How to Get Faster Finasteride Results
Hair loss treatments don’t have a good history. As long as men have been losing hair, we’ve been drinking miracle cures and rubbing all kinds of substances on our heads. The problem is that none of them worked. But then in 1992, along came finasteride.
Now it’s the go-to treatment for many guys to tackle male pattern baldness. But it can take time to see results with finasteride. Here we explain what you can expect from it and what you can do to get the best results with finasteride, as fast as possible.
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What is finasteride?
Finasteride (also sold under the brand name Propecia) is a scientifically proven treatment for male pattern baldness (MPB) – the most common cause of hair loss in men.
How does finasteride work?
MPB is all about a mix of aging, genetics, and hormones. And the biggest culprit when it comes to hormones is DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT attacks the hair follicles in your scalp, causing them to shrink over time and produce thinner and shorter hairs, and eventually no hair at all.
Finasteride fights back against this by reducing how much DHT you have in your scalp. It blocks the enzyme (called type II 5α-reductase) that converts testosterone into DHT. This lowers DHT levels and stops it from shrinking your hair follicles. That’s what we’re talking about!
Does finasteride work?
And this is the biggie, compared to loads of MPB treatments. It’s a big fat yes. Finasteride is one of the few treatments for MPB that works. In clinical trials for finasteride, around 70% of men stopped losing hair and between 37% and 66% of men regained some lost hair. So, can finasteride regrow lost hair? Yes it can. Nice!
How long does finasteride take to work?
So, how long does it take to see results from finasteride? This will vary by man. Generally, with daily use of finasteride, you can expect to see noticeable results within three to six months. This is because hair follows a growth cycle, which means you must wait for the older, thinner hair to fall out and be replaced with a new growth of thicker hair.
As you continue to use finasteride and as DHT is kept at bay for longer you can see major improvements after one year. After five years of continuous use, you’ll have up to 10% more hair.
How do i know if finasteride is working?
Be consistent and keep using finasteride every day and you will begin to see results. If you don’t feel like it’s working, it may help to take regular photos of your head. Hair growth can be subtle. You may not notice it day to day, but photos can reveal changes over time.
How to speed up finasteride results
Yes, you can get impressive results with finasteride. But when it comes to our hair we’re not always that patient are we guys? So, what can you do to speed up hair growth with finasteride?
Try these tips:
Combine finasteride with minoxidil
Minoxidil (also sold under the brand name Rogaine) is the second major treatment for MPB. Like finasteride, minoxidil is proven to slow and stop hair loss and can even regrow some lost hair. You use minoxidil as a liquid or foam you apply to your scalp. It works by improving the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your hair follicles, which stimulates them to grow thicker and longer hairs.
Because minoxidil works in a different way from finasteride and contains a different active ingredient, you can use finasteride and minoxidil together safely. Research has even shown they can be more effective when used in combination rather than using each alone.
Take a vitamin D supplement
Vitamin D is required to produce new hair and research has suggested that increasing your vitamin D intake (if you have low levels) can limit hair loss to male pattern baldness. It’s not guaranteed, but increasing your intake of vitamin D alongside using finasteride may help you see results faster. You can get more vitamin D by spending more time in the sun and eating food rich in vitamin D (we’re talking eggs and oily fish). Vitamin D supplements are a cheap, easy, and effective way to boost your vitamin D levels.
Try a biotin supplement
Biotin (also known as vitamin B7) is one of the most important vitamins for hair growth. Biotin is needed to produce keratin, which is the main ingredient in hair. Not getting enough biotin in your diet can make your hair brittle and vulnerable to damage. It can even make it fall out. Taking biotin supplements alongside finasteride could improve your chances of seeing faster results.
Eat a healthy diet
As well as vitamin D and biotin, a wide range of other vitamins and minerals are needed to produce healthy hair. These include:
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- Vitamin E
- Zinc
- Iron
- Riboflavin
- Omega 3 oils
- Folic acid
By eating a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as pulses, whole grains, nuts, low-fat dairy, and lean meats, you can make sure you get enough of these vitamins and minerals. This will give your hair the best chance it has to grow thick and full.
Try a daily scalp massage
This might sound a little far-fetched but trust us. Research has shown that daily four-minute massages, over 24 weeks were able to improve hair growth and thickness. It’s not known for sure why this is, but it’s thought it could be due to improving blood flow in the scalp and/or softening skin, and allowing hair to grow more easily.
Try a DHT blocking shampoo
A range of shampoos claim they can block the production of DHT in your scalp. The evidence of how well these shampoos work is lacking so far, but if they do what they claim, they could further help reduce DHT levels alongside finasteride. You can always experiment to see if DHT blocking shampoos work for you.
Sources
- Standardized Scalp Massage Results in Increased Hair Thickness by Inducing Stretching Forces to Dermal Papilla Cells in the Subcutaneous Tissue – PMC
- The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review – PMC
- Use of Finasteride in the Treatment of Men With Androgenetic Alopecia (Male Pattern Hair Loss) – ScienceDirect
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.
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NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.
In the UK, we are located at:
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Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:
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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.
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Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:
• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
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• caring for adults over 65 years old
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NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla. Dr Ihtesham Sabri is the Medical Director for NowPatient and is responsible for NowPatient’s prescribing formulary and treatment guidelines, which are used by clinicians for safe and effective prescribing.
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.
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4Choose ClinicianOn the ‘Choose Clinician’ screen, you’ll be able to view available clinicians and select the one you prefer. You can filter the list by gender and spoken languages. Once you’ve made your selection, click ‘Continue’.
5Booking ConfirmationYou will now arrive at the ‘Booking Confirmation’ screen, where you can review a summary of your booking. This screen also includes an advisory titled ‘Pre-consultation Requirements’, which offers helpful tips on how to prepare for your live video consultation. Click ‘Continue’ to proceed.
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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.
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Yes. NowPatient is fully insured to provide pharmacy & prescribing services. Insurance not only provides peace of mind but also provides an effective safety net for both you and our clinicians.
Why is it important to choose an online pharmacy and telehealth service that is insured?
Insurance is more than just a financial safeguard, it is a signal of legitimacy and accountability.
We insure our services, so that it:
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Who insures your services and which services are insured?
We are insured by the National Pharmacy Association in the UK.
The scope of the services covered include:
- dispensing of prescriptions
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In addition, all of the clinicians that operate on our platform have their personal indemnity insurance & scope of clinical practice validated and checked before they are able to provide services.
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Our office hours are:
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Please note that we are closed at weekends.
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