Finasteride Shedding: What It Is and How Long It Lasts

Finasteride shedding sounds like a contradiction, right? A hair growth treatment that causes…more hair loss? Not exactly what you want from a hair loss solution. 

But here’s the thing: finasteride shedding is completely normal, and usually a sign that the medication is starting to work.

Some men notice a temporary increase in hair loss in the early stages of finasteride treatment. We get it. Watching more hairs fall out can be unnerving. But this short-lived shedding phase is part of the process. It’s your hair making way for newer, stronger strands.

Wondering why shedding happens, when it starts, how long it lasts, and what to do if it doesn’t stop? Keep reading for answers.

The big question: Does finasteride cause hair loss? Simply put, no. But you might experience some initial shedding.

“Similar to minoxidil, finasteride can cause a temporary shedding phase. It’s part of the follicle reset process. As DHT levels drop, some weaker hairs fall before stronger ones grow in,” says Hannah Kopelman, DO.

During the first few months of treatment with finasteride, some men see more hair loss than typical — a phenomenon known as finasteride shedding or Propecia ^® shedding (finasteride is the generic version of Propecia).

As a treatment for androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, finasteride works by reducing levels of the androgen (male hormone) dihydrotestosterone (DHT) throughout the body. This, in turn, shields hair follicles from the effects of DHT.

Finasteride works well as a long-term treatment for male pattern hair loss. A 10-year study on finasteride found that more than 99 percent of men who use it experience no further progression of their hair loss.

But you won’t see results from finasteride right away. It usually takes three to four months before you see noticeable new growth. And the “final” results from finasteride only typically show up after about one year of consistent use.

Before that, finasteride may cause a stutter in your hair’s internal clock, specifically its growth cycles. We’ll explain why this happens below.

Though experts aren’t totally sure why finasteride often causes temporary hair shedding, some believe it may have to do with the hair growth cycle.

Every hair on your body goes through a multi-phase hair cycle involving distinct hair growth periods, regression, rest, and shedding.

During one phase of this cycle, the anagen phase (or the growth phase), hair grows to its full length before resting and falling out.

The anagen phase for hair on your scalp typically lasts several years. It’s much shorter for your body hair, which is why the hair on your arms, legs, and torso naturally grows to a shorter length than the hair on your scalp and face.

Roughly 90 percent of the hairs on your scalp are in the anagen phase at any given time, with other hairs in different phases of the hair growth cycle (catagen, telogen, or exogen).

Finasteride works by inhibiting the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. DHT can attach to receptors in tissue throughout your body, including hair follicles on your scalp.

Over time, DHT-related damage to hair follicles can result in hair follicle miniaturization, which leads to thin, damaged hairs.

When DHT binds to receptors in the scalp and damages hair follicles, it can shorten the anagen phase so much that new hairs eventually stop growing out from the scalp. Finasteride can cause hair to abruptly exit the telogen phase, resulting in lots of shedding at once.

Finasteride Shedding Cycles

After you start using finasteride, your DHT levels drop significantly. In fact, research shows that a typical dose of finasteride lowers the amount of DHT freely circulating throughout your body by more than 70 percent.

By blocking DHT, finasteride can promote hair follicles to enter the anagen phase, where they can actively grow.

Due to this decline in DHT levels and sudden promotion of hair growth, hair follicles in the regression and resting phases of the hair cycle may become active again.

This could cause temporary hair loss as some hair follicles shed old hairs to replace them with new ones. This may seem jarring, but it’s actually a good thing — it makes room for new, healthy hair to grow in place of the damaged hair.

When does finasteride shedding start? It depends, but if you experience it at all, you’ll typically see more hair fall within one to three months of use.

Here’s what to expect from a finasteride shedding timeline:

• Finasteride shedding in month one. You probably won’t see shedding this early on, as the hair growth cycle is in flux. But it’s possible.

• Finasteride shedding at two to three months. This is when people taking finasteride typically notice shedding. You may also notice new hair growth during this period.

• Finasteride shedding at six months. Finasteride shedding usually resolves within six months. By then, you should be seeing some new healthy hair growth over balding areas.

• Finasteride shedding after a year. You shouldn’t be seeing hair loss due to finasteride at this point. If you’re still seeing noticeable hair loss after a year on the medication, it’s best to check in with a dermatologist or another healthcare provider to find out what’s going on.

Men experience different volumes of hair shedding when starting out with finasteride, but it’s common to see about double the normal amount of shedding than usual.

Men can shed around 50 to 100 hairs daily. “If a patient is seeing more than that for more than a few months, I’ll do a full workup to rule out other causes,” says Dr. Kopelman.

This natural shedding is usually not noticeable (especially if you have short hair), but as it doubles, you might take notice.

Finasteride shedding, even if noticeable, is different from balding or hair loss. “Timing and context help. If shedding starts a few weeks into treatment and slows after 3–6 months, it’s likely related to the medication. Balding, on the other hand, doesn’t usually come on suddenly,” says Dr. Kopelman.

Some Men Only Experience Minimal Shedding

We surveyed men from the community who have experienced finasteride shedding, and here’s what they had to say:

• “I only experienced a little shedding, but it would come out in the shower or after I would shave my head. I noticed it more when I would cut my hair or run my hand across my head, but it was very very minimal.” -Steven V.

• “Shedding was expected after doing tons of research beforehand, so it wasn’t a surprise to me. The shedding wasn’t a significant amount and was only noticeable if I was either brushing or washing my hair.” -Cameron H.  

• “I actually saw no further shedding once I started [the treatment]. It seemed to reduce shedding, and I feel like the hair line has filled in some as well.” -Nick C.

Does Minoxidil Make Shedding From Finasteride Worse?

Finasteride shedding can be severe if you also use topical minoxidil (a medication designed to stimulate hair growth).

