Does Finasteride grow new hair, or retain hair only?

[Mike_2020]

I have used topical generic brand of Rogaine 5% Minoxidil for the last 8 months and it has definitely resulted in the growth of new hair along the front hairline.

Can Finasteride potentially result in the growth of new hair?

[ciaus]

Not trying to sound like an expert by any stretch, but Rogaine and Finasteride don't grow 'new' hair. The number of hairs -hair follicles that you are born with are all you'll ever have. Unless you sustain an injury/burn on your scalp or a disease that destroys those follicles they continue to produce hairs throughout your life, even on the guy with the smoothest bald head you've ever seen. That bald spot is covered with hairs,  its just that they are so small, miniaturized, that you can hardly see them even close up.

 

Rogaine works by increasing blood flow, nutrients to the hair follicles, increasing the growth cycle times of your various hairs so that more of them are in the growing phase at the same time, thus giving you a more fuller head of hair appearance.

Finasteride limits the levels of a hormone called DHT in your bloodstream. DHT can attach to hair follicles on your scalp and cause them to shrink and produce smaller less visible hairs. If you had to make a choice and only take finasteride or Rogaine, finasteride works better. And it's more likely to work -which is another way of saying more guys don't respond to Rogaine than Finasteride.

 

But actually its best to take them both if you can to maximize the fuller hair appearance.

A small minority of guys report sexual side effects with finasteride, but some of this is just guys psyching themselves out knowing that its a possible side effect, and already being under stress of trying to cope with losing their hair.

[LaserCap]

Nothing regrows hair.  Nothing.

The medical therapies we refer to when dealing with this debilitating condition are Propecia, Rogaine, Laser and PRP.  They mechanism of each is totally different and are thus synergistic when used simultaneously.  These can help retain and, in some cases, can help enhance hair. 

The goal of doing any type of therapy is to help retain.  So, if you look the same a year later, the meds did what they were intended to do.  If you look like you have more hair, (experienced enhancement of the miniaturized hair), that's just icing on the cake. (At which point continue with the meds and don't stop.  It is important to realize only a small percentage of people do experience this).

The problem I find, and makes things confusing for most, is the fact most people rely on observation.  If they see hair on the tub, sink etc, they think they're losing hair when in fact, they are just experiencing normal shedding.  Conversely, if they "see" a substantial benefit they are under the erroneous idea they grew hair when - in fact - they experienced enhancement. 

 

[Mike_2020]

Thanks - to the naked eye my front hairline was bald, completely. Though, from what you say, presumably there must have hair there so miniaturised that it was not easily visible.

After applying the 5% Minox for 8 months, there is visible hair in the front hairline which was definitely not visible before.

[Future Hair Doc]

Great questions. No, unfortunately, finasteride doesn't regrow hair, as others have said. Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that blocks the conversion of testosterone to the more potent androgen DHT. Hence, those hair follicles with DHT receptors will be less likely to regress as there's less circulating DHT.

I think the most likely scenario is surgically implanting cloned hair. I would say the technology for this is about 20 years away.

[Gabreille Nelson Mukhia]

Finasteride does not grow new hair. It prevents further progression of baldness. It reverses the miniaturisation process for the miniaturizing grafts which makes them grow healthier. Nothig can groe hair where there is vellus hair or no roots at all, except for transplantation.