TLDR Finasteride with oral contraceptive improves hair loss in 62% of premenopausal women.
The study evaluated the effectiveness of oral finasteride therapy associated with an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol in premenopausal women with female pattern hair loss. Thirty-seven women were treated with oral finasteride, 2.5 mg/d, while taking an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. At 12-month follow-up, 62% of the patients demonstrated some improvement of their hair loss with the use of finasteride, 2.5 mg/d, while taking the oral contraceptive. No adverse reactions to the drug were reported. Further studies are necessary to understand which patterns of female pattern hair loss respond better to this treatment.
108 citations,
March 2006 in “Archives of Dermatology” Finasteride with oral contraceptive helps improve hair loss in premenopausal women.
4 citations,
October 2020 in “Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia” 9 citations,
January 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders” Hair loss from conditions like LPP and FFA can potentially be reversed with the right treatment.
6 citations,
April 2016 in “PubMed” The review found that women using hair loss drugs like finasteride and dutasteride rarely reported sexual side effects.
20 citations,
January 2016 in “Intractable & Rare Diseases Research” Combination therapy, especially with finasteride, is effective for treating frontal fibrosing alopecia.
92 citations,
November 2002 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride improves hair loss in women with hyperandrogenism.
10 citations,
June 2001 in “PubMed” Finasteride is effective in growing hair and stopping hair loss in men with mild to moderate alopecia.
72 citations,
January 2001 in “Drugs” Minoxidil and finasteride treat hair loss; more research needed for other options.
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.