
The men who took part in the study reported that finasteride increased new hair growth and improved the general appearance of their hair.
The Tokyo Medical Clinic study we mentioned above also found that 91.5 percent of the men in the study experienced improvements in their hair growth while using finasteride.
In short, while not everyone who takes finasteride regrows hair, many men experience a modest-but-noticeable increase in hair growth.
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Before/after images shared by customers who have purchased varying products, including prescription based products. Prescription products require an online consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate. These customers’ results have not been independently verified. Individual results will vary. Customers were given free product.
How to Improve Finasteride Results
Finasteride is an easy medication to use. It comes in topical and tablet form and only needs to be taken one time per day, either with or without food.
However, taking a few extra steps, such as using finasteride with other hair loss treatments, can increase your success rate with finasteride and speed up your results.
We’ve listed several of these techniques below.
Use Finasteride and Minoxidil Together for Hair Regrowth
We know finasteride works well on its own, but research shows you can expect even better results if you use it with topical minoxidil, another FDA-approved medication for treating hair loss and stimulating hair growth.
Minoxidil and finasteride work completely differently and target different hair loss problems, which is why they work so well together.
Rather than blocking DHT, minoxidil functions locally and encourages your hair to enter the anagen, or growth phase, of the hair growth cycle. It also stimulates blood flow to your scalp, which may help supply your hair follicles with extra nutrients and improve growth.
In one study published in Dermatologic Therapy, researchers found that 94 percent of men with male pattern baldness who used finasteride and minoxidil at the same time saw improvements in their hair volume.
In comparison, the rate of improvement was 80.5 percent for men who used finasteride and just 59 percent for men who only used minoxidil.
You may have heard of topical minoxidil, which is sold under the brand name Rogaine®. It’s available as foam and liquid and is designed to be applied directly to the scalp.
Unlike finasteride, minoxidil doesn’t require a prescription. We offer topical minoxidil 5% online, either on its own or with finasteride in our Hair Power Pack. We also offer our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray. Even more, we offer access to oral minoxidil (which requires a prescription, unlike its topical counterpart) if a provider deems it appropriate.
Add Other Products to Your Hair Care Toolkit
While using minoxidil at the same time will give the biggest boost to the effects of finasteride, it’s also possible to improve your hair growth with other products. These include:
Hair loss prevention shampoo. Shampoos made with ingredients like ketoconazole or saw palmetto, such as our hair thickening shampoo, may also help to stimulate hair growth and protect your follicles from the effects of DHT.
Biotin supplements. Biotin, an important B vitamin, doesn’t appear to stop male pattern baldness. However, it plays an important role in the growth process of your hair and may be a good addition to your hair care routine.
Conditioner. A quality conditioner plays a supporting role in the hair growth process by keeping your hair strong, hydrated, and healthy. Our Thick Fix Conditioner is formulated with niacinamide to bolster and stimulate your hair for a thicker, fuller look.
Our guide to hair growth products goes into more detail about non-pharmaceutical products that you can use to keep your hair in optimal condition.
Give Your Scalp a Daily Massage
You probably think the idea that scalp massages can improve finasteride’s results is about as far-fetched as they come, but there’s actually science to back it up. Plus, who doesn’t love a good massage?
Research on scalp massage found that daily four-minute massages over the course of 24 weeks were able to stimulate hair growth and boost hair thickness.
Now, it’s important to point out that this study was small, featuring a total of just nine fellas. However, other research into the effects of scalp massage on hair growth has produced similar findings.
In a larger study of 327 men published in Dermatology and Therapy, researchers concluded that a standardized scalp massage (or SSM) appears to stabilize hair loss in healthy men with male pattern baldness.
How and why scalp massages stimulate hair growth remains a mystery, but experts speculate that it may be related to softening the skin and increasing blood flow.
Live a Healthy, Hair-Friendly Lifestyle
Male pattern baldness is primarily genetic and hormonal, but this doesn’t mean that your habits and lifestyle don’t play a role in healthy hair.
Lifestyle-focused steps that you can take to prevent and reduce hair loss include:
Quitting smoking. If you smoke, make an effort to quit. Although smoking doesn’t appear to increase DHT levels, the toxins found in cigarette smoke may damage your hair follicles at the DNA level.
Eating a balanced diet. Healthy hair growth requires a steady supply of vital nutrients, including zinc, iron, and protein. Try to eat a healthy diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein.
Avoiding harsh hair products. Many hair care products, including certain shampoos and styling products, contain harsh ingredients that can irritate your scalp and prevent healthy hair growth. Try to avoid shampoos that contain ingredients like sulfates and instead opt for a shampoo that’s designed to promote growth and prevent hair loss.
