Will hair loss from steroids grow back? Timeline & treatments

If you’ve noticed your hair thinning since starting steroids and you’re worried the damage is permanent, there’s good news: most steroid-related hair loss is reversible with the right approach.

Key Facts:

• Most hair loss caused by steroids is reversible, but the type of steroid makes a big difference.

• Corticosteroid-related hair shedding tends to reverse on its own within 3 to 6 months of stopping the steroid.

• With anabolic steroids, hair loss is driven by a hormone and needs treatment to reverse its effects. Starting within 6 months of stopping steroids gives the best chance of hair regrowth.

• Finasteride alone improves hair growth in 48% of people at 1 year, and in 66% at 2 years. Combination therapy with Minoxidil prevents or improves hair regrowth in 92% of men.

• Not everyone who uses steroids will lose hair. Genetic predisposition to DHT sensitivity determines whether you’ll be affected or not.

• An estimated 328,000 to 687,000 people in the UK use anabolic steroids, and hair loss is one of the most common side effects.

In this article:

1. Will my hair grow back after stopping steroids?

2. What’s the difference between anabolic and corticosteroid hair loss?

3. How long does hair take to regrow after stopping steroids?

4. Should I stop taking steroids to prevent hair loss?

5. What treatments speed up hair regrowth after steroid use?

6. Are there temporary solutions for sudden hair loss?

7. What are my recommended next steps if I’m losing hair right now?

8. How does DHT sensitivity affect steroid-induced hair loss?

9. Frequently asked questions

Will my hair grow back after stopping steroids?

Generally, hair loss from steroids is reversible. Hair is known to return in 3 to 6 months after you stop using corticosteroids (a steroid prescribed by a doctor for medical use), but if an anabolic steroid (steroids used to enhance physical appearance or athletic performance) caused your hair to fall out, you’ll have the best chance of getting it to grow again if you start treatment within 6 months of stopping.

Whether or not your hair will grow back depends on what kind of steroid led to the loss in the first place. Corticosteroids (like prednisone, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone) cause a short-term shedding that’s medically called telogen effluvium. The hair follicles aren’t damaged, but the medication makes them go into a resting state. They’ll naturally start growing again once you stop taking the steroid or reduce the dose.

Anabolic steroids are a different story. They accelerate the hair loss process, and this is the kind driven by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the same hormone that causes typical male-pattern hair loss. If you’re genetically predisposed to DHT sensitivity, anabolic steroids will speed up hair loss. This type of loss doesn’t tend to reverse on its own and you’ll need to do something about it, and preferably within 6 months of the hair beginning to fall out.

What’s the difference between anabolic and corticosteroid hair loss?

Two different kinds of steroid can lead to hair loss in different ways, and each may improve differently. Below is a table summarising the main features:

DHT binds roughly twice as strongly to androgen receptors compared with testosterone. That’s why even short periods of using anabolic steroids can accelerate hair loss in people who already have a genetic predisposition to hair loss.

How long does hair take to regrow after stopping steroids?

Hair generally starts to grow back over 6 to 18 months. If you begin dealing with hair loss within 6 months of it starting, you are much more likely to get a full hair regrowth, than if you wait a year or more.

Corticosteroid shedding: When hair falls out because of corticosteroids, the hair loss should stabilise within 3 to 6 months after you stop taking them or reduce the dose. Your hair should then return to its typical growth pattern, and you’ll likely see improvements with 6 to 12 months.

Anabolic steroid hair loss: Anabolic steroids can accelerate DHT-driven hair loss in those who are genetically predisposed. Finasteride, Minoxidil, or both may help. Most people notice some improvement after 3 to 6 months, with the best results typically seen around 12 months (1). If you don’t take any treatment, the hair loss can continue and become permanent because the hair follicles shrink to a point where they cannot recover.

This 6-month window of opportunity is very important. The sooner you start treatment, the more effective the treatment will be. After a year, there will be far fewer follicles that will respond to treatment.

Should I stop taking steroids to prevent hair loss?

Whether or not you can do something about hair loss from steroids depends on why you're taking them.

