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Finasteride is sometimes prescribed off-label for female hair loss, at a 2.5 mg daily dose. Because it is off-label and the safety profile in women differs from the licensed male use, it comes with strict pregnancy safeguards.
Receptor-level mechanism. Finasteride is a selective, competitive inhibitor of type 2 5α-reductase (IC₅₀ ~69 nM), the isoenzyme concentrated in the inner root sheath of scalp hair follicles and the prostate [PMID 10495374, PMID 7689728]. Unlike dutasteride, it does not inhibit the type 1 isoenzyme found in sebaceous glands. At therapeutic doses, finasteride reduces scalp DHT and serum DHT markedly — a 42-day biopsy study in 249 men showed dose-dependent scalp DHT suppression across the studied range [PMID 10495374]. Lower DHT at the follicular dermal papilla slows the miniaturisation of terminal hairs that underlies androgenetic alopecia.

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How to use

Two rules run alongside each other throughout treatment — the daily dose, and the pregnancy safeguards.

Take 2.5 mg once daily as prescribed

Take the prescribed tablet at roughly the same time each day, with or without food. Use in women with hair loss is off-label. Do not take extra after a missed dose.

Prevent pregnancy exposure

Finasteride must not be used during pregnancy. Follow the contraception and pregnancy-testing plan agreed with the prescriber, and do not handle crushed or broken tablets if pregnant or if pregnancy is possible.
Stop and contact the prescriber promptly if pregnancy occurs, a period is unexpectedly late, or contraception fails.

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Dose schedule

Daily dose 2.5 mg finasteride — one tablet. Use in women with hair loss is off-label.
Before and during treatment, the prescriber confirms the diagnosis, pregnancy precautions, current medicines, liver history, mood, and breast symptoms — keep all planned reviews. Response is reviewed at 3–6 months by comparing standardised photographs and discussing tolerance; do not judge response after only a few weeks or raise the dose without medical advice.
Trial evidence for finasteride in women. A 12-month double-blind RCT (n=137) of finasteride 1 mg versus placebo in normo-androgenic post-menopausal women with FPHL (Ludwig III–IV) found no significant difference in hair counts or global photographic assessment. Subsequent open-label studies using higher doses (2.5–5 mg) have reported increased hair density or reduced shedding [reviewed in PMID 32276931]. The 2.5 mg dose used here is higher than the 1 mg male dose and falls outside the tested range of the negative RCT; the reviewing doctor weighs this against individual risk and tolerance.

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What has been reported

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Contact your doctor if

  • Pregnancy occurs, a period is unexpectedly late, or contraception fails — stop and contact the prescriber promptly
  • A breast lump, nipple discharge, severe low mood, or a serious allergic reaction
  • Persistent sexual, menstrual, or other effects concern you

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Storage

Keep in the original package, away from moisture and direct heat, and out of children’s reach. Follow the temperature limit on your pack and do not use it after the expiry date.

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What to expect

Hair treatment is gradual. Early shedding can occur, and photographs taken in the same light are more useful than day-to-day checking. The doctor normally reviews tolerance and progress after several months; continue only while the balance of benefit and risk remains appropriate. For the licensed male-authorisation dosing and mechanism, see Propecia. See safety for how eligibility checks and doctor review work, and pricing for the consultation fee.

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Start a consultation

Hair-growth consultation

Answer the hair-growth questionnaire and a registered doctor reviews it. They decide whether treatment is appropriate, which one, and at what dose — and declining is a normal outcome. See what it costs and how the review works.
This page is reference information, not medical advice and not a prescription. Whether a medicine is appropriate for you is decided by a registered doctor after reviewing your consultation.