Can You Take Finasteride 3 Times A Week?

Key Takeaways 

• Medical guidance is essential: Always discuss dose changes or alternatives with a healthcare professional.
• Finasteride lowers DHT: Finasteride reduces dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for male pattern hair loss, slowing or reversing follicle shrinkage.
  
• The most effective dose is 1mg of Finasteride taken daily, supported by multiple large-scale studies.
  
• Reduced dosing can work: taking finasteride three times a week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) can maintain results for many men, thanks to its tissue-binding in the scalp.
  
• Side effects are rarer: Using lower-frequency dosing may reduce risks such as sexual changes or mood alterations.
  
• Alternative and combination options: Minoxidil, dutasteride, topical finasteride, or combination therapies can complement treatment.

Finasteride is one of the most researched and widely prescribed treatments for male pattern hair loss. Yet despite its long track record, many people still feel unsure about how often they should take it, especially if they’re worried about side effects or long-term use.

One of the most common questions we hear is:

Can finasteride be taken three times a week instead of every day and still work? The short answer is yes, in many cases. 

In this article, we will explore how finasteride works, what the evidence actually shows, and where reduced dosing may help.

Can You Take Finasteride 3 Times A Week?

If you are looking for a clear, clinical answer: Yes, taking Finasteride three times a week is an effective way to treat male pattern hair loss. While the standard FDA-approved dose is 1mg daily, many specialists now recommend a Monday-Wednesday-Friday (M-W-F) schedule.

This approach allows most men to maintain their hair while significantly reducing the risk of side effects. It isn’t a weaker alternative; for many, it is simply a more sustainable way to manage hair health over the long term.

​The reason a thrice-weekly schedule works comes down to a concept called tissue binding. While Finasteride only stays in your bloodstream for about 6 to 8 hours (its serum half-life), it remains locked onto the enzymes in your scalp for several days.

Even on the days you don’t take a pill, your scalp DHT levels remain suppressed because the medication is still physically bound to the target enzymes.⁶

The shift toward lower-frequency dosing isn’t based on guesswork; it is rooted in established clinical research.

A landmark study by Roberts et al. demonstrated that a dose as low as 0.2mg daily (roughly equivalent to 1mg three times a week) is nearly as effective as the standard 1mg daily dose.⁴

​Specifically, while 1mg daily might suppress scalp DHT by about 60-70%, a significantly lower cumulative dose still achieves roughly 80% of that same effect.

For the vast majority of men, this is more than enough to stop the progression of thinning.

At our clinic, we routinely advise patients on the appropriate Finasteride dosing based on their hair loss severity, ranging from twice weekly to alternate-day dosing, to help prevent hair loss and mitigate side effects.

Dr Roshan Vara, Surgeon and Co-founder of The Treatment Rooms London

What is Finasteride?

Finasteride is a medication primarily used to treat male pattern baldness.¹ Male pattern baldness is caused by a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT),  a potent hormone derived from testosterone. In men genetically predisposed to hair loss, DHT binds to receptors in the hair follicles, causing them to miniaturise. Over time, the hair becomes thinner, shorter, and eventually stops growing altogether.

​Finasteride works by blocking the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which converts healthy testosterone into the follicle-shrinking DHT. By inhibiting this enzyme, Finasteride lowers scalp DHT levels, helping to slow follicular miniaturisation and preserve existing hair growth.²

Recommended Doses for Finasteride

Currently, the recommended dose of oral finasteride is 1mg per day, and it must be used continuously for at least 3-6 months to see beneficial effects. Daily doses can range from 0.2mg to 1mg, and will vary based on your specific situation and your doctor’s recommendation following a thorough assessment of your hair loss.

Clinical trials involving thousands of men show that finasteride 1 mg daily is the most effective dose for treating male pattern hair loss.³ Studies consistently demonstrate that this dose significantly slows hair loss and helps maintain hair density compared to placebo.

Dose-comparison studies found that very low doses (below 0.2 mg) were no more effective than a placebo, whereas doses of 0.2 mg or higher showed clear benefit. Importantly, increasing the dose beyond 1 mg did not improve results, confirming that 1 mg offers the best balance of effectiveness and safety.⁴

Long-term studies lasting up to five years further support daily 1 mg finasteride, showing a markedly reduced risk of ongoing visible hair loss with continued use.⁵

Why Do People Consider Taking Finasteride Less Often?

