Finasteride is a synthetic drug designed for the treatment of both male-pattern baldness and prostate gland enlargement.
It inhibits the active form of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone, which is responsible for hair growth and male sexual development, amongst others.
Interestingly, excessive dihydrotestosterone leads to the reduced growth and size of hair follicles.
Finasteride may, therefore, be used to treat male-pattern baldness in patients experiencing an overproduction of testosterone and its active form.
Similar to Minoxidil, Finasteride is the main active ingredient in many popular treatment brands such as Propecia and Proscar.