What is finasteride?
Finasteride is an oral prescription medication that blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to hair follicle miniaturization in male pattern baldness.
It is FDA-approved for treating androgenetic alopecia in men and can slow or even reverse hair loss in some individuals by reducing scalp DHT levels. Side effects are possible and should be reviewed with a physician.
Red light therapy is often used alongside finasteride to provide a synergistic effect — reducing DHT’s damage while enhancing follicular regeneration and cellular energy metabolism.
Related terms
Autoimmune Response
Clinical Applications
An autoimmune response is a malfunction of the immune system in which the body mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues, including hair follicles.
Scalp blood flow
Clinical Applications
Scalp blood flow refers to the circulation of blood through the vessels supplying nutrients and oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles.
Inflammatory Alopecia
Clinical Applications
Inflammatory alopecia is hair loss caused by persistent or chronic inflammation that damages or destroys hair follicles.
Corticosteroids
Clinical Applications
Corticosteroids are a class of anti-inflammatory medications used to suppress immune activity in conditions such as alopecia areata and other autoimmune-related hair loss.
