Finasteride Every Other Day: Safety, Efficacy, & Alternative Treatments

You might be interested in taking finasteride every other day for several reasons. Maybe you’re experiencing side effects and hoping that taking the medication less often will lessen them. Or perhaps you’re trying to stretch your prescription a little further to save money while still reaping the hair gains.

Here, we’ll discuss whether taking finasteride on alternating days (or even taking finasteride every three days) is a good idea.

Read on for the answer to the question that brought you here, plus information on the results of taking finasteride every other day, ways to save on cost, and finasteride alternatives if you want to try something else.

Let’s rewind to the beginning with a simple question: What is finasteride?

You may already know the answer to this, but — for the folks in the back — oral finasteride (generic Propecia®) is one of two medications approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) to treat male pattern baldness (aka androgenetic alopecia).

It’s known as a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (or 5ARI) and works by blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. But WTF is DHT?

Finasteride and DHT

DHT is short for dihydrotestosterone. It’s an androgen (male hormone) your body produces as a byproduct of testosterone.

DHT plays a vital role during fetal development and puberty — it’s essential for the differentiation of male sex organs and male characteristics like a deep voice. But too much of it can become problematic as you age.

DHT is a major contributor to male pattern baldness (also known as male pattern hair loss or androgenic alopecia) in those with a genetic sensitivity.

DHT shortens the hair growth cycle and shrinks hair follicles, which results in thinning and a receding hairline. And that’s where finasteride comes into play — it prevents testosterone from converting to DHT, helping you retain more hair.

Finasteride is generally prescribed as a once-daily medication to effectively treat conditions like male pattern baldness or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous condition that causes an enlarged prostate.

Changing the dosage schedule without medical guidance could affect finasteride’s effectiveness and potentially increase your risk of side effects.

In some corners of the internet (not this one), you may read about people who take finasteride every other day or even every three days. But this isn’t recommended in most cases.

Finasteride Half-Life

Finasteride has a short half-life, meaning it leaves the body quickly — especially compared to other medications that work similarly, like dutasteride.

Research shows that finasteride’s half-life is somewhere around five to six hours. That means the amount of it in your blood drops by half five to six hours after you take it.

Since the drug doesn’t stick around in your body for long, not taking it regularly could mess with new hair growth. There could be times when you don’t have enough of the medication in your system for it to do its job (though older research suggests a single dose of finasteride suppresses serum DHT levels for up to four days).

Finasteride for Hair Loss vs. BPH

There is (very) limited research suggesting that finasteride dosages as low as 0.2 milligrams (mg) decrease DHT. But this study is from the same year Boondock Saints came out, which is to say, it’s a bit outdated.

If you’re prescribed finasteride or Propecia for hair loss, taking your medication every other day probably isn’t dangerous (because hair loss isn’t dangerous). But it could be less effective.

Having said that, if you’re prescribed a higher dose of finasteride (or brand-name Proscar®) to treat BPH, taking your medication every other day could be dangerous, as your medical condition could get worse.

Finasteride is approved at a 1-milligram daily dose in men with androgenetic alopecia. The FDA notes that it takes three months or more of daily use before benefits are noticeable. Yes, you heard it from the FDA: daily use.

For most men, this finasteride dosage works well.

A study on Japanese men with male pattern baldness had participants take the recommended 1-milligram daily dose for 10 years. Throughout a decade of use, 99 percent of the men had no worsening of hair loss, and 91 percent saw improvements in hair growth.

Finasteride is also available in a higher dosage of 5 milligrams — but not for hair loss. A dosage this high is typically only prescribed to treat BPH and could cause adverse effects if taken for hair loss.

It’s normal to feel wary of a medication’s side effects. But finasteride side effects aren’t something most guys have to worry about when taking it for hair loss.

The FDA notes that side effects — including erectile dysfunction (ED), reduced sex drive, and lower ejaculate volume — are uncommon, occurring in less than two percent of men and disappearing with time.

Learn more in our guide to the side effects of finasteride.

