Posted by Rali Bozhinova, Superintendent Trichologist
In this article: Hair Loss | Male Hair Loss | Hair Loss ANSWERS
Name: Scott
Question: I heard that if your hair loss isn't too bad you can take finasteride three times a day instead of every day - is this true?
Answer: Hi, Scott. This is incorrect. Finasteride 1mg is taken once per day in all cases where it is prescribed as a treatment for Male Pattern Baldness, regardless of the level of thinning.
The reason for this is to keep the optimum amount of the active medication in your system in order to effectively inhibit dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT, being the testosterone by-product which latches on to hair follicles located around the top of the scalp and hairline, in men genetically-predisposed to genetic hair loss.
This gradually weakens these sensitive follicles, causing a drop in hair density and producing increasingly finer, thinning hair and/or a receding hairline. If left unchecked, this can lead to eventual baldness.
Finasteride, taken in the authorised 1mg per day doses - as licensed by the UK's medical regulatory board, the MHRA, and approved by its American counterpart, the FDA - ensures a worthwhile amount stays in your system to continually counteract DHT.
Studies have shown the half-life of oral finasteride 1mg - the length of time it stays in your bloodstream - to be 4.7 hours to 7.1 hours, with "slow accumulation" occurring when this form of treatment is used over a long period of time. This still does not mean that doses can be skipped, however.
Additionally, it is worth pointing out that overusing any medication can lead to side effects and, in the case of finasteride 1mg, is unlikely to have any hair growth benefits when compared to the authorised dose. Therefore, it is important to only take the 1mg per day dose that is recommended.
Using hair loss treatment erratically - including regularly missing doses - is unlikely to provide the maximum benefits patients look for when using it for preventing baldness. The same is true of the other clinically-proven hairloss solution, high strength minoxidil.
Before starting a treatment regime, it is wise to consult a hair loss specialist for a number of reasons, even if you eventually decide not to pursue their services. Firstly, doing so will provide you with a professional diagnosis of your condition; although many men assume they are starting to go bald when they notice some shedding or a drop in the volume of their hair, these signs do not necessarily mean they have Male Pattern Baldness.
Secondly, once you have a diagnosis, personalised treatment recommendations - including relevant hair growth supporting products - can be made based upon factors such as your hair loss condition, level and pattern of shedding, medical profile and - a point which should not be overlooked - your lifestyle requirements. After all, there's no point in spending money on treatments you won't actually use, so it's always best to take a practical approach to finding the best hair loss solutions for each individual.
The Belgravia Centre is a world-renowned group of a hair loss clinic in Central London, UK. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation from anywhere in the world for home-use treatment.
View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which includes the world's largest gallery of hair growth photos and demonstrates the level of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve.
Posted by Rali Bozhinova, Superintendent Trichologist
In this article: Hair Loss | Male Hair Loss | Hair Loss ANSWERS