Is Finasteride safe to use for hair loss?

Is Finasteride safe to use for hair loss?
12 December 2023
2-minute read

Knowing which course of treatment is right for you when you’ve noticed signs of hair loss can seem confusing at first, but with the guidance of professionals, you can rest assured that the treatment will work for you.


The same goes for safety; you want to know that while the treatment gets to work, you shouldn't have any long-term health problems as a result. Let us clear this up for you.


Here we will talk about the safety of using Finasteride in the short term or for a long time and discuss what you can expect.


Is Finasteride safe?


As an FDA-approved medication (via oral application) that has been well studied and is specifically licensed for male pattern hair loss, meaning it is considered safe to use in the prescribed doses you are issued by Sons’ prescribing partners. It’s vitally important that you don’t take more than the dosage that your prescriber has issued to you. It’s also worth noting that you need to maintain regular treatment to get the results you want.


There are rare side effects that can occur when you take Finasteride, as there are with any other medication and affect up to 4% of people. A decreased sex drive and altered quality of spermare the most common that have been reported to occur, no matter how unlikely they are to happen. A full list can be found on the Patient Information Leaflet provided with the medication and also available on our website. If is vital that you familiarise yourself with potential side effects before deciding whether or not to take Finasteride, similar to starting any new medication  If you happen to experience any side effects, stop taking the medication and speak to a medical professional. The majority of side effects occur within the first month of taking Finasteride and in the vast majority resolve soon after stopping the medication. 


You’ll be pleased to hear there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that long-term use of Finasteride is bad for you. On the contrary, sustained use is required to maintain the positive changes that occur to your hair. However, this mustn’t be confused with it being considered a permanent solution to hair loss, because it isn’t. The effects of the treatment only last as long as you consume it and don’t 100% guarantee results.


Information about Finasteride


Purchasing your Finasteride supply from a registered and licenced prescriber, like Sons, is a wise choice. There are no guarantees that what you purchase online from a faceless entity will be effective or safe - we’d advise always purchasing from a reputable brand to avoid these safety concerns.


Finasteride works by blocking the DHT hormone, which contributes towards hair loss. Sustained blocking of this hormone puts your hair in a much better position to halt loss and hopefully start the process of regrowth. If you were to stop taking Finasteride after 9-12 months (the length of time it usually takes to harness the full effects of the treatment), then the same issues of hair loss and thinning are very likely to occur again as they did before you commenced treatment.


We have a wealth of information on the subject of hair loss and Finasteride. Explore the FAQs on Finasteride to find out all the useful information.

All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.