Does Finasteride Work for a Receding Hairline?
Have you noticed your hairline starting to creep back? Is wearing a hat becoming the norm?
While you might be spending an unusually long time in front of the mirror considering your options, the fact of the matter is you do have some options you might not yet have considered.
Learn more about common treatments
Finasteride
Propecia
Have you thought about a hair loss treatment? Yes, there’s plenty of phoney BS-backed hair loss treatments out there, but there are some that do actually work.
Finasteride, also sold under the brand name Propecia, is that exception. It’s scientifically proven to work and to stop hair loss. For lots of men, it can even help regrow the lost hair. But, can it help regrow your receding hairline? Let’s take a look.
What causes a receding hairline?
A range of things can make your hair fall out. Stress, illnesses, medications, even a bad diet. These tend to make your hair fall out in clumps or all over your head. However, if your hairline is receding it’s likely you have male pattern baldness (MPB).
This is the most common cause of hair loss in men. It’s called pattern baldness, as the hair is lost in a specific pattern. Your hair usually thins and recedes first along your hairline and on your crown. MPB is caused by a mix of ageing, genetics and hormones. The main hormone involved is called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT causes your follicles to shrink over time, meaning the hairs they produce get progressively shorter and finer. Eventually the follicle closes up and produces no hair at all. This is why your hair thins before you get bald patches.
How does finasteride work for male pattern baldness?
Finasteride is an MPB treatment. It comes in pill form and it works by blocking the production of an enzyme called 5α-Reductase that converts testosterone into DHT. Finasteride lowers the amount of DHT you have in your scalp, slowing the shrinkage of your hair follicles and in some cases allowing them to produce thicker and longer hairs again. Basically, it helps you fight your hair loss and sometimes return lost hair.
The information that comes with finasteride and most of the research that’s been done focuses on how it helps with hair loss on your crown (vertex baldness). What about a receding hairline?
Will finasteride regrow my hairline?
MPB causes you to lose hair on your crown and along your hairline first because these follicles are more sensitive to DHT than the follicles elsewhere on your head.
What you need to know about finasteride is that it works just as well on all the follicles on your head. This means that it should be just as effective for most men at treating a receding hairline as it is at treating hair loss on your scalp. Nice one!
This has also been proven with scientific research. A year-long study looking at the effects of finasteride on receding hairlines found it significantly increased the density of hair along the hairline in most of the men involved in the research.
Does finasteride work on temples?
Scientific research and a huge amount of anecdotal evidence show that finasteride can help with your temples and hairline. It can slow or stop any further hair loss and for some men it can even help regrow lost hair.
What other treatments can restore my hairline?
Other hair loss treatments include hair transplants, although these are usually more suitable for when you have larger areas of hair loss, not just a receding hairline. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) also shows promise for treating hair loss.
Try finasteride
If you’re interested in trying finasteride you can order it directly NowPatient. Finasteride is a prescription medication, but we can offer you an online consultation with one of our doctors who can issue you with a prescription if they feel finasteride is right for you.
Sources
Medical Disclaimer
NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.
The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.
Related Articles
Can I Trust NowPatient
Our product and services are certified to international healthcare, medical device and data security standards
Medicines Experts
Meet our medical team
We are a broad skilled and passionate group of clinicians with experience of operating in health systems in the United Kingdom & United States. Providing excellent care and advice is at the heart of everything we do. You can read more about our medical team by visiting the medical team page or learn more about how we curate content by visiting our editorial process
WHY WE BUILT NOWPATIENT
We are committed to helping everyone, everywhere live healthier lives
The NowPatient virtual care platform provides you with access to trusted health information, affordable treatments, management of chronic health conditions and continuous monitoring for health risks. NowPatient can be accessed by downloading the App or using your web browser.
Download our app today
Your Questions Answered
For your peace of mind, we can answer your questions quickly
What does NowPatient do?
NowPatient is a digital health-technology platform functioning as both an online pharmacy and telehealth service. Packaged as a Class I software medical device, it’s accessible via web browser or mobile app (iOS and Android), and offers users worldwide on-demand access to virtual consultations, prescription services, and AI-powered health tools.
Ownership
The service is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy registered in England and Wales (company no. 04004930) with its registered office at Lynwood House, 373–375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW. Infohealth Ltd holds the necessary MHRA approvals for its pharmacy and telehealth offerings.
What It Does
- NHS Online Pharmacy: Order NHS-approved prescriptions (UK)
- Drug Savings: Access major US drug-savings programs (coupons, savings cards, manufacturer assistance, Canadian drug savings).
- Virtual Consultations: Get treated for a wide range of medical conditions by expert clinicians using a secure telehealth link.
- Medication Management: Set up refill & dose reminders, view private treatment plans, and track chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
- Health-Monitoring Tools: Use AI-driven assessments for genetic risk tests, home test kits and blood-pressure monitoring.
- Wellness Insights: Access real-time pollen counts, air-quality data, BMI and type 2 diabetes risk scores, plus comprehensive health-condition information.
Get started today and benefit from Medication Reminders, Get Treated Privately, NHS Online Pharmacy, GP Appointment Booking, Rx Savings Card, Drug Coupons, US Drug Savings Programs, Health Conditions Information, Genetic Testing, Home Test Kits, BMI Risks, Type 2 Diabetes Risks, Pollen Meter, Air Quality Monitor, and lots more!
Our service is operated by experienced medical professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom.
You can view the online services we provide by clicking the link below:
Where is NowPatient located?
NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.
In the UK, we are located at:
NowPatient
28 Chipstead Valley Road
Coulsdon
Surrey
CR52RA
In the US, we are located at:
NowPatient
8911 North Capital of Texas Highway
Suite 4200 #1263
78759
Austin, TX
How can I contact NowPatient?
To contact NowPatient, please use the contact form available on the Contact Us page.
Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:
UK telephone number – 020 388 51 500
US telephone number – 1-866-967-1977
Who owns NowPatient?
NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.
Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).
Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?
NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.
Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).
Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.
How do I make a complaint?
From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?
Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:
• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old
NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?
Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.
You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.
We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.
Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?
Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.
NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.
Our service is trusted by thousands of patients worldwide. You can read their reviews on our Trustpilot:
What are NowPatient’s opening hours?
Our office hours are:
UK – Monday-Friday 9am-6pm GMT
US – Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST
Please note that we are closed at weekends.
In the event of a medical life-threatening emergency please call:
UK – 999
US – 911
In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:
UK – 111