Despite its effectiveness, some patients hesitate to take finasteride every day. The reasons vary, but commonly include:

• Concern about potential side effects like reduced libido and mood changes 

• Wanting the lowest effective dose

• Long-term commitment anxiety

• Previous side effects on daily dosing

This has led to growing interest in reduced or intermittent dosing, such as taking finasteride three times a week.

Alternatives to Finasteride

Minoxidil

This is a topical medication, available over-the-counter in 2% and 5% formulations, applied directly to the scalp to stimulate hair growth and slow hair loss. Minoxidil works by encouraging hair to enter the growth phase of the hair cycle.

While effective for many users, minoxidil must be used consistently, and its effects can also take several months to become noticeable.

Dutasteride

Another oral medication that works similarly to finasteride by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. Its wider targeting of the enzymes makes it potentially more effective. Studies have shown that dutasteride may lead to greater hair growth than finasteride.⁷ However, it also has a similar side effect profile, and it is not yet approved for hair loss treatment in all countries.

Combining Finasteride With Other Medications

Combining finasteride with other hair loss treatments, such as minoxidil, low-dose Dutasteride, may enhance overall effectiveness. This combination approach targets hair loss through multiple mechanisms.

For example, finasteride reduces DHT levels, while minoxidil may improve blood flow to hair follicles. Some users find that using both medications together produces better results than using either one alone. You can read our article on taking Finasteride with Minoxidil. 

Topical finasteride: Applied directly to the scalp, topical finasteride can be as effective as oral finasteride in reducing hair loss and promoting hair growth.

The formula is designed to minimise systemic absorption and target the scalp, thereby reducing side effects that affect other parts of the body, like sexual dysfunction. 

Conclusion 

Taking finasteride 3 times a week (or at a lower/staggered dose) is an option if you prefer to minimise side effects while still remaining effective. However, before changing your regimen, we highly recommend discussing this with your healthcare provider or hair specialists, such as our surgeons at The Treatment Rooms, to ensure it’s right for you.

It is important to note that if you choose to stop taking finasteride, your hair will likely return to its normal cycle as it was before starting the medication. If you’re concerned about finasteride’s side effects, you might consider alternative treatments such as minoxidil, dutasteride and combination therapies. 

References 

1. Zito PM, Bistas KG, Patel P, Syed K. Finasteride. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. Updated 28 Feb 2024. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513329/

2. McClellan KJ, Markham A. Finasteride: a review of its use in male pattern hair loss. Drugs. 1999 Jan;57(1):111–26. doi:10.2165/00003495-199957010-00014. PubMed PMID: 9951956. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9951956/ 

3. Kaufman KD, Olsen EA, Whiting D, Savin R, DeVillez R, Bergfeld W, Price VH, Van Neste D, Roberts JL, Hordinsky M, Shapiro J, Binkowitz B, Gormley GJ; Finasteride Male Pattern Hair Loss Study Group. Finasteride in the treatment of men with androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998 Oct;39(4 Pt 1):578–89. doi:10.1016/S0190-9622(98)70007-6. PubMed PMID: 9777765. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9777765/

4. Roberts JL, Whiting DA, Van Neste D, Dunton CG, Bergfeld WF, Gormley GJ, et al. Clinical dose-ranging studies with finasteride, a type 2 5α-reductase inhibitor, in men with male pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1999 Aug;41(2 Pt 1):227–33. doi:10.1016/S0190-9622(99)70144-7. PubMed PMID: 10495375. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10495375/

5. Kaufman KD, Rotonda J, Shah AK, Meehan AG. Long-term treatment with finasteride 1 mg decreases the likelihood of developing further visible hair loss in men with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss). Eur J Dermatol. 2008 Jul-Aug;18(4):400–6. doi:10.1684/ejd.2008.0436. PubMed PMID: 18573712. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18573712/

6. Drake L, Hordinsky M, Fiedler V, Swinehart J, Unger WP, Cotterill PC, et al. The effects of finasteride on scalp skin and serum androgen levels in men with androgenetic alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1999 Oct;41(4):550–4. PubMed PMID: 10495374. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10495374/

7. Almudimeegh A, AlMutairi H, AlTassan F, AlQuraishi Y, Nagshabandi KN. Comparison between dutasteride and finasteride in hair regrowth and reversal of miniaturization in male and female androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review. Dermatol Reports. 2024 Apr 12;16(4):9909. PMCID: PMC11694415; PubMed PMID: 39749123. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11694415/