For those battling male pattern baldness and severe hair loss, finasteride is a medication that can help alleviate some of their symptoms and stimulate hair growth.
It’s been proven to be effective therapy for hair loss in men, and many are turning to it as a solution to combat hair loss.
However, you want to do more research because finasteride results are...a little bit odd.
Table of content
What Alternative Do You Have to Finasteride?
Before we jump in, let's get it out there.
Finasteride has its merits - but also demerits:
- Finasteride is effective in hair growth, but it can cause severe side effects
- Finasteride is FDA-approved, but you will lose more hair before you see results
Our founder got fed up with that dilemma and decided to find a solution to your hair loss that is effective AND safe.
After years of collaboration with clinics, labs, and scientists from Spain, Denmark, and the US, we have developed a Hair Growth Routine.
What is different about Scandinavian Biolabs?
- Our formula has undergone clinical trials and testing.
- Labs, clinics, and hairdressers are using our routines.
- We have a whole host of success stories from real people like you.
- Our customers are absolutely satisfied with our products and the support they've been given throughout the journey.
- Our Hair Growth Routine comes with a 150-day money-back guarantee, subject to terms and conditions.
Here's one of our success story:
Take Niels, our customer who trusted us to help with his mature hairline. The result is sent by Niels, who used our Hair Growth Routine For Men.
Before our solution, Niels had quite a receding hairline (pictured):
He persisted with our Hair Growth Routine for the period we recommended (150 days for optimal, naturally-assisted results).
Look what it did!
After using our Hair Growth Routine, Niels observed changes in his hairline.
No doubt, after resolving the issue, anyone (probably including Niels) would feel more confident, self-assured and optimistic.
Niels was one of the many success stories that we have on our homepage.
As your leading source for hair health information over the past 4 years, we never compromise on accuracy. When it comes to your health, you deserve information you can truly rely on - and earning your trust is our top priority.
Here's how Scandinavian Biolabs ensures every piece of content meets the highest standards of accuracy and integrity:
- Credentialed Experts: Our reviewers are actively practicing doctors and medical researchers
- Stringent Reviews: Content undergoes rigorous editing by subject specialists and review by a practicing doctor.
- Evidence-Based: We rely on well-established research from trusted scientific sources like peer-reviewed journals and health authorities.
- Full Transparency: Our editorial standards, writer credentials, reviewer credentials, correction process, and funding are all publicly documented.
- Independent Voice: While we do promote products, we operate in a vacuum to business operations. Our main goal is just an unwavering commitment to providing medically-sound guidance.
You can count on Scandinavian Biolabs to consistently deliver the trustworthy health information you deserve. Read our Editorial Standards.
What is Finasteride?
As opposed to other hair loss treatments, Finasteride needs to be prescribed by a doctor, taken every day, and takes about six months to show results. Although this may all sound quite inconvenient, the results continue long term and have long lasting effects on the patient’s hair growth.
This can vary from person to person, as not everyone responds to Finasteride in the same way, and can even have some less than desirable side effects.
The before and after pictures of those who have chosen a Finasteride course of treatment are quite astounding. The differences are very clear, and Finasteride has become known as one of the most effective ways for people to deal with hair loss.
Have a look at an example of the results to be expected by following this method below:
Let’s dive a little deeper into the science behind using Finasteride to remedy hair loss.
How Do You Take Finasteride?
The most common way in which it is administered is in pills that patients need to take once a day. Not missing any doses is crucial for seeing optimal results, and while missing one day’s treatment won’t be too damaging, being generally inconsistent is enough to hinder the process.
That’s because Finasteride can only stay in your system for up to 16 hours, meaning that a continually topped up dose is essential for the effectiveness of your treatment.
If at any time you cease oral finasteride treatment, the hair thinning and balding process will resume, erasing any progress in hair regrowth you might have achieved. That is why it needs to be taken continuously for essentially the patient’s whole life - which many can see as a downside.
Apart from the pill form, topical finasteride can also be applied directly to the scalp through creams and gels. The results of the two are largely the same, but the topical solution needs to be applied twice daily in order to have similar results to the pill form, which many people might find inconvenient.
How Does Finasteride Improve Hair Growth?
By blocking the conversion of testosterone into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), finasteride prevents shrunken hair follicles, ensuring they remain healthy and capable of producing thicker hair. Their shrinking causes slow-growing, thin and brittle hair. Finasteride stops this conversion and gives the hair follicles time and space to come back to life.
Who Can Take Finasteride?
Finasteride is essentially medication taken for male pattern hair loss, and should only be taken by men (as it can affect women’s childbearing potential). It is only for adults aged 18 or older.
Is a Finasteride Treatment Expensive?
Compared to the cost of other hair loss treatments that can be invasive and very costly, Finasteride is a relatively inexpensive treatment to follow.
