When is the Best Time to Take Finasteride for Hair Growth?

Also known by the brand name Propecia, finasteride is a hair loss medication often prescribed for male pattern baldness. There’s no best time to take finasteride — morning or night is fine — but you’ll want to make sure you’re taking it consistently. 

Consistency helps maintain steady levels of the drug in your body, which is crucial for reducing hair loss. 

Below, we cover how to take finasteride for the best results. We’ll look at why the time you take it doesn’t matter, and why consistency is so important.

The best time of day to take oral finasteride is whatever time you’ll remember to take it consistently. For some, that may be first thing in the morning or whenever you take your vitamins. Others may prefer to take finasteride with dinner or before bed. 

You can take oral finasteride with or without food, too, so it doesn’t need to be taken at mealtimes.

Similarly, if you’re using topical finasteride, you can apply it at any time of the day.

Taking or using finasteride consistently and avoiding missing doses helps with the medication’s absorption, metabolism, and excretion.

If you're not good at remembering to take your medication at the same time each day, it can be helpful to set an alarm. 

Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, which means it blocks the enzyme that helps your body convert testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This is the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness. By lowering your DHT levels, finasteride slows down hair loss.  

In the next sections, we’ll cover how to take finasteride. Plus, a few tips on using it effectively to get the best results.

There are a few things to keep in mind about taking finasteride for hair loss. These include dosage considerations and other steps you can take alongside finasteride to increase its effects.

When Should I Start Taking Finasteride?

The earlier you begin taking finasteride after noticing hair loss, the more effective the medication will be at preserving and protecting your hair. 

It’s typically most effective if you start taking it as soon as you see hair loss. If you’re not sure it’s noticeable, ask a kid in your life — they won’t hesitate to tell you when something’s up with your hair… or your outfit, or your body.

If you notice any thinning or hair loss, it’s a good time to start taking finasteride.

What If I Miss a Finasteride Dose?

Don’t sweat it if you miss a dose of finasteride.

If it’s been fewer than six hours since you were supposed to take it, take your finasteride as soon as you remember. If it’s been more than six hours, just take it the next day at your usual time — and don’t double up on doses to make up for the missed one.

Learn more about finasteride dosages.

How Long Does It Take To Work?

Though clinical trials show that finasteride is highly effective, it’s important to have realistic expectations. It doesn’t work overnight.

Although finasteride gets into your bloodstream fast and starts lowering DHT within the first few days, it takes about three to four months of consistent finasteride use to see noticeable results. 

The full results generally show up after about one year of consistent use.  

Why so long? Because the hair growth cycle takes several months — and your new hair needs time to start peeking through your scalp!

Many men with hair loss experience regrowth after using finasteride, but it’s not guaranteed. In a 10-year study of 523 Japanese men, 91 percent experienced improvements in hair growth while using 1mg finasteride daily.

Be patient and be consistent. It’s a good idea to take before-and-after pics so that you can monitor your hair growth objectively. 

Learn more by checking out our timeline for finasteride results.

For best results, stick to the following tips for taking finasteride:

• Store it properly. You should store finasteride tablets at room temperature (59 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) in a dry place. Keep it out of reach of children. 

• Consider a combination. Finasteride is effective on its own, but you can combine it with another hair loss medication called minoxidil.  Consider trying our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray. 

• Use a thickening shampoo. Certain shampoos contain DHT-blockers — and while this may not be as effective as finasteride, every little bit helps. Try our thickening shampoo, which contains saw palmetto.

• Consider added treatments. If you have the cash, you might want to try laser therapy for hair loss or PRP treatments. These may supplement your finasteride treatment.  

• Never let others use your prescription drugs. Sharing is not caring. There’s a potential risk that finasteride may interact with other medications. It’s especially not safe for pregnant women: it can lead to birth defects. 

If you want to stop taking finasteride — say, because you’re one of the unlucky ones who experience the side effects of finasteride — speak with a healthcare provider first. They can advise you on other treatment options.

Let’s recap what you need to know about when to take finasteride:

• The best time of day to take finasteride is whenever it’s convenient for you. It doesn’t matter whether you take it in the morning or at night.

• But it is important that you take your finasteride consistently. Consistent use helps keep your DHT levels low, which is good news for your hairline. Don’t sweat the occasional missed dose, but try not to make a habit of it.

• It’s a long game. It’ll take several months before you start noticing the effects of daily finasteride. If you’re not seeing further hair loss at the three-month mark, you’re on the right track.  

If you have questions about using finasteride and hair loss, seek medical advice from a dermatologist or other healthcare professional. 

You can begin exploring whether finasteride or another hair loss treatment is right for you by first taking our free online hair loss quiz.