Does Finasteride regrow hair or just stop loss

Finasteride is primarily designed to stop hair loss. But in many cases, it has also been shown to regrow hair that has started to thin. To understand how it does both, it helps to look at how the medicine interacts with the scalp.

The main job of Finasteride is to block a hormone called DHT. This hormone is the primary cause of male pattern baldness, and it works by attaching to the hair roots and slowly shrinking them. Over time, this shrinking process makes the hair strands thinner and shorter until they eventually stop growing altogether. Taking Finasteride daily significantly lowers the levels of DHT in the body, which immediately halts this process and stops further hair loss from happening.

Once the hormone damage stops, hair roots finally have a chance to recover. If a hair follicle has only shrunk and is not completely dead, the drop in DHT allows those hair follicles to heal and become healthy again. As the root recovers, it begins to produce thicker and stronger hair strands. It is this part of the process that creates visible hair regrowth, leading to the overall improvement of scalp coverage.

It is important to note that Finasteride cannot revive hair roots that have been completely inactive for many years. It is proven to work best on areas of the scalp where hair is currently thinning, rather than places that are completely bald. For the best results, it is important to start treatment early and take the medication consistently every day.