A private prescription for Finasteride (and in most countries, you will need a prescription to be able to buy it), 12 weeks’ worth of Finasteride tablets will cost around €150 - coming up to around €2 per tablet.
Considering the fact that this course of treatment will provide you with long-term improvements in your hair growth and is so minimally invasive, it seems like a fair price point.
But, do keep in mind the fact that you will need to take it every day for the rest of your life, coming up to a cost or around €720 per year, which is not a negligible cost.
What Are the Side Effects of Finasteride?
Many people end up taking it for many months or even years without having any massively disturbing side effects. The common side effects do come up in more that 1 in 100 people, but improve after a while:
- Difficulty in getting and maintaining an erection
- Lower sex drive and less interest in having sex
- Problems with ejaculation, including little or no semen
The more serious side effects are quite rare and affect less than 1 in 1,000 people, but would start showing after a few months of use.
- Lumps, pain and swelling in the chest (in the worst cases, discharge from nipples and even breast cancer)
- Depression and suicidal thoughts
These side effects are not negligible at all, and you should discuss them with your doctor ahead of beginning your treatment. Going through the side effects can cause your hair loss from stress.
There are alternatives to finasteride, such as our Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine, which we offer with a money-back guarantee.
Is a Finasteride Treatment for Hair Loss Effective?
Finasteride, often recommended as a hair loss treatment, has been proven to be one of the most efficient solutions for those struggling with thinning hair and male pattern baldness.
The American Hair Loss Association has released some statistics that are likely to convince anyone to at least consider trying it: they found that Fnasteride stopped the progression of hair loss in 86% of the men who participated in clinical trials, and 65% of them noticed an increase in hair growth.
You can see below how even in a severe case of hair loss, the results can be astounding. While the patient’s hair isn’t entirely restored, these are the results after only 6 month of topical finasteride treatment.
What to Ask Yourself Before Taking Finasteride?
Will you commit to taking a tablet every day?
If you won’t maintain the consistency needed, the treatment will have been for nothing. Ensure that you can fully commit to it.
Are you ok with waiting 3-6 months to see results?
Like our products, it won't be able to grow your hair instantly in weeks. You would have to wait at least 3 to 6 months to start seeing some results.
Are you prepared for intensified hair loss in the first 3 months of treatment?
As you begin your treatment, it will seem that your hair loss has accelerated. That is normal, and a sign that the drug is working - however, this can be something many people don’t want to experience.
Our Hair Growth Routine aims to support natural hair growth.
Has your hair loss progressed too far for treatment?
If you are bald or have bald spots, you will most probably not see a huge difference from using Finasteride. It might be best to save yourself some time and effort by realising early on that this treatment is not for you.
Like finasteride, our products are not designed to reverse balding. They are formulated to support existing hair follicles.
How Can You Speed Up Finasteride Treatment Results?
Given that it takes a few months to witness visible hair regrowth, leading to frustration among users, specialists have devised various methods to enhance the speed of results and treat thinning hair more efficiently.
Usage in conjunction with minoxidil
Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a foam that, when applied to the scalp, stimulates hair growth. Using it alongside a Finasteride treatment, whether oral or topical, can accelerate the regrowth of shrunken hair follicles and show quicker results. Minoxidil increases the flow of blood and, implicitly, brings more nutrients to blood follicles.
Around 40% of men experience hair growth when using it, and scientists have discovered that when used in conjunction with Finasteride, the effects of both substances are boosted.
The only issue is that minoxidil, just like finasteride, needs to be used continuously, or results will reverse. Minoxidil also comes with a not negligible list of side effects, some are similar, some are worse than finasteride. Many are turning to more natural alternatives to it.
Usage of LLLT devices
LLLT is short for low-level laser therapy.
You’ve probably come across these LLLT devices; they resemble wands and, when used on the scalp, they enhance blood circulation to the hair follicle, fostering better hair regrowth. LLT has been cleared by the FDA as a certified method of treating hair loss, and combining it with Finasteride and Minoxidil improves results.
Massage your scalp
One common theme you might notice is the importance of adequate blood flow to the scalp. This can be done in a more simple method such as massaging your scalp. According to a recent study, a 15-minute scalp massage daily made 69% of respondents report “hair loss stabilisation or regrowth”. It might be more time-consuming, but if you’re not keen on complicated hair routines and tools, then this might be a good solution for you.
Conclusion
Finasteride is a good course of treatment to consider for those facing severe hair loss issues. It can take months to begin seeing results, and some people may find that although they take it diligently, it just doesn’t work for them.
READ MORE:
- Propecia Vs. Finasteride: What Makes Them Different?
- How To Repair Damaged Hair Follicles?
- Slow Hair Growth: Explanation, Causes & Solutions
References
