Finasteride (Propecia). What To Expect: The Timeline

Finasteride: before and after — the results

Male androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness (MPB), is the most common cause of hair loss in men. It’s estimated that almost 50% of men will develop it by age 50, and 57% of men will develop it by 60. Male pattern baldness can cause your hairline to recede and thin, but it can also result in total baldness if it’s left untreated.

Finasteride - the generic version, and active ingredient of Propecia - is a very effective treatment method for those affected by MPB. At its best Finasteride can increase the amount of hair on your head and make it thicker, but sometimes it’s only able to prevent further hair loss from happening. A pilot study on men affected by MPB published some pictures of before and after Finasteride treatment results and the progress is visible and substantial after six months of treatment.

Medically reviewed by

Alexandra Cristina Cowell, Writer & Clinical Content Reviewer

Finasteride shedding

After a few months of starting their hair-loss treatment with Finasteride, some people notice that their hair starts to shed. Although shedding might seem like the exact opposite of what you’re trying to achieve, it’s nothing to worry about. In fact, it means that the treatment is working, so you should take it as a good sign.

What if Finasteride isn’t working?

Finasteride isn’t a guarantee that your hair will grow back, so even though many people see results, not everyone will. But if you feel like Finasteride isn’t working after six months, you shouldn’t stop taking it. Speak to your clinician first, because some men only experience real results after at least six months, and it can take even longer than that in some cases. If you stop taking it abruptly, your hair might start thinning and falling out even faster than it was before your treatment.

Can you speed Finasteride up?

No, you can’t speed Finasteride up. You shouldn’t take more Finasteride than you’re supposed to in order to speed up the process, because not only will it not work, it might also give you some nasty side effects.

Finasteride also comes in 5mg tablets, but you shouldn’t take this to speed up the process either, as that higher dose is only available for people suffering from an enlarged prostate. Taking a 5mg dose of Finasteride instead of 1mg won’t accelerate the process, and it’s likely to cause you issues if you try to take it for your hair loss.

What happens when you stop using Finasteride?

Finasteride has a very short half-life - meaning that it doesn’t stay in your system for too long after you take it, and that it’s not a long-term solution for hair loss. Once you stop taking it, your hair will return to the level that it was before you started taking it within a few months, so continuous use is your best option.

For a small number of men, some side effects, particularly sexual and psychiatric ones, have been reported to continue even after stopping the medication. This is sometimes referred to as post finasteride syndrome (PFS). PFS is a recognised medical issue, though it’s considered rare and its causes are still being researched. The MHRA has introduced a patient alert card for men taking finasteride including warnings about these potential persistent risks. If you experience side effects that don’t resolve after stopping the drug, speak to your doctor.