Finasteride is a type of medication called 5 Alpha-Reductase Inhibitors. It treats male pattern baldness, otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia, to discourage hair loss.
The treatment works by preventing testosterone from converting into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a hormone that causes the hair follicles to shrink and the hair to fall out. Finasteride reduces the production of this hormone to prevent hair loss.
Finasteride can take up to 3 months to begin to work. It needs to be taken regularly and continuously for it to have an effect.
Finasteride has an efficiency rate of 80%. When taken regularly over a long period of time, it can be very effective. Once you start taking it, you'll need to take it for life if you want to prevent hair loss as your hair will start to thin again after you stop taking it.
Finasteride is the active ingredient within the medication.
The other ingredients are: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinized starch, sodium starch glycolate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, titanium dioxide, magnesium stearate, talc, docusate sodium, yellow ferric oxide, and red ferric oxide.
Please Note: Different generic brands of Finasteride could contain different inactive ingredients.
Finasteride should be taken once a day at the same time each day. You should always take the medication as directed by your doctor and never take too much. It can be taken with or without food and is only effective if it is taken long term.
1mg is the dose given to treat male pattern baldness.
Finasteride can be crushed or split; however, pregnant women should not come into contact with the medicine in a crushed format as it can cause harm to an unborn fetus. This includes touching it. If this happens, ensure that she washes her hands thoroughly right away and she receives medical attention.
There are possible side effects associated with taking Finasteride including:
Finasteride should not be taken by women and pregnant women should avoid coming into contact with it as the medicine can be absorbed through the skin. Inform your doctor if:
There are no known medications that interact with Finasteride. However, you should still inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies.
Finasteride side effects are uncommon but if you do experience any they will disappear after you stop taking the medication.
Erectile dysfunction is one of the possible side effects associated with Finasteride. However, side effects are relatively uncommon and it's estimated that this will only affect 2% of men using this treatment.
Both Finasteride and Minoxidil are effective for treating hair loss but they work in different ways. While Finasteride is a tablet taken orally to target the hormones, Minoxidil is applied directly to the hair and works by relaxing the blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely towards the hair follicles. This promotes hair growth rather than preventing hair loss like Finasteride.
Finasteride is the generic name for Propecia. They are essentially the same thing, Propecia being a brand name of the Finasteride drug.
Finasteride is safe to use alongside other hair loss treatments. It's recommended to ask the advice of a pharmacist before doing so.
No. It only affects hair on the scalp.
No. Clinical trials have shown that Propecia is not effective in reversing hair loss in women.
Normal hair growth happens in a cycle of 3 oddly named phases: Anagen, Catagen and Telogen. Every single hair goes through these phases, each relating to different states of activity.
Phase 1 – Anagen – The growing phase, lasting approximately 1,000 days
The anagen phase is the growing, or the ‘on’ phase. In humans, this lasts for approximately 1,000 days, but can range from 2 to 6 years. During the anagen phase, hair cells grow rapidly, producing the hair shaft from the follicle, which itself grows deeper into the scalp. The length of your anagen phase determines the maximum length of your hair. So, the longer your anagen phase, the longer your hair will grow.
Phase 2 – Catagen – Hair stops growing
The catagen phase only lasts for one to two weeks. It is the transitional or regressive phase. Essentially, it is when the hair stops growing. During this period, the hair follicle shrinks and part of it starts to die.
Phase 3 – Telogen – Resting phase
The telogen phase is the final resting stage, or ‘off’ phase. When the old hair is in this phase, the hair follicle becomes active again and a new hair in the anagen phase develops, forcing the old telogen hair out. This is when you might notice hairs in the bath or in your brush or comb.
In the case of common baldness, male pattern baldness, or what is commonly called hereditary hair loss, genes and hormones cause the miniaturisation or ‘shrinking’ of the hair follicles. This results in a shorter Anagen phase and a particularly long Telogen phase so the hairs then become short and thin. They are soon barely visible to the naked eye and eventually the hair follicles shut down completely.
At any one time, around 90% of most people’s hair follicles are in the ‘growing’ anagen phase and approximately 10% are in the ‘resting’, or telogen, phase.
5-alpha reductase is an enzyme that regulates production of DHT. An enzyme is a protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up a chemical reaction. 5-alpha reductase can be inhibited by specially synthesised drugs (see below).
Male pattern hair loss occurs in men who are genetically predisposed to be more sensitive to the effects of DHT. Researchers now believe that the condition can be inherited from either side of the family.
DHT is found in several tissues in the body including the scalp.
5-alpha reductase is an enzyme that regulates production of DHT. An enzyme is a protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up a chemical reaction. 5-alpha reductase can be inhibited by specially synthesised drugs (see below).
Male pattern hair loss affects at least 50% of men at some point in their lives, and possibly as many as 80% by the age of 70 years. It affects different populations at different rates, probably because of genetics. Up to half of male Caucasians will experience some degree of hair loss by age 50, while other population groups such as Japanese and Chinese men are far less affected.
There are studies showing that Finasteride can in fact regrow hair in 65% of men using the drug. However, it's unlikely that it will completely restore an area of complete baldness. Finasteride works better as a preventative measure rather than a cure for baldness.
Finasteride is safe to use long term.
Finasteride is not needed after having a hair transplant. The donated hair follicles will not react to the DHT in the same way as your natural follicles that are prone to male pattern baldness.
Finasteride is also used to treat an enlarged prostate. In this case the drug will be prescribed at a higher dose.
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