For those experiencing severe hair loss, finasteride is a medication that can help alleviate some of their symptoms.
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.
Summary:
- Finasteride alternative - for the saavy
- What is finasteride?
- How do you take finasteride?
- How does finasteride improve hair growth?
- Who can take finasteride?
- Is finasteride expensive?
- What are finasteride side effects? Are they bad?
- Is finasteride effective for hair loss?
- Finasteride newbies: Ask yourself these questions!
- How can you see faster finasteride results?
- Conclusion
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 - our Hair Growth Routine is ready.
What is different about Scandinavian Biolabs?
- Our formula is clinically-trialed and tested with staggering results.
- 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.
- For the purchase of our Hair Growth Routine, you are eligible for a 150-day money-back guarantee (with documentation).
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 our treatment, Niels experienced consistent hair growth from the same scalp that has been receding for years.
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.
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 stop taking Finasteride, the balding process will resume and all your progress will be lost. That is why it needs to be taken continuously for essentially the patient’s whole life - which many can see as a downside.
Finasteride can also be taken in topical form, in 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 (which you probably know as DHT), hair follicles are stopped from shrinking. 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.
Luckily, alternatives to finasteride are available on the market like our Scandinavian Biolabs Hair Growth Routine that's guaranteed to work.
Is a Finasteride Treatment for Hair Loss Effective?
Finasteride has been proven to be one of the most efficient courses of treatment for those struggling with hair loss.
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 doesn't do that, IT. JUST. GROWS. NATURALLY.
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.
Sadly, similar to finasteride, our products aren't able to reverse balding. However, if your hair follicles are still alive, we'll revive it.
How Can You Speed Up Finasteride Treatment Results?
As the fact that it takes a few months to show results is one of the main causes of frustration with users, specialists have come up with a number of ways in which the speed can be increased:
Usage in conjunction with minoxidil
Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a foam that when rubbed into the scalp twice a day at the same time as undergoing a Finasteride treatment can increase the speed at which results can be seen. 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 seen these devices - they look like wands and by pointing them at the scalp, you can increase blood flow to hair follicles and aid in its growth. 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
You’ve probably noticed a trend here, of ensuring that there is enough 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
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/finasteride/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30671883/