How Long Does Finasteride Take to Work?

How Long Does Finasteride Take to Work?

Author

Hairy Hair

Verified by

Matthew Payne

Published on

May 28, 2025

Est. Reading Time

12 mins

Finasteride is a popular hair loss drug that has been backed up by a string of clinical studies and research reports showing remarkable changes in hair density. While statistics and images of results are promising, most individuals’ thoughts are about how quickly to see hair growth.

As it is a long-term medication, you will not feel the effects right away. In this, we will look at how long it takes you to be able to feel hair growth when on the medication and how Hairy Hair may help you with your hair loss.

When can you see results from finasteride?

Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. It works by preventing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This is the hormone behind male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). It is also used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) to reduce an enlarged prostate.

Oral finasteride becomes active in the blood right away, but the DHT level in your body takes some time to decrease, so you may observe improvements. Finasteride is also available in the form of a topical solution. The best results can be observed after about a year of consistent use.

As part of the hair growth cycle, your hair follicles have to take some time to develop new hair. Due to this, your hair loss has to get better slowly over the long run.

 

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What is the timeline for the results of finasteride?

When you start taking finasteride, your DHT levels will decrease by 65% after the first 24 hours. This can increase to 70%, which can help to slow down and potentially reverse hair loss.

While you may not see any changes in the first few months, consistent use is needed to observe hair growth. Your hair will need time to grow before you can enjoy the results. 

Usually, you will begin to see results after around 3-6 months of daily use. After this amount of treatment, your hair loss should have slowed down or ceased with a reduction in visible thinning. Notable areas of increase include the hairline and crown if you’re dealing with male pattern baldness.

Some studies have indicated that an improvement can be reported after just 12 weeks of use. However, these won’t be the final results, as further growth should be stimulated once your hair follicles have had a chance to produce new strands.

Even though these won’t be the final results, after 3-6 months, it should be a good indication that the medication is working.

The hair growth should improve after about 12 months of use. Following a year of consistent use, participants in studies note that hair count and thickness were improved with a decrease in hair loss.

65 per cent of men who take finasteride have reported an increase in hair growth after a year of treatment in clinical trials. As everyone’s hair is different, results can vary, but you should see some increase in hair growth at this point.

For some people, finasteride on its own will only help to slow or stop hair loss and won’t be able to help encourage new growth after 12 months. If you don’t see any improvements in your hair loss after this time, you should contact your healthcare professional to discuss your treatment options.

Long-term finasteride results

Finasteride will keep working after a year of treatment. Research shows that through long-term use, men can continue to see their hair loss decrease and an improvement in hair growth. With consistency, studies confirm that hair growth rates can increase year on year.

If the medication is not having an effect after 12 months, it is probable that you will be able to see improvements the longer you are on the medication. A study conducted in Japan found that after 5 years of treatment, an impressive 99.4% of men on oral finasteride were able to see an improvement in hair loss.

 

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Ensuring you have the best results on finasteride

There are some things you can do to make sure that you are getting the best results while on finasteride and to give your hair the best chance to regrow. The pill needs to be taken daily, and you need to continue taking it even if you feel like you have achieved your final results.

A certain amount of the drug needs to be in your system for DHT levels to remain low. If you discontinue the medication, then hair can start to fall out again, and any hair growth you’ve gained can be reversed.

If you skip a dose or use the drug infrequently, you won’t be able to see as effective results. Alongside finasteride, you can try using a hair loss shampoo to provide topical help with your treatment. The right shampoo can ensure that your scalp is in the ideal environment to promote healthy hair growth.

How can Hairy Hair help with my hair loss?

Finasteride is an extremely potent DHT blocker, stimulating hair growth by preventing the miniaturisation of hair follicles. It is easily available through a hair loss clinic, your family doctor locally, or an online consultation.

While finasteride can work on baldness alone, its efficacy may be enhanced when used with other ingredients that promote a healthier environment for hair growth. Using other supporting ingredients along with your finasteride treatment will enhance results, particularly in the first few months.

Hairy Hair contains a unique formula that works on different issues of hair loss.

The treatment acts as a vasodilator, which opens up blood vessels on the scalp to allow greater oxygenation and hair follicle nourishment. When you have been provided with adequate nutrition, hair follicles will produce healthier and denser strands of hair that are less prone to breaking.

The pill is also fortified with natural substances that may help in keratin formation, which is the main protein needed for hair strands. It also contains a DHT blocker in its natural form and has anti-inflammatory properties, which provide a healthy scalp environment to support growth.

By simply administering one pill daily, you can efficiently work to treat several issues related to hair loss with a multifaceted treatment plan, thereby enhancing the possibility of initiating hair growth compared to the use of a single drug only.

Finasteride outcome timeline and other therapies

Finasteride works well in preventing the loss of hair in individuals with high levels of DHT, a frequent reason for male pattern baldness. Stopping the creation of DHT in the scalp can stimulate better hair growth.

As a known treatment for hair loss, customers are usually impatient to gain results within a short period of time. Since your hair follicles require time to grow new strands of hair, it will take some months to gain better growth and fewer hair.

Healthy hair growth requires an interaction of nutrients and optimal conditions, which may not be fully provided by finasteride in isolation. An effective treatment regime that targets a range of conditions of hair loss can significantly stem hair loss and enhance the strength of newly developed hair, hence making it less susceptible to further shedding.

If you are experiencing hair loss and would like to address it proactively, we urge you to reach out to Hairy Hair today. It is simple to start your treatment; all you need to do is complete a brief online survey regarding your hair loss concerns. One of our qualified Australian GPs will then contact you to discuss a customised treatment plan and respond to any questions that you may have.

Your prescription will then be delivered straight to your door, eliminating the necessity for trips to the clinic. Our specialist team will be available to assist you through your procedure to potentially restore your hair and rebuild your confidence.

 

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