Finasteride for hair loss

The mechanism

Male-pattern loss comes down to DHT shrinking your follicles. Finasteride switches off much of the enzyme (type 2 5-alpha-reductase) that makes DHT, giving those follicles room to recover.

How well it works

Across studies, finasteride stops further loss for roughly 80–90% of men and grows visible hair back for about two-thirds. It performs best when you start before losing too much, and it's strongest alongside minoxidil — that pairing moved about 94% of men to improvement within a year.

Pill or scalp?

The 1 mg oral tablet is the classic, most-studied version. A topical form delivers it to the scalp with less DHT in the bloodstream, which may cut systemic side effects while holding onto most of the benefit.

The side-effect question

A small percentage of men report sexual side effects, and for most they reverse after stopping. Because it acts on hormones, it's prescription-only and off-limits for women who could become pregnant. If you want stronger DHT control, dutasteride is the next option to raise with a doctor.