Hair Restoration· Medication / Therapy

Finasteride (oral)

  • Oral
  • FDA-approved
  • Topical option available

Finasteride is the FDA-approved oral medication for androgenetic alopecia. 1 mg/day reduces DHT — the androgen that miniaturizes hair follicles — by ~70%. Most men see arrested progression of hair loss; many see partial regrowth over 6–12 months.

Typically used for:

Slowing, stopping, and reversing androgenetic alopecia.

Find a Provider★ 5.0 from 1 patient review

Benefits

What Finasteride (oral) can do for you.

  • Stops the loss

    Daily oral dose meaningfully slows or stops further hair loss for most men with androgenetic alopecia.

  • Real regrowth

    Substantial portion of men experience visible hair regrowth — vertex and frontal — over 6–12 months.

  • Decades of evidence

    FDA-approved since 1997 with a mature evidence base for efficacy and safety.

Finasteride is a 5-α reductase inhibitor and one of only two FDA-approved medications for male pattern hair loss (the other is minoxidil).4 Approved in 1997 at 1 mg/day for androgenetic alopecia, it remains the most evidence-supported pharmaceutical intervention for slowing and partially reversing hair loss.12

How it works

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the androgen primarily responsible for miniaturizing scalp hair follicles in genetically susceptible men. Finasteride inhibits the type II 5-α reductase enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, lowering scalp DHT by roughly 60–70%.4 Reduced DHT exposure allows follicles to recover and remain in the anagen growth phase longer.

What the evidence supports

The five-year Kaufman trial established the durability of finasteride's effect: at five years, 90% of treated men showed no further hair loss vs. ~25% on placebo, and ~65% showed visible regrowth.1 Subsequent literature has confirmed and extended these findings.2 Combination with minoxidil produces additive benefit; combination with PRP produces further additive benefit.

Topical vs. oral

Topical finasteride formulations have grown in popularity. They achieve scalp DHT suppression comparable to oral dosing but with substantially lower systemic exposure, which may reduce the rate and severity of sexual side effects.3 Topical finasteride is still off-label in the US; quality depends on the compounding pharmacy.

Side effects and honest discussion

  • Sexual side effects (decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation issues) occur in ~2–4% of men on the registration trials. Discontinuation typically reverses them.
  • Post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) describes persistent sexual, neurologic, or cognitive symptoms after discontinuation. Its existence as a distinct entity is debated; prevalence (if real) appears very low. Take patient reports seriously.
  • Lowers PSA by approximately 50% — important to communicate to your primary care physician so PSA values are interpreted correctly.
  • Pregnant women must not handle crushed/broken tablets — feminization of male fetus risk.

How it works

From consult to follow-up.

  1. Initial consultation

    A board-certified physician reviews your symptoms, history, and goals. At many participating clinics the first visit is complimentary.

  2. Baseline labs

    Bloodwork tailored to the protocol. Results come back in days, not weeks. We don't prescribe before we have your numbers.

  3. Personalized protocol

    Your physician calibrates your dose based on your labs and your goals — not a template. Adjustments happen as your data evolves.

  4. Ongoing follow-up

    Recheck visits at six and twelve weeks, then quarterly. Real follow-up, structured into the plan.

Duration
Daily 1 mg oral tablet (or topical alternative)
Results timeline
Slowed loss by 3 months; visible regrowth by 6–12 months

Designed around your schedule

  • Consults are short

    Initial visits are typically 45–60 minutes. Many participating clinics waive the fee for new patients.

  • Telehealth follow-ups

    Where state regulations allow, follow-up visits are conducted via telehealth — no extra drive time.

  • Medication shipped

    Prescriptions ship directly from a 503B-licensed pharmacy to your door. No standing in line.

  • Quarterly check-ins

    Real follow-up at six and twelve weeks, then quarterly. Not constant visits, not zero visits.

Network providers

34 certified physicians offer Finasteride (oral).

Every provider in the network is board-certified and credentialed.

  • Brandon Crandall, NP

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Syracuse, NY

    Brandon Crandall, NP
    Profile

  • Candace Remington, NP

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Tampa, FL

    Candace Remington, NP
    Profile

  • Deb Gross, NP

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Centralia, WA

    Deb Gross, NP
    Profile

  • Dr. Adriana Rosales, MD

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Seattle, WA

    Dr. Adriana Rosales, MD
    Profile

  • Dr. Aleix Bazzi, MD

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Beverly Hills, CA

    Dr. Aleix Bazzi, MD
    Profile

  • Dr. Amit Grover, MD

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Seattle, WA

    Dr. Amit Grover, MD
    Profile

  • Dr. Ashish Bhavsar, MD

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Orange County, CA

    Dr. Ashish Bhavsar, MD
    Profile

  • Dr. Bona Lee, MD

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Dallas, TX

    Dr. Bona Lee, MD
    Profile

  • Dr. Brad Sellers, DO

    Men's Health / Erectile Dysfunction · Dallas, TX

    Dr. Brad Sellers, DO
    Profile
See all 34 providers

Patient reviews — Finasteride (oral)

★★★★★5.0from 1 review

  • Hugh A.

    ★★★★★

    London, UK · Jan 2025

    Started oral finasteride after the consult. Provider was upfront about both the evidence and the risk profile. Shedding for six weeks then stabilized. Hair count noticeably better at 9 months.

    Source: Internal Sample · Verified

Where to get it

Available in 23 cities.

Pick your metro to see the local clinics, providers, and booking options.

See all 23 cities

What sets us apart

Real physicians. Real labs. Real follow-up.

GentsMed is a network of board-certified physicians held to a single clinical standard — built to replace the cash-pay men's-health mills with actual medicine.

Board-certified physicians.
Every provider is licensed, NPI-verified, and credentialed by the GentsMed or Urosculpt certification board — no nurse-only prescribers, no offshore consults.
A single clinical standard.
Whether you see a urologist in Tampa or a dermatologist in New York, the protocol meets the same criteria.
Labs-driven, not guess-driven.
No prescriptions without baseline labs. No cookie-cutter dosing. Quarterly bloodwork is built into the plan.
Real follow-up.
Not a 'set it and forget it' Rx mill. Every protocol includes structured follow-up at 6 and 12 weeks, then quarterly.
Transparent pricing.
Starting-from prices where we have them, honest "consult for pricing" where we don't. No surprise bills.
Your records stay with your physician.
GentsMed is the network. We do not store your PHI. Your clinical data lives with your treating physician, where it belongs.

Frequently asked questions

References

  1. Kaufman KD, et al. Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia: a 5-year study. Eur J Dermatol. 2002;12(1):38–49.(PubMed)
  2. Mella JM, et al. Efficacy and safety of finasteride therapy for androgenetic alopecia. Arch Dermatol. 2010;146(10):1141–1150.(PubMed)
  3. Piraccini BM, et al. Efficacy and safety of topical finasteride spray solution. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2022;36(2):286–294.(PubMed)
  4. FDA label: PROPECIA (finasteride) tablets, 1 mg.(FDA)

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