How effective are these medications in treating inherited hair loss?
The effectiveness of finasteride or minoxidil depends on your age and the location of the hair loss. These medications do not work for everyone, and you should not expect to regrow a full head of hair. These medications slow thinning of the hair and increase coverage of the scalp by growing new hair and enlarging existing hairs. They need to be taken every day; and if you stop taking them, any hair that has grown in will gradually be lost, and within 6 to 12 months your scalp will most likely appear the same as before treatment. Both medications must be taken daily. It may take 6 months of treatment before you see results. Minoxidil Minoxidil slows hair loss and grows new hair. In men, the 5% solution appears to be more effective than the 2% solution, but it costs more and may have more side effects.2 Minoxidil seems to work best on people younger than 30 years of age who have been losing hair for fewer than 5 years.3 Finasteride Finasteride is recognized as a successful therapy for in
