How Effective Is Finasteride Treatment Against Hereditary Male Pattern Baldness

January 2013

Jane Salem

TLDR Finasteride treatment slows down hair loss, boosts hair growth, and may increase hair thickness or length, but it can cause side effects like decreased libido and depression in less than 1% of people.

The study, conducted in 2013, examined the effectiveness of finasteride treatment against hereditary male pattern baldness. Six studies on finasteride were selected from the PubMed database. The results showed that finasteride treatment slows the development of hair loss and increases hair growth, with an increase of 7-10% more hairs after one year of treatment or longer with finasteride 1 mg daily. The treatment also appeared to increase the thickness and/or length of hairs. The studies involved men aged 18-19. Adverse reactions, including decreased libido, erectile difficulty, ejaculation problems, and depression, occurred in fewer than 1 in 100 people. The concentration of DHT was decreased by finasteride treatment in all studies.

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research Global Photographic Assessment of Men Aged 18 to 60 Years with Male Pattern Hair Loss Receiving Finasteride 1 mg or Placebo

35 citations , September 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Finasteride significantly improves hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.

research Changes in Hair Weight in Men with Androgenetic Alopecia After Treatment with Finasteride (1 mg Daily): Three- and Four-Year Results

66 citations , July 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Finasteride increases hair weight and count in men with hair loss, with best results after four years.

research Finasteride in the Treatment of Japanese Men with Male Pattern Hair Loss

12 citations , July 2004 in “PubMed”

Finasteride, especially in a 1mg dose, effectively slows hair loss and improves hair growth in Japanese men with male pattern hair loss.

research Clinical Dose Ranging Studies with Finasteride, a Type 2 5α-Reductase Inhibitor, in Men with Male Pattern Hair Loss

46 citations , October 1999 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Finasteride effectively treats male pattern hair loss with a 1 mg daily dose.

research Finasteride in the Treatment of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia

581 citations , October 1998 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

Finasteride safely and effectively treats male pattern hair loss, but may cause reversible sexual issues and harm male fetuses.