Pros and Cons of Taking Finasteride Every Other Day

Theoretically, spacing out a finasteride dosage could make some people experience fewer side effects than taking it daily. However, this approach should only be considered after medical advice from a healthcare professional.

Altering the dosing schedule could affect the drug’s ability to treat male pattern baldness. And if it’s not working for hair loss, why even take it?

Maybe side effects aren’t the issue. You might be thinking about taking finasteride every other day to make your medication last longer. Brand-name Propecia can be costly, no doubt. And one of the frustrating things about hair loss treatments is that they’re unlikely to be covered by insurance — even the FDA-approved ones.

In this scenario, instead of taking your medication less frequently, you could try switching from a brand name to a generic form of finasteride.

Following an online healthcare consultation, we offer finasteride tablets (plans start at $22 a month).

But if you’re considering taking finasteride every other day to reduce side effects, looking into finasteride alternatives (which we’ll cover below) probably makes more sense.

Missing one dose probably won’t have any noticeable effect on your hair growth progress.

If you forget to take your daily finasteride, it’s usually fine to wait and take your next dose at the usual time. If you typically take it in the morning but forget (or don’t have it with you) and then remember in the evening, you can take your tablet in the evening. Then resume your regular schedule the next day.

But don’t take two pills on the same day to make up for accidentally skipping a day.

Finasteride treatment isn’t the only way to slow hair loss or see hair restoration and regrowth.

Here are a few different hair loss treatments to consider — finasteride is still on the list, just with a twist.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil, commonly known as Rogaine®, is FDA-approved as a topical solution and available off-label as a pill.

It operates differently from finasteride in that it doesn’t block DHT. Instead, minoxidil promotes increased blood flow to areas of the body that need it most: the scalp and hair follicles.

We offer the following minoxidil products:

• Minoxidil foam

• Minoxidil solution (a liquid)

• Oral minoxidil chewables

What’s the difference between minoxidil foam versus liquid? Our blog as insight.

Minoxidil Combined With Finasteride

You can also combine finasteride and minoxidil, which research shows improves their effectiveness in combating (and possibly even reversing) the impacts of hair loss. Basically, they’re better together.

Spoiler alert: While it’s an off-label use (meaning it’s not FDA-approved for this), you can use finasteride topically too.

If side effects are getting you down, research shows that topical finasteride “significantly improves hair count compared to placebo and is well-tolerated.”

It works similarly to oral finasteride but with much lower exposure to your system, which likely means fewer side effects. Side effects of topical finasteride are usually localized to the application site, and reports of skin irritation in clinical trials are pretty rare.

We have a topical finasteride & minoxidil spray and serum as part of our line of hair hybrids.

Saw Palmetto

If you’re looking for a natural alternative to finasteride, saw palmetto is worth a try. Research is limited (as with many herbal remedies), but it shows promise in slowing hair loss.

Our thickening shampoo with saw palmetto is a good place to start, and it doesn’t require a prescription.

Some research suggests it may inhibit the effects of DHT. In a study (which had some flaws, including no control group), 50 men with male pattern baldness used a topical saw palmetto treatment for 24 weeks. Participants saw increased hair count at 12 and 24 weeks.

It’s tempting to take finasteride or Propecia every other day if you’re trying to mitigate side effects or cut costs, but it’s generally not a good idea.

Before altering your prescribed dosage, always consult a healthcare professional who can weigh in on whether you should change your dose or switch medications.

Here are a few things to remember:

• Consistency is key. Taking finasteride every other day is likely less effective for treating male pattern baldness due to the medication’s short half-life. Regular dosing is key to keeping DHT levels lowered.

• Finasteride is a daily medication. Generally, it’s not advised to take the medication any other way than as a once-daily tablet for hair loss.

• Explore alternatives. Instead of taking finasteride every other day to mitigate side effects, consider alternatives like topical finasteride or minoxidil, both effective hair loss treatments with potentially fewer adverse effects.

• Look at cost-saving strategies. You might switch from brand-name finasteride to a generic version or ask your healthcare provider about more affordable treatments.

Want to learn more about finasteride? Our guides to the cost of finasteride and when to take finasteride go deep on each topic.