Anabolic steroids: If you’re self-administering anabolic steroids and your priority is to reduce hair loss, you should review your options and consider reducing or stopping anabolic steroid use as this has a direct correlation. Finasteride may help slow down the hair loss if you do continue on these steroids, but you'll have the best chance of getting your hair to grow back if you reassess your steroid usage.

Corticosteroids: If a doctor has prescribed corticosteroids, do not stop taking them on your own. Stopping suddenly can cause bad withdrawal symptoms and make the problem the steroid was originally treating much worse. Your doctor may be able to adjust your dose, switch you to a different steroid that doesn’t affect your hair as much, or prescribe a hair loss treatment to use at the same time. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to discuss your options.

What treatments speed up hair regrowth after steroid use?

Combination therapy with Finasteride and Minoxidil may produce the strongest results.

For most people experiencing hair loss due to steroids, the first thing to try is Finasteride (1mg daily) alongside topical Minoxidil applied directly to the scalp. However, if Finasteride by itself isn’t doing enough, Dutasteride (off-label) can be another option as it blocks DHT (a hormone linked to hair loss) even more strongly (2).

OTC = over the counter; POM = prescription-only medicine.

Are there temporary solutions for sudden hair loss?

While you’re waiting for your hair to grow back, there are some practical measures you can take to manage the visible effects of hair loss.

Cosmetic options: Hair fibres (Toppik is one brand of these) are very fine powders that stick to the hair you have, and they hide spots where your hair is getting thinner. Scalp micropigmentation is a non-surgical tattoo-like procedure that you can undergo that mimics the appearance of hair follicles. If you’ve lost a lot of hair, you could consider a hair topper or wig for wider coverage.

Styling: Some volumising shampoos and conditioners can add thickness to your hair. A shorter haircut can help reduce the contrast between thicker and thinner areas and make them less noticeable. A good barber can adjust your hairstyle to suit thinning hair better.

Lifestyle: Managing the stress in your life is important (long-term stress can make hair shedding even worse). Eating a protein-rich diet helps support hair growth. If you don’t get enough zinc, your hair is more likely to fall out, so zinc supplements can also be useful.

These aren’t replacements for treatment, they’re simply ways to manage and maybe even feel more confident while waiting for Finasteride, Minoxidil or natural recovery to take effect.

What are my recommended next steps if I’m losing hair right now?

If you’re actively losing hair and suspect steroids are the cause, there are actions you can take to help you through the process:

1. Speak to a pharmacist or GP as soon as you can. A professional can assess whether your hair loss is from anabolic steroids or from corticosteroids, and can advise you what treatment is best.

2. Plan your approach to the steroid. If you're using anabolic steroids, speak to a medical professional about how to taper off safely, ensuring you don’t stop suddenly. If you’ve been given a corticosteroid, talk to the doctor who gave it to you about slowly decreasing the dose or changing to a different medicine. Do not stop a prescribed medicine suddenly unless it’s under a medical professional’s guidance.

3. Start treatment within the 6-month window. Finasteride, Minoxidil or a combination of both may help prevent further hair loss or even help grow back hair. The earlier you begin, the more hair follicles you’ll have to grow back. If you wait longer than 12 months, it is less likely that your hair will grow back fully.

4. Use temporary solutions while you wait. Hair fibres, styling adjustments and scalp care can bridge the gap between starting treatment and seeing results (which can take up to 3 to 4 months).

5. Set a 6-month follow-up. It is a good idea to assess how well your hair is growing back with your pharmacist or GP at a planned timepoint. If it isn’t improving much, you may want to consider switching to Dutasteride (prescribed off-label for hair loss) or tweaking your combination therapy.

If you’re worried about hair loss related to steroid use, speak to your pharmacist or GP. They can assess your individual situation and recommend appropriate treatment.

How does DHT sensitivity affect steroid-induced hair loss?

Whether steroids will cause you to lose your hair is partly down to your genetics. Not everyone who takes steroids loses hair, and the difference comes down to the density of androgen receptors in your scalp.

