Male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss, affecting 85% of men at some point in their lives [1]. Finasteride is one of the most effective and commonly prescribed treatments for this condition.
However, Finasteride results only last for as long as you’re using it. Some men decide to pause treatment for various reasons and resume it after a while. But does Finasteride expire? If you find some leftover Finasteride tablets in your medicine cabinet, are they safe to use?
Like every medication, Finasteride does have an expiration date, which is normally written on its packaging. Find out all you need to know about the shelf life of Finasteride, such as:
Finasteride is a medication originally developed to treat a prostate condition (benign prostate hyperplasia). However, it soon became the most frequently prescribed and among the most effective treatments for male pattern baldness.
Finasteride works against androgenetic alopecia by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase [2][3]. This enzyme plays a role in converting some of the testosterone naturally produced by your body into a different androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
When too much DHT is produced or your hair follicles are particularly sensitive to it, this male hormone can bind to specific receptors in your hair follicles, causing them to shrink. When this happens, you will experience hair miniaturisation on the affected scalp areas (usually the hairline, temples and crown). If left untreated, this normally progresses to fully-fledged balding.
Finasteride helps lower the DHT levels in your blood (or, if you are using topical Finasteride, in your scalp). This can curb hair loss and restore hair growth in male pattern baldness, especially if diagnosed early.
Sometimes, post-menopausal women can also use Finasteride off-label for female pattern baldness. However, it is not normally recommended for premenopausal patients, as it can cause birth defects and hormonal imbalances [4].
Yes. Like all commercially available medications, Finasteride can expire if not used within a specific timeframe from the moment it was produced. The manufacturer is responsible for listing the expiration date on the drug packaging.
The Finasteride expiration date represents the last day in which the manufacturer can guarantee that your medication is still effective for its intended purpose. That doesn’t necessarily mean they can guarantee Finasteride will make your hair grow back, as this is determined by many factors. It simply means that the pharmacological properties of the drug will remain unaltered up to this date.
Like all medications, Finasteride starts slowly losing some of its potency over time from the moment it is produced. The drug can spend several months on the pharmacy shelf before it’s purchased, and may not be used immediately afterwards. Expiration dates are needed to ensure Finasteride is still fully effective when you decide to use it.
In general, Finasteride tablets have a relatively long shelf-life if stored appropriately. Some Finasteride tablets can be used for 4 years before they expire [5]. However, some expiry dates are as soon as 36 months from the date of production, as manufacturers want to ensure it is used at peak effectiveness [6].
If you can’t find any expiration date on your Finasteride packaging, ask your pharmacist for this information. If this is not an option, as a rule of thumb, it is generally safe to use Finasteride for 12 months after purchase.
Medical professionals recommend against using any medication, Finasteride included, after its expiration date. That is because it can be less effective, possibly leading to worsened hair loss or a curbed hair regrowth progress.
However, there is no evidence that using expired Finasteride for hair loss will cause any physical harm. So if you happen to take some expired Finasteride by accident, there’s no need to worry about serious adverse effects on your health.
If you’re unsure if or when your Finasteride expired and are concerned that it may have been compromised by heat, moisture or any other cause, check for these signs:
If you notice any of these signs or have any other reason to believe your Finasteride may have expired or gone bad, the safest thing you can do is to dispose of it.
Expired Finasteride can be less effective against androgenetic alopecia. So while the drug itself is unlikely to cause your hair to fall out, you may experience more severe hair loss as a result of using a less potent treatment.
Also, be aware that male pattern baldness can progress if treated with ineffective medication. This can make hair growth more difficult to achieve in the future. If your condition becomes too advanced, you may require a hair transplant to restore your full head of hair.
Poor storage can’t technically make Finasteride expire, only time can do that. But it can damage the medication, reducing its effectiveness and/or potentially rendering it dangerous for human consumption (for example, if it is exposed to mould or harmful bacteria). So it’s best to store your Finasteride appropriately, to maintain its properties and effectiveness for its entire shelf life.
If you want to make sure you will be able to get the most out of your medication, it is a good idea to respect the following storage instructions often found on its leaflet [7][8]:
If your Finasteride has expired, become compromised by heat or water, or you simply no longer need it anymore, don’t throw your tablets in the bin or flush them down the toilet. It’s best to take them to the nearest pharmacy to be disposed of safely.
Medications improperly disposed of can make their way into the water supply, causing detrimental health effects for people and wildlife alike. However, any pharmacy in the UK will accept and safely dispose of your unwanted medication, even if purchased elsewhere.
Minoxidil and Finasteride have similar shelf lives: approximately 3 years. However, always check the expiration date on the packaging when comparing products.
Some of the most widely used brands, such as Rogaine , have a shelf-life of 3-4 years. For oral Minoxidil, the Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC) reports a shelf life of 3 years [10].
The EMC shows different Finasteride tablet formulations and concentrations also expire between 3 and 4 years. For example, the popular Finasteride brand Propecia (Finasteride 1mg tablets) is listed with a 36-month shelf-life [12]. Research shows that the shelf life of Proscar, a prostate medication containing Finasteride 5 mg (which may sometimes be prescribed for hair loss), can exceed 2 years under proper storage conditions [11].
This table compares the shelf-life of specific Minoxidil and Finasteride 1 mg products according to the EMC:
Even at its peak shelf-life, Finasteride remains a temporary solution to your hair loss. That is because it is only effective for as long as you are taking it.
If you are interested in lifelong hair restoration, book a consultation with one of our stellar surgeons. They will determine whether you make a good candidate for a permanent hair transplant. If so, they will walk you through the entire procedure and answer all your questions.
The Wimpole Clinic has a 50-year history of excellent hair restoration results. And whether you are looking for a non-surgical hair restoration or a natural-looking hair transplant, you can trust our experts to recommend the best hair loss treatment for men.
If you still have questions regarding Finasteride expiration, you may find the information you need among the answers to the following common queries.
The worst thing that can happen if you use expired, but otherwise uncompromised Finasteride for your alopecia is that it can be less effective than normal. This means that it may fail to improve your hair density to the same extent that it used to and you may experience worse hair loss. However, it is unlikely to become toxic or harm you beyond this.
If, for whatever reason, the expiration date on your Finasteride packaging is no longer readable, your medication is likely still safe to use for about a year after purchase (provided it has been properly stored). If you don’t know when it was purchased or have reason to suspect it may be expired, it is best to dispose of and replace it.
All hair loss medications have an expiration date, though some may have a longer shelf life than others. And they are only effective for as long as you are actively taking them. The only hair restoration treatment you can enjoy forever is a permanent hair transplant. This is a safe and simple outpatient surgical procedure, after which you can enjoy the results of your hair transplant after more than 10 years.
Yes, topical Finasteride can also expire. You can find its expiration date on the packaging. It is difficult to determine an exact shelf life for this kind of treatment, as it can come as sprays, gels or solutions. Sometimes, it is combined with other hair loss medications, such as topical Minoxidil or with nutrients such as biotin for hair. The best thing to do is to respect the manufacturer’s/dispenser’s recommendation.
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