Hair loss · Once-daily tablet

Finasteride tablets for hair loss

Finasteride 1mg is a prescription-only daily tablet for male pattern hair loss. It lowers DHT, the hormone that shrinks hair follicles, so it works on the cause rather than the surface.¹

From £19 a month

Check your eligibility →

CQC registered
UK-registered clinicians
Plain, discreet delivery

90%of men kept or regrew hair over five years¹

Dailyone small tablet, any time of day

All content on this page has been medically reviewed by Naeem Teni, Clinical Lead. GPhC 2215591.

What the trials showed

90%

of men kept or regrew hair over five years¹

90% kept or regrew hair. Most men on placebo continued to lose it.¹

Men at five years on finasteride

Regrew hair48%

No further loss42%

Five-year clinical trial data. Results vary from person to person.¹

Pricing

Buy more, pay less a month.

One tablet a day. Longer supplies bring the monthly cost down.

1 month

£19.00 / month

28 tablets£19.00

2 months

£17.50 / month

56 tablets£35.00

3 months

£16.00 / month

84 tablets£48.00

6 months

£14.67 / month

168 tablets£88.00

What to expect

Month by month.

Months 0–3

Below the surface

It's working, but there's usually nothing to see yet.

Months 3–6

Loss slows

Shedding settles and hair loss visibly slows.¹

From a year on

Review

You and your clinician look at progress. Any regrowth tends to show by now.

How it works

What it does in the body.

DHT shrinks follicles
In male pattern hair loss, follicles are sensitive to DHT, a hormone made from testosterone. Over time it shrinks them until they stop producing visible hair.
Finasteride lowers DHT
It blocks the enzyme that turns testosterone into DHT, lowering levels in the scalp.¹
Best on the crown and top
Trials showed it works on thinning at the crown and mid-scalp. It hasn't been shown to help a receding hairline at the temples.¹
It works while you take it
If you stop, the hair you kept or regrew is usually lost again within 9–12 months.¹

One tablet a day, and patience.

Step 1

One a day

Any time, with or without food.¹

Step 2

Stick with it

Give it at least 3–6 months before judging it.¹

Step 3

Don't crush or split

Keep tablets whole, and away from anyone who is or may be pregnant.¹

Step 4

Take photos

Same light, same angle, every few months. It's the easiest way to see change.

Pregnant partner? Women who are or may be pregnant shouldn't handle crushed or broken tablets.¹

Is it right for me?

Who it suits, and what to expect.

May be considered if

All of these usually apply

You're an adult, 18 or over, living in the UK.
You have male pattern hair loss, most often thinning at the crown or top of the head.
You still have hair to work with, since it's better at keeping hair than regrowing what's long gone.
A clinician judges it safe alongside your health history and anything else you take.

Not suitable if

Any one of these rules it out

You're a woman. Finasteride isn't licensed for women, and it's dangerous in pregnancy.
You're allergic to finasteride or any of its ingredients.
You have a history of, or risk factors for, certain conditions a doctor will ask about.
A doctor decides the possible side effects outweigh the benefit for you.

Not sure where you fit? You don't need to work it out yourself. The assessment asks the right questions, and a clinician checks your answers.

Most men have no side effects. When they happen, they're usually mild, and your clinician is there to talk them through.¹

More common

Usually mild, and often short-lived.

Lower sex driveDifficulty getting an erectionLess semenBreast tendernessRash

Get help straight away if

These are rare, but need a doctor quickly.

Low mood, depression or thoughts of self-harm. Stop taking it and speak to a doctor straight away.²
A lump, pain or discharge in your breast area.
Swelling of your face, lips or throat, or trouble breathing.
Sexual side effects that don't go away, even after stopping.²

Having a PSA blood test? Tell the doctor you take finasteride. It roughly halves PSA levels, which affects how results are read.¹

Finasteride or minoxidil?

Trial figures come from different studies, so they aren't a direct ranking. Finasteride tackles the hormone, minoxidil works on the follicle. Using both is common, and your clinician can prescribe them together.

This page

Finasteride

90%kept or regrew hair over 5 years¹

Lowers DHT, the hormone that shrinks follicles
One 1mg tablet a day

From £19 a month

Minoxidil

Similar results to minoxidil lotion in a 24-week trial³

Stimulates the follicle and lengthens its growth phase
One low-dose tablet a day

See pricing View →

Common questions

Finasteride, answered.

Is Manova a proper clinic, or a website?

Both. We’re a CQC-registered clinic that happens to live online. Every prescription is signed off by a registered clinician, never an algorithm.

Will it turn up in a branded box at my office?

No. Plain brown packaging, no Manova branding, no clue what’s inside. Sent to a home or pickup address, your call.

What if the doctor says no?

Then they say no, and you don’t get charged. They might suggest a safer alternative, more tests, or refer you back to your GP. We’d rather lose a customer than push the wrong treatment.

Am I locked into a contract?

Nope. It’s month-to-month, cancel from your account anytime. No retention agent calling you back.

How is this different from going to my GP?

It isn’t, really. Same medicine, same regulator, same standards. We’re just faster to get hold of, and a lot less awkward to talk to about the things on this page.

Guides

Read up on Finasteride.

All Finasteride guides →

References (3)

Propecia (finasteride 1mg) Summary of Product Characteristics. Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC).
MHRA Drug Safety Update: Finasteride — reminder of the risk of psychiatric and sexual side effects. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, 2024.
Penha MA, et al. Oral minoxidil vs topical minoxidil for male androgenetic alopecia: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2024;160(6):600–605.