DHT (dihydrotestosterone) attaches to androgen receptors about twice as strongly as testosterone. If a male has a lot of these receptors in his scalp (typically down to genetics), DHT will slowly make the hair follicles smaller, which is a process called miniaturisation. Anabolic steroids work by flooding the body with androgens, and this speeds up this process for people who are already predisposed to it.

If you’re not genetically predisposed, you may be able to use anabolic steroids without losing hair. But if you are predisposed, even a short time using them can make your hair noticeably thinner. There’s no reliable way to predict this in advance other than if you have a chance to look at your family history. Finasteride works by stopping the enzyme (5-alpha reductase) that turns testosterone into DHT, and so it reduces the amount of the hormone causing the hair loss.

Frequently asked questions

Can hair loss from anabolic steroids be reversed permanently?

Yes, if you act quickly. In general, Finasteride with Minoxidil can achieve stable or improved results in 92% of people at 1 year (3). The longer you wait to do something about it, the less likely you are to grow all your hair back.

How much hair will grow back if I stop steroids?

With hair falling out because of corticosteroids, most, or even all, of it may come back within 6 to 12 months of stopping. With anabolic steroids, the outcome will depend on how soon you begin treatment. Starting treatment in those first 6 months of stopping gives you the best chance of hair regrowth.

Is steroid-induced hair loss permanent if I don’t treat it?

Hair loss due to corticosteroids usually gets better by itself within 6 to 12 months of stopping treatment. However, hair loss from anabolic steroids can lead to the hair follicles shrinking and becoming permanently much smaller if untreated. The longer you put off treatment, the more difficult it is to get your hair back.

What’s the difference between Finasteride and Minoxidil for steroid hair loss?

Finasteride stops your body from making as much DHT (a hormone that causes hair loss). Minoxidil stimulates blood flow to your hair roots and encourages hair follicle growth. If you use only Finasteride, around 48 to 66% of people will see an improvement. 59% of people will see an improvement with Minoxidil by itself. But if you use both of them together, over 92% of people find their hair stops falling out or improves growth (3).

Should I take Finasteride while still using steroids?

If you are going to continue taking anabolic steroids, Finasteride can reduce the amount of hair loss caused by DHT during your steroid use. It’s better to start Finasteride as soon as you begin to lose hair, rather than wait until you finish the steroids.

How long until I see regrowth with Finasteride and Minoxidil?

With Finasteride and Minoxidil, most people will be able to see some improvement in their hair after 3 or 4 months. You’ll see the best results after about 12 months. Importantly, you need to keep using it or you will start to lose the benefits within 3 to 6 months.

Can I use Minoxidil alone if Finasteride causes side effects?

You can use Minoxidil on its own if Finasteride is causing side effects. Minoxidil alone provides an improvement for 59% of people, compared with over 92% with the combination. If Finasteride isn’t right for you, you could ask your pharmacist about switching to Dutasteride (off-label use for hair loss). A combination of both treatments tends to produce the best results.

What if I’ve been losing hair for 12 or more months: is it too late?

If you have been losing hair for 12 months or longer, it’s not necessarily hopeless, but you are less likely to get a full head of hair back. After 12 months, many of the hair follicles will likely have shrunk to the point where they can’t be repaired. Treatment can still prevent more hair from falling out and improve the hair you still have. It might be worth chatting to a pharmacist to review your individual situation.

Are there side effects to Finasteride or Minoxidil?

Finasteride can, for a small number of men, cause problems with sex (less interest in sex, changes to erections) but these usually go away once you stop the medication. Minoxidil can irritate or dry out your scalp. Most people can use both medications without major side effects. If you are worried about side effects, it would be good to talk to your pharmacist.

References

1. Badri T, Nessel TA, Kumar D D. Minoxidil [Internet]. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020.

2. Estill MC, Ford A, Omeira R, Rodman M. Finasteride and dutasteride for the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia: a review of efficacy and reproductive adverse effects. Georgetown Med Rev [Internet]. 2023.

3. Johnson H, Huang D, Clift AK, et al. Combined oral Finasteride and Minoxidil for male androgenetic alopecia: a retrospective UK service evaluation. 2024.