Limiting exposure to stress. While stress doesn’t cause male pattern hair loss, it can contribute to a form of temporary hair shedding called telogen effluvium. Try to minimize your exposure to stress. This could mean making changes to your work habits, making use of therapeutic resources to improve your mental health, or practicing meditation to gain more control over your feelings of stress and anxiety.
After You See Positive Results, Keep Using Finasteride
Both finasteride tablets and topical solution are effective, but they aren’t magic baldness-erasing pills. To continue blocking DHT and protect your hair, you’ll need to use finasteride every day to benefit from its effects fully.
The same is true of other hair loss treatments like minoxidil. To maintain your results, you’ll need to continue using these medications over the long term.
Hair loss treatments, delivered
Finasteride & Minoxidil + Supplement Blend Chew
One chewable with two prescription-strength ingredients and a proprietary hair supplement blend.
Rx Hair Loss Spray
Quick-drying, once-a-day spray with finasteride and minoxidil.
Rx Hair Loss Spray + Ketoconazole + Biotin
A quick-drying, once-a-day spray with finasterideand minoxidil.
Rx Hair Loss Serum
Once-a-day serum with precision dropper for better access to the scalp.
The Final Say on Finasteride Results
Finasteride works for most people — that’s hardly in debate. But for those who think it’ll be a miracle for their dormant or dead hair follicles, we’ve got a reality check to share with you.
Yes, finasteride is an effective treatment that can slow down and prevent further hair loss, and even reverse the effects of male pattern baldness.
But it does have limitations — it can’t bring hair back from the dead.
So you shouldn’t expect to wake up one day only to find your hair grew twice as thick overnight.
Because finasteride and other hair loss medications, like minoxidil, work gradually and require a long-term commitment for optimal results.
Please seek medical advice from your healthcare provider before using finasteride.
To get the best results from finasteride, consider combining it with minoxidil, a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle and good hair care habits.
If you have further questions, talk to a healthcare professional. Finasteride can help you as long as you’re committed to using it daily.
16 Sources
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- Drug Approval Package: Propecia NDA# 020788. (2003, August 7). Retrieved from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/97/020788_propecia_toc.cfm
- Syed, et al. (2021, March 27). Finasteride. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513329/
- Broniarczyk-Dyła, et al. (2014, August). Assessment of the usefulness of dihydrotestosterone in the diagnostics of patients with androgenetic alopecia. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology. 31 (4), 207–215. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4171668/
- Shapiro, J. & Kaufman, K.D. (2003, June). Use of Finasteride in the Treatment of Men With Androgenetic Alopecia (Male Pattern Hair Loss). Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings. 8 (1), 20-23. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15529357
- PROPECIA® (finasteride) tablets for oral use. (2014, January). Retrieved from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/020788s024lbl.pdf
- McClellan, K.J. & Markham, A. (1999, January). Finasteride: a review of its use in male pattern hair loss. Drugs. 57 (1), 111-26. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9951956/
- Kaufman, K.D., et al. (1998, October). Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride Male Pattern Hair Loss Study Group. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 39 (4 Pt 1), 578-89. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9777765/
- Yanagisawa, M., et al. (2019, January). Long-term (10-year) efficacy of finasteride in 523 Japanese men with androgenetic alopecia. Clinical Research and Trials. 5, 1-5. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337105943_Long-term_10-year_efficacy_of_finasteride_in_523_Japanese_men_with_androgenetic_alopecia
- Badri, et al. (2021, April 13). Minoxidil. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482378/
- Hu, R., et al. (2015, September/October). Combined treatment with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia: a randomized and comparative study in Chinese patients. Dermatologic Therapy. 28 (5), 303-308. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dth.12246
- Hama, et al. (2016). Standardized Scalp Massage Results in Increased Hair Thickness by Inducing Stretching Forces to Dermal Papilla Cells in the Subcutaneous Tissue. Eplasty. 16, e8. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740347/
- English, R.S. Jr. & Bazaresh, J.M. (2019, March). Self-Assessments of Standardized Scalp Massages for Androgenic Alopecia: Survey Results. Dermatology and Therapy. 9 (1), 167-178. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30671883/
- Trüeb, R.M. (2003). Association between smoking and hair loss: another opportunity for health education against smoking? Dermatology. 206 (3), 189-91. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12673073/
- Chiu, et al. (2015). A Review: Hair Health, Concerns of Shampoo Ingredients and Scalp Nourishing Treatments. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 16 (12), 1045-52. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26278532/
- Hughes, E.C. & Saleh, D. (2020, June 9). Telogen Effluvium. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430848/
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Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at blog@forhims.com!
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.