Does finasteride regrow hair?

Yes. Finasteride can regrow some hair in men with male pattern hair loss. In others, it will slow further loss.¹ Like with every medication, it does not work for everyone, and how much hair growth you will see can vary with each person.

However, the hair you still have is less likely to thin, and follicles that were fading can start producing proper hair again. In trials, finasteride slowed hair loss and increased growth.

What does regrowth mean?

Regrowth is defined as seeing more hair growth on your scalp. Male pattern baldness usuaully gets worse over time, so holding steady hair growth is seen as a positive.⁴

In trials, after five years of treatment, about half of men had visibly more hair. About four in ten had not seen further hair loss.¹

What did the trials find?

Men taking finasteride had more hair than when they started after six months of treatment.¹ By one year they also had more hair than men not taking Finasteride.³ The gain was biggest at two years. Men not taking finasteride kept losing hair throughout.¹

Evidence is strongest for the crown of your head, which is the area at the top and back. There is also evidence that you will see growth on the front and middle of the scalp. Receding hairlines and the temples are less likely to see a positive result when taking Finasteride.

Does finasteride work on the crown?

Yes. Men taking finasteride had more hair at the crown after one year, and continue to see growth after two years.³

Can finasteride regrow a receding hairline?

Yes, but the evidence is less certain. In men thinning at the front and middle of the scalp, finasteride slows loss and increased growth mainly at the crown and middle of your scalp.⁵

Can it regrow a completely bald patch?

Not usually no, so it's good not to expect this. Once hair has been lost over a long period, it is likely gone for good.⁷ Area of your scalp that are still thinning are more likely to respond than a totally bald area.

Finasteride will takes months rather than weeks before making a noticeable difference. You will need to take one 1mg tablet a day.⁷ The full effect should be evident after 3 to 6 months, and can continue for up to two years.⁷

In trials, some men noticed growth as early as three months.¹ However others needed to take it daily for up to 14 months before seeing any benefit.⁴ You can read our guide to how long finasteride takes to work.

How long do you keep taking it?

For as long as you want the benefit. If you stop taking Finasteride your hair loss will unfortunately resume. You will usually take finasteride for a long time, often several months or years.⁸

If you forget a tablet:

• take it as soon as you remember, if it is less than six hours since it was due⁸
• skip it and take the next one at your usual time, if it is more than six hours
• do not take two tablets to make up for a missed one⁸

What happens if you stop?

Your hair goes back to how it would have been without treatment. The benefit starts to reverse by six months after you stop.¹ After 9 to 12 months of stopping, you are likely to have lost the hair you gained.⁷

Finasteride grows hair back by lowering a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which shrinks the follicles on your scalp in male pattern hair loss.⁷ They make thinner, lighter hairs, until they stop producing hair at all.⁴

Finasteride lowers the amount of DHT in your scalp, which is what increases growth and stops further loss.⁷ It also moves hair follicles back into the growing phase.¹

Finasteride works with the follicles you still have. This is why a thinning area responds better than a bald one. There is more in our guide to how finasteride works.

Finasteride 1mg tablets are for men only. They are not for women, children or teenagers.¹ Finasteride is generally not recommended for women. A specialist would prescribe it only in very rare cases, but this is not something offered at Simple Online Pharmacy.⁹

You should not take these tablets if you already take finasteride or dutasteride for an enlarged prostate.⁷ Tell us on your assessment if you do.

If you are a woman who is pregnant or planning a pregnancy, do not touch crushed or broken tablets.⁷

A PSA blood test checks for prostate cancer. Tell your GP that you take finasteride before you have one, because it can alter the result.⁹ The long-term effect of finasteride on fertility in men has not been studied.⁷ Please tell us on your assessment if you are trying for a baby.

Stop taking finasteride straight away if you feel depressed or have suicidal thoughts, and contact your GP to discuss. ¹⁰ This applies to depression on its own⁷ and to suicidal thoughts on their own.⁷

Stop taking Finasteride and speak to your doctor if you get signs of an allergic reaction. These include swelling of your lips, face, tongue or throat, trouble swallowing, hives and difficulty breathing.⁷

Contact your doctor if:

• sex drive drops, you have difficulty getting an erection, or you have ejaculation problems¹⁰
• you take too many tablets by mistake, which needs a call straight away⁷

Your pack comes with an information leaflet card about the mental health and sexual side effects.¹⁰ Keep it with you. Our guide to finasteride side effects has more detail.

• Finasteride works with the follicles you still have, so a thinning area responds better than a bald one.
• The crown responds best, and a mainly receding hairline is less certain.
• Give it 3-12 months to work, rather than weeks