2-minute questionnaire
Tell us about your pattern of hair loss, family history, age, and any prior hair-loss treatments. We ask the questions a dermatologist would.
InstalabFinasteride · 1mg · generic Propecia® · adult men only
Stop the shed. Keep the hair you have.
The only FDA-approved oral treatment for male pattern hair loss. Finasteride 1mg (generic Propecia®) blocks DHT, so 9 in 10 men stop losing hair and two-thirds see visible regrowth at one year. Prescription and delivery included. Adult men 21+.
~90%Of men stopped losing hair at 2 years
~66%Of men saw visible regrowth at 1 year
FDA-approvedMale pattern hair loss
Finasteride 1mg · once daily · for adult men only
Licensed US physician review
12,000+ patients treated
Available in all 50 states
Ongoing follow-up
How it works
From questionnaire to first dose.
No clinic visits. A licensed physician reviews your case, confirms eligibility, and writes the prescription. We handle refills and follow-up so you stay on plan through the months it takes to see results.
Physician review
A licensed physician confirms finasteride 1mg is appropriate, screens for contraindications, and writes your prescription. Usually within 1 business day.
Prescription sent to your pharmacy
Your physician routes the prescription to the pharmacy of your choice. Pick it up, or have your pharmacy deliver if they offer it. Generic finasteride 1mg is on essentially every formulary.
Follow-up at 6 and 12 months
Hair-loss timelines are long. Most men notice shedding slow in 3 months and visible regrowth around 6 to 12 months. We check in along the way and your physician adjusts if needed.
Pricing
What you'll actually pay.
Two line items: Instalab Membership and the finasteride medication itself, dispensed by your pharmacy. No prescription fees, no per-refill fees.
Instalab Membership
Physician oversight, ongoing follow-up, and pharmacy coordination
$—/mo
Finasteride 1mg
Generic, dispensed by your pharmacy
Cash price$5–18/monthTypical pharmacy cash price
With insuranceUsually not coveredCosmetic indication
Why pay a membership fee? Finasteride works only if you take it every day for years. Membership covers physician review, refills, and the follow-up that catches side effects early and keeps you on plan. Most insurance plans do not cover finasteride for hair loss because the indication is cosmetic, but generic cash prices are typically $15 to $30 per month. You pick up the prescription at your own pharmacy and pay them directly.
Will my insurance cover finasteride for hair loss?
Most insurance plans do not cover finasteride for male pattern hair loss because the indication is considered cosmetic. The good news: generic finasteride 1mg is cheap at the pharmacy — typically $15 to $30 per month with a discount card. We send the prescription to whichever pharmacy you'd like; you handle pickup and payment with them directly.
Why membership
Finasteride works. