Finasteride in the Treatment of Female Pattern (Androgenic) Alopecia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

August 2012 in “ PubMed ”

Olga Boychenko, Robert Bernstein, Eric S Schweiger

finasteride female pattern alopecia androgenic alopecia minoxidil hair shedding hair regrowth Propecia female pattern baldness Rogaine

From the encyclopedia

Finasteride →

Frontline, gold standard treatment for combatting androgenic alopecia

Minoxidil →

An essential vasodilator with some anti-androgenic effects

Studysummary In this report, a 44-year-old woman with female pattern alopecia experienced significant hair regrowth after 3.5 months of oral finasteride, with no side effects, after not responding to topical minoxidil.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The document described a case of a 44-year-old woman with female androgenic alopecia (FAGA) who did not respond to topical minoxidil. She was treated with oral finasteride 1.25 mg daily, resulting in a significant reduction in hair shedding and increased hair regrowth within 3.5 months, without any side effects. Additionally, the document reviewed limited studies and case series on finasteride use for FAGA, suggesting its potential effectiveness in treating this condition.

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Research cited in this study

13 / 13 results

research Medical Treatments for Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss

212 citations , September 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This review discusses the various treatment options for male and female pattern hair loss and provides no new clinical results; the authors outline the most effective strategies based on existing evidence.

research A Review of Hormonal Therapy for Female Pattern (Androgenic) Alopecia

14 citations , January 2008 in “Dermatology Online Journal”

This review discusses the use of anti-hormonal therapies for female androgenetic alopecia and notes that while some treatments show promise, larger controlled studies are needed to define their roles and effectiveness.

research A Woman With Iatrogenic Androgenetic Alopecia Responding To Finasteride

13 citations , February 2007 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

EF and PXE not closely related.

research Finasteride Treatment of Female Pattern Hair Loss

108 citations , March 2006 in “Archives of Dermatology”

This study observed that 62% of premenopausal women with female pattern hair loss reported improvement when treated with oral finasteride and an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol.

research The Lack of Significant Changes in Scalp Hair Follicle Density With Advancing Age

33 citations , April 2005 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

This study found that age and follicular miniaturization were extremely weak predictors of total hair count in women with hair loss.

research Finasteride Treatment of Patterned Hair Loss in Normoandrogenic Postmenopausal Women

72 citations , January 2004 in “Dermatology”

This study found that oral finasteride, at a dosage of 2.5 mg/day or more, may improve hair growth and appearance in postmenopausal women with pattern hair loss, without adverse effects.

research Androgens and Alopecia

165 citations , December 2002 in “Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology”

This study found that finasteride improves scalp hair growth in men with male pattern hair loss by reducing scalp dihydrotestosterone levels, but it did not benefit postmenopausal women with female pattern hair loss.

research Hair Loss in Women with Hyperandrogenism: Four Cases Responding to Finasteride

92 citations , October 2002 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study reports that oral finasteride improved or stabilized hair loss in women with hyperandrogenism but not in postmenopausal women with female pattern hair loss.

research Hair Density, Hair Diameter, and the Prevalence of Female Pattern Hair Loss

234 citations , February 2001 in “British Journal of Dermatology”

FPHL affects hair density and diameter, causing visible hair loss in older women.

research Lack of Efficacy of Finasteride in Postmenopausal Women with Androgenetic Alopecia

239 citations , November 2000 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

In this study, finasteride 1 mg/day for 12 months did not improve hair growth or slow hair thinning in postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia compared to placebo.

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”

This study found that finasteride at 1 mg/day was the most effective dose for treating male pattern hair loss, with similar efficacy to 5 mg/day and better results than lower doses.

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

187 citations , June 1999 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

This study reported that finasteride 1 mg/day significantly increased hair growth and slowed hair loss in men with frontal scalp hair thinning over one year, and these benefits continued or improved in the second year.

research Finasteride in the Treatment of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia

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

In male pattern hair loss, this study found that finasteride 1 mg daily significantly slowed hair loss and increased hair growth over two years compared to placebo.