{"id":51079,"date":"2022-05-03T09:30:45","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T13:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=51079"},"modified":"2024-05-28T11:50:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-28T15:50:51","slug":"finasteride-for-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/finasteride-for-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Does finasteride work for women?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Losing your hair is difficult, no matter your sex. Most people think it\u2019s more of an issue for men. It\u2019s true, <\/span>42%<\/span><\/a> of men between the ages of 18 and 49 experience hair loss. But female pattern hair loss occurs, too. As women age, they often experience hair thinning or even balding. This is called<\/span> female pattern hair loss (FPHL), which is a common form of nonscarring hair loss. There is a progressive loss of terminal hairs located in the frontal and top of the scalp. Hair density is visibly reduced. <\/span>Often when appearance is significantly impacted by a health condition, self-confidence is affected. Luckily, there are easy and accessible treatment options, such as Rogaine. You may have heard of <\/span>Propecia (finasteride)<\/span><\/a> for male pattern hair loss. Does Propecia for women work?<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Propecia (finasteride)?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Propecia (finasteride)<\/span><\/a> is an oral medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat a prostate gland enlargement (<\/span>benign prostatic hyperplasia<\/span><\/a>) and male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Currently<\/span> finasteride<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 is not approved to treat hair loss or thinning hair in women. However, providers sometimes use finasteride for women <\/span>off-label<\/span><\/a>, especially for post-menopausal women when topical minoxidil and oral spironolactone have been ineffective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How does finasteride work for hair loss?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The most common cause of baldness is androgenetic alopecia, a genetic condition affecting men and women. The exact cause is unknown, but it\u2019s believed to involve a sensitivity to the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). For people affected, DHT causes hair follicles to shrink and weaken, eventually causing hair loss. Finasteride slows down your body\u2019s conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. When less DHT is present, there will be less hair loss and increased hair density.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTypically, it is believed that hair loss is due to anagen, the long growth phase of hair growth, is shortened, and with this medication finasteride, the very fine hairs revert back into a robust anagen growth phase,\u201d says Beth Goldstein, MD, president at <\/span>Central Dermatology<\/span><\/a> in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Goldstein says that women in her practice are happy about the decreased hair loss after taking finasteride. She explains that most people prefer the tablet over the topical form of the medication, simply because it\u2019s easier to remember each day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does finasteride work for hair loss in women?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is limited research on use of finasteride in women. However, <\/span>a review<\/span><\/a> of the existing clinical trials found that it increased hair density and reduced hair shedding when compared to a placebo. The studies included pre-menopausal women and post-menopausal women with and without hyperandrogenism (too much testosterone).<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, a <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> of 40 postmenopausal women found that after six months, 22 women had significant improvement in hair count and density, 12 women had moderate improvement while six women experienced no improvement. In another <\/span>study<\/span><\/a>, 81.7% of the women who took finasteride for three years found that their hair thickness increased, suggesting hair regrowth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust like every drug, it may or may not work for patients. I think that finasteride is a great drug particularly for patients 50 years or older,\u201d says <\/span>Ben Behnam, MD, FAAD<\/span><\/a>, board-certified dermatologist and medical director of <\/span>Happy Head<\/span><\/a>. But, you can still go bald when taking finasteride. Hair growth is a slow process. Women will often need follow up for treatment of hair loss after four to six months. Larger long-term research is needed to confirm the findings that finasteride helps more than minoxidil and spironolactone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finasteride warnings for women<\/span><\/h2>\n

The reason finasteride has not been approved by the FDA for use in women who experience hair loss is because it may have a teratogenic effect. Half of pregnancies are unplanned. This means that women of childbearing age should not take any medication that can cause birth defects in the unborn child or feminization of male offspring. <\/span>Research<\/span><\/a> has only been done on rats. However, animal studies show that finasteride could cause issues with sexual development in males born to mothers treated with this medication.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFinasteride should only be used in post-menopausal women or women without the ability to have children due to risks of male fetus developmental issues that a pregnant women could experience when taking the medication,\u201d says Dr. Goldstein\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, finasteride is not recommended for breastfeeding mothers because the transmission through the breast milk to the infant is unstudied. If you are considering taking finasteride, consult your doctor first.<\/span><\/p>\n

What medications may interact with finasteride?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before taking finasteride, discuss all medications that you currently take with your provider or pharmacist, including <\/span>supplements and vitamins<\/span><\/a>. Finasteride might interact with the following medications and supplements:<\/span><\/p>\n