3 Ways to Speed Up the Results from Finasteride
Male pattern baldness has always been something that the majority of men had to deal with at some point during our lives. Up until a couple decades ago, hair loss was something that guys had to accept and take in stride. That’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with going bald, but that it’s completely normal for people to not want to let go of their head of hair.
Then came finasteride, which received approval by the FDA and became an effective treatment for hair loss in 1997. Doctors guaranteed that Finasteride could stop male pattern baldness for the majority men who take it – and it did. More than 80% of the men who used finasteride in the clinical trials didn’t experience any more hair loss while on the product, and 66% of them actually regrew hair over an extended time period.
But there’s one catch: finasteride doesn’t work overnight, it takes time and requires consistent usage for best results. In fact, when it comes to regrowing hair, most men don’t see major results until they’ve taken finasteride for at least a year or more. The good news is that taking finasteride over a five-year period can actually improve your hair growth, leaving you with 10% more hair than you’d have if you were on no treatment at all.
But is it possible to speed up the effects of finasteride in order to enjoy its benefits sooner? Nobody wants to wait a couple of years before enjoying the perks of a medicine, after all. Here are some ways that you can maximize your finasteride results.
1. Give your scalp a daily massage
You probably think that the notion of scalp massages being able to improve finasteride’s results is about as far-fetched as they come, but there’s actually science to back it up. Japanese researchers found that daily four-minute massages over the course of 24 weeks were able to stimulate hair growth and boost one’s hair thickness. How and why scalp massages are able to stimulate hair growth remains a mystery, but scientists believe that it has something to do with softening the skin, increasing blood flow, and helping people to feel more relaxed.
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2. Take biotin supplements
Are you familiar with biotin? Also known as vitamin B complex, biotin is a vitamin that plays an important role in ensuring that your hair, fingernails, and skin stay healthy. If you have a biotin deficiency, your hair might be growing weaker and more slowly than usual. In fact, scientists have found that people who take biotin supplements have hair that, on average, grows faster and denser than people who don’t.
3. Combine finasteride with minoxidil
Minoxidil is a popular topical ointment that’s applied to the scalp twice a day. Along with finasteride, it’s the only other product that’s been approved by the FDA to treat androgenic alopecia. Men who use 5% have experienced great results in the fight against baldness. In one study, 984 men with various stages of male pattern baldness were required to apply 5% minoxidil to their balding spots twice a day. After a year of use, doctors noted that 62% of the men grew a significant amount of hair where the ointment was applied, while 35.1% of the men didn’t experience further hair loss – that means that less than 3% of the participants continued to lose hair when using minoxidil!
And while minoxidil has been proven to be an effective tool to prevent hair loss, studies show that using it alongside 1mg of finasteride a day can greatly increase the density of hair being grown.
The Final Say on Finasteride Results
Finasteride is an incredibly effective way to halt or reverse the effects of male pattern baldness, but it does have its own limitations. While there are ways to speed up and improve the effects of finasteride, you shouldn’t expect to wake up one day only to find your hair grew twice as thick overnight.
Finasteride and other haircare treatments, like minoxidil, work gradually and require long-term use for best results. With that said, combining finasteride with minoxidil, while also eating a diet rich in important hair-building nutrients like iron, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein, is enough to help you grow stronger, healthier hair provided you consistently use it.
Everything you need to keep hair on your head. If you're into that. Try Finasteride.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.