Though its mechanism of action still isn’t fully understood, experts believe minoxidil works by encouraging hair follicles to enter the anagen phase of the growth cycle. It also improves blood circulation to the scalp, which may give your hair follicles more nutrients for healthy hair growth.

Like finasteride, minoxidil is known for causing temporary hair loss during the first few weeks or months of use, as inactive strands of hair shed before entering the anagen phase.

Not all shedding with minoxidil and finasteride will be severe, though:

At the beginning, I did notice some shedding, but it was minor and short-lived. Probably the same amount that I was already shedding. It was different than my actual baldness because the actual hair follicles themselves were longer, but I wasn’t concerned because I was told by the doctors that that was a part of the process.” -Alex S.

If you start to experience hair shedding after you start using finasteride (either alone or with minoxidil), it’s important to stay the course.

Finasteride does work for many men, and the hair shedding you might experience during the first few months of treatment is most often temporary.

Keep using finasteride as prescribed. After three to four months, you should notice real improvements in your hair density and general growth.

Finasteride shedding is a temporary issue that lasts only a few months. After starting treatment with finasteride, you may notice some regions of your scalp have slightly less hair coverage than before, especially under bright lighting or when your hair is wet.

In a clinical trial published in the European Journal of Dermatology, experts found that men with hair loss who used finasteride showed improvements in hair density after six months of use.

In other words, after six months, new hair growth should more than make up for any finasteride shedding.

Similarly, shedding from minoxidil is generally a temporary issue that completely reverses within the first few months.

If you notice shedding after you start using finasteride, don’t panic. Stay focused on the long term and keep using your medication daily. Over time, you’ll likely notice thin areas filling back in with new, healthier hair as your follicles become active once again.

Finasteride shedding after six months to one year is both unusual and a sign that something aside from finasteride could be causing your hair loss. In those cases, it’s best to consult a medical provider.

While finasteride is effective on its own, it’s even more effective when combined with other hair loss treatments and good hair care habits.

We’ll go over a few tips to improve your finasteride results and help you better maintain any hair growth you experience while using this medication.

Use Finasteride With Minoxidil

One of the best ways to improve your results from finasteride is to use it with minoxidil.

Minoxidil is available over the counter as a topical solution (liquid) and a foam. It promotes hair growth locally at the scalp level, allowing you to simultaneously treat hair loss and potentially stimulate hair growth from more than one angle.

In one study, researchers compared the effectiveness of finasteride and minoxidil alone to a combination of the two medications.

They found that 59 percent of men who only used minoxidil and about 84 percent of those who only used finasteride experienced improvements in hair growth after 12 months.

In comparison, a significantly higher 94 percent of men who used both hair loss medications together experienced improvements in hair growth.

We offer minoxidil solution and minoxidil foam online, allowing you to easily add this treatment to your hair loss prevention toolkit. You can also try our Hair Hybrids, which combine finasteride with minoxidil in a convenient chewable form.

Use a Hair Loss Prevention Shampoo

In addition to using minoxidil with finasteride, washing your hair with a hair loss shampoo like our Thick Fix Shampoo may help prevent further hair loss and keep your hair in optimal condition.

Helpful ingredients to look for in a hair loss shampoo include ketoconazole and saw palmetto, both of which have been linked to reduced DHT and improved hair growth in scientific research.

It’s worth noting that although these ingredients appear to be effective, the scientific evidence for them isn’t as strong as it is for finasteride or minoxidil.

Take a Hair-Friendly Vitamin Supplement

Vitamin B7, or biotin, plays a critical role in the growth process for hair, skin, and nails. Plenty of other vitamins also help promote consistent hair growth and ensure your strands remain healthy.

While vitamins don’t seem to have any significant role in preventing male pattern baldness (unless you have a deficiency), they may help keep your hair in optimal condition.

Consuming plenty of vitamin-rich foods that promote hair growth or taking a vitamin supplement like our biotin gummies are good places to start.

Take Photos to Track Your Progress

Finasteride can take up to one year to produce significant results. This means you’ll need to use the medication for some time before your hair loss stops and new growth occurs.

To keep yourself motivated, it can help to take photos of your hairline and scalp to stay on top of any changes that occur in your hair.

Our guide to taking finasteride before-and-after photos explains how you can keep track of new hair growth while using finasteride.

If You Smoke, Kick the Habit

Smoking isn’t just harmful to your heart and lungs — it can also damage your hair follicles and contribute to hair loss.

A study carried out in Taiwan found that regular cigarette smoking was associated with an elevated risk of developing moderate or severe hair loss in men.

If you’re a smoker, consider quitting. Not only can kicking the habit improve your general health, it may also help you grow thicker, stronger hair.

Dr. Kopelman says that if you’re experiencing minimal shedding, you probably don’t have reason to be concerned or take action — unless you’re experiencing other side effects.

“If the shedding is persistent or accompanied by other symptoms (like sexual side effects), a person should talk to their provider. But, consistency is key — finasteride is a long game.”

Here’s what to keep in mind about finasteride shedding:

• Shedding can be one of the early side effects of finasteride. It’s common and normal to experience some diffuse hair loss or finasteride shedding when you first start using the medication.

• For most men, any temporary hair loss from finasteride reverses within a few months. Consistent use can help you grow a thicker, fuller head of hair and curb male pattern baldness.

• The shedding phase won’t last forever. But for some men, it may take up to a year to start seeing noticeable results with finasteride.

• Combining finasteride treatment with minoxidil might give you better results. You’ll likely see faster, more noticeable hair growth when using both medications.

We offer finasteride as part of our range of hair loss medications, following an online consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who’ll determine if a prescription is appropriate.

You can also find out more about your options for stopping hair loss and promoting regrowth in our detailed guide to preventing hair loss.