Medical Library

Welcome to our medical library. Here you’ll find easy-to-read articles that cover everything you need to know about male and female hair loss, as well as overall hair health and wellness. They’re all reviewed by our doctors, so you can trust that they’re scientifically accurate. 

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Hair loss treatmentsMan deciding on switching from finasteride to dutasteride.

Switching From Finasteride to Dutasteride

Dutasteride is increasingly being prescribed off-label to treat pattern hair loss. If you’re already taking finasteride, is there a good reason to switch to dutasteride? Both finasteride and dutast...

Hair loss treatmentsPharmacist giving patient finasteride over the counter.

Can I Buy Finasteride Over the Counter?

While there are over-the-counter treatments that may help with milder cases of hair thinning, the treatments that have the biggest impact typically require a prescription. In both the US and Canada...

Hair loss treatmentsSaw palmetto plant for hair growth and hair loss.

Saw Palmetto for Hair Growth

The saw palmetto plant has been used throughout history to treat various medical conditions and recently, it’s gained attention as a possible alternative treatment for androgenetic alopecia. While ...

Female Hair LossYoung woman taking tablet of dutasteride for female hair loss.

Dutasteride for Female Hair Loss

There is some data that suggests that dutasteride and other 5-alpha reductase inhibitors might work for female patients, but it's important to understand that the management of DHT levels is just o...

Hair loss treatments3D rendering of finasteride's structure to show how affects its mechanism of action.

Finasteride Mechanism of Action

Finasteride's mechanism of action involves binding to the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme and preventing testosterone from attaching to the enzyme and being transformed into DHT. This phenomenon is also r...

Hair loss treatmentsMan looking at hair considering using finasteride for hair loss.

Finasteride for Hair Loss

Finasteride is one of the most common drugs used to treat male hair loss. It’s an example of a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (5-ARI), which works by blocking the action of an enzyme called 5-alpha re...

Hair loss treatmentsYoung couple considering finasteride and pregnancy safety.

Finasteride and Pregnancy

Finasteride should not be handled or used by women who are, or may become pregnant. This is because the medication works by lowering a male sex steroid hormone called DHT, which plays a key role in...

Hair loss treatmentsMan examining drug brochure for finasteride interactions.

Finasteride Interactions

Drug interactions can affect how the body breaks down a medication and may have an effect on drug safety. A few key interactions with finasteride to be aware of include Viagra, alcohol and certain ...

Hair loss treatmentsPile of generic vs branded dutasteride tablets.

Dutasteride Cost

In addition to being a costlier medication than finasteride, topical formulations of dutasteride tend to also cost more than the oral pill. There are many reasons for these price discrepancies and ...

Hair loss treatmentsYoung man taking dutasteride while researching dutasteride side effects on his laptop.

Dutasteride Side Effects

Dutasteride can be prescribed off-label to treat male pattern hair loss. Like other medications used to treat hair loss, there are some associated side effects that may be reduced by switching to a...

Hair loss treatmentsMan looking out window looking worried about post-finasteride syndrome.

Post-Finasteride Syndrome

In general, finasteride is a safe and well-tolerated medication. But some people who experience side effects find that they last even after stopping the medication. This is a rare condition called ...

Hair loss treatmentsSurgeon performing hair transplant on patient who will need to take finasteride after transplant.

Finasteride After Hair Transplant

You may be wondering you still need to take finasteride after undergoing a surgical hair transplant. In general, it's highly recommended that you continue to take finasteride to slow down the thinn...

Hair loss treatmentsMan holding comb experiencing finasteride shedding.

Finasteride Shedding

Shedding while taking finasteride is actually a common response to a new hair loss treatment and in most cases is not a cause for concern. It's usually an indication that your hair loss treatment i...

Hair loss treatmentsDoctor discussing finasteride vs dutasteride with his patient.

Finasteride vs Dutasteride

Dutasteride and finasteride are both effective medications for pattern hair loss. But it can be difficult to know which of the two is right for you. There are a few things that require consideratio...

Hair loss treatmentsSmears of topical finasteride cream to show difference in texture compared to oral finasteride.

Topical Finasteride vs. Oral Finasteride

Finasteride is a clinically proven treatment for men’s hair loss and is available in several different forms. The route of administration of finasteride has some important implications for cost, sa...

Female Hair LossDrop of topical finasteride for women on female fingertip.

Topical Finasteride For Women

Female pattern hair loss has unique underlying causes. For this reason, women don't necessarily respond the finasteride treatment the same way men do. There are special risks associated with taking...

Hair loss treatmentsConcerned man considering stopping finasteride for hair loss.

Stopping Finasteride

Treating hair loss often requires commitment and medications like finasteride may need to be taken indefinitely in order to stop the progression of pattern hair loss. There are some important reaso...

Hair loss treatmentsMan examining hair wondering why he's still losing hair on finasteride.

Still Losing Hair On Finasteride

Although it’s a highly effective treatment for androgenetic hair loss (male pattern hair loss), there are some patients who will continue to lose their hair while taking finasteride. It can be a fr...

Hair loss treatmentsLiquid in a test tube demonstrating concentration differences in the optimal finasteride dosage.

What Is The Optimal Finasteride Dosage for Hair Loss?

Finasteride is the most clinically-effective, FDA-approved medication used to combat male pattern hair loss. The approved dosage is 1 mg/daily, but pharmacy compounding allows doctors to prescribe ...

Hair loss treatmentsMan with dark hair with early signs of receding hair line who might benefit from dutasteride for hair loss.

Dutasteride for Hair Loss

Dutasteride has been used for around 20 years to treat prostate enlargement in men. But much more recently, this drug has gained popularity as an off-label treatment for male pattern hair loss.

Hair Loss CausesDoctor discussing options for best medication for hair loss with his patient.

What Is The Best Medication For Hair Loss?

Minoxidil, finasteride and dutasteride are popular medications used to treat male pattern hair loss. When it comes to deciding which agent is right for you, there are a few key things to consider, ...

Hair loss treatmentsSmear of gel demonstrating example texture of liposomal finasteride gel.

Liposomal Finasteride Gel

Compounding finasteride into a liposomal gel is one method of delivering finasteride directly to the scalp. A liposomal finasteride gel has many potential benefits, including increased permeatio...

Hair loss treatmentsBrown glass bottle and pipette of serum containing best natural ingredients for hair growth.

6 Best Natural Ingredients for Hair Growth

Research has pointed to the benefits of using natural ingredients to help grow hair. Natural ingredients target different aspects of hair growth. Some increase blood flow to optimize nutrient excha...

Hair loss treatmentsMan assessing tablets of finasteride 5mg in his hand.

Finasteride 5mg vs 1mg

You’ve probably noticed that oral finasteride is available as a 1mg or 5mg tablet. The 5mg tablet hasn’t been approved by the FDA as a hair loss treatment, but there are rare instances when a docto...