Therapeutic Hotline: Finasteride, 1 Mg Daily Administration on Male Androgenetic Alopecia in Different Age Groups: 10-Year Follow-Up
January 2011
TLDR Finasteride is a safe and effective long-term treatment for male hair loss, especially when started early.
The study evaluated the long-term efficacy of finasteride 1 mg daily in 118 men with male androgenetic alopecia (AGA) over a 10-year period. It found that patients over 30 years old and those with higher AGA grades (IV and V) showed more improvement, with 21% of all patients showing better results after continuing treatment beyond 5 years. While 42.8% of patients aged 20-30 years saw no improvement after 10 years, 58.9% of patients with AGA grade IV and 45.4% with AGA grade V improved after 1 year. Overall, 65% of patients initially improved and then showed no further change, 14% worsened, and side effects were reported by 6% of patients, with 5.1% experiencing reduced libido. The study concluded that finasteride's effectiveness can be predicted after the first year, does not diminish over time, and is a safe and effective long-term treatment for AGA, especially when started early.