We know that starting hair loss treatment can feel like a bit of a waiting game. While studies show that some men can start responding to finasteride after just 3 months, for others it’s normal for results to take longer.
If you're taking your treatment consistently, it's understandable to feel concerned if you're not seeing results right away. However, research suggests that the best results with finasteride often don't appear until a year into treatment, and sometimes even later.
What do the studies say about when results become visible?
Looking at the clinical data paints a clear picture: it’s possible for early results to start showing in the first 3-6 months, but not every man responds that early on. Best results are often seen 12 months and beyond.
In one of the most robust trials on Finasteride 1mg, hair loss was evaluated at months 6, 12 and 24 in men of two different age groups: 18-41 and 41-60 years old using global photographic assessment on a 7-point scale. Both age groups showed improvements in hair growth by month 6. However, results continued to improve with ongoing treatment. By month 12, a greater percentage of men had experienced increased hair growth than at month 6, and the strongest results were seen at month 24. In contrast, men in the placebo groups generally experienced either continued hair loss or no improvement.
This tells us that while some men responded within the first 6 months, others didn't see noticeable benefits until closer to the 12-month mark. Across both age groups, the greatest improvements were seen after 24 months of continuous treatment. After two years, only 1% of younger men and 6% of older men experienced further hair loss.
A second study on 1553 men with male pattern baldness found that finasteride 1mg slowed hair loss and increased hair growth in 65% of participants after 12 months of treatment. The researchers then split the group: 1,215 men continued taking finasteride for another year, while the remainder switched to placebo. The men who stayed on finasteride experienced further improvements, whereas those switched to placebo gradually lost the progress they had made.
Again, this suggests that treatment beyond 12 months can lead to additional hair growth and continued protection against hair loss.
How long should you wait before expecting results?
So how long should you wait until you can get an accurate idea of how you’re responding?
Results take time to come, meaning you need plenty of patience and consistency before you see the final pay-off. For most men, it takes at least 3-6 months before any noticeable results begin to appear. Even then, improvements are often subtle rather than dramatic.
By 12 months, you should have a much clearer idea of how your hair is responding to treatment.
If you're not seeing obvious changes within the first 6 months, it can be tempting to stop treatment or switch to something else. However, stopping or switching too early may mean giving up before finasteride has had enough time to work. The evidence suggests that some of the best results aren't seen until after a year of consistent treatment, so patience is often rewarded.
What do we mean by ‘results’?
When people picture their results, they often think of dramatic regrowth. But for many, especially in the early days, results often look more like:
- Less shedding in the shower or when styling your hair
- Thinning areas no longer getting worse
- Hair looking stronger and healthier
These are all signs the treatment is working to stop further hair loss. This is because finasteride's primary job is to stop hair loss. It works by reducing the effects of DHT on your hair follicles, helping them continue to produce hair.
That's also why starting treatment early is generally recommended. It's much easier to preserve healthy, active follicles than it is to revive follicles that have been inactive for a long time.
If your hair loss stabilises and you stop losing ground, we still consider that a win. Maintaining what you have today can make a significant difference to how your hair looks in the years ahead.
Is there anything you can do to improve results?
If you’re not already, pairing Finasteride with Minoxidil Spray often gives the best results. Studies show that using a combined treatment stops hair loss in up to 93% of men.[RJ2]
Studies also show promising results from using a derma roller, which is a hand-held microneedling tool you can use at home. Basically, it involves using tiny needles to poke micro-injuries in your scalp, which triggers your body’s natural wound healing pathway, which is thought to boost blood flow and promote the expression of genes helpful to hair growth. Plus, research suggests derma rolling could enhance the absorption of topical treatments like Minoxidil Spray, helping to boost efficacy.
Ultimately, though, the most important thing is to give treatment enough time to work. We recommend waiting the full 12 months before judging your overall response to finasteride.
We also recommend taking progress photos along the way. Take some before you begin, then every 3 months after that in consistent lighting and from the same angles. Hair changes happen gradually, and it can be difficult to spot improvements from memory alone. Progress photos give you an objective way to track your results and can often reveal changes you might otherwise miss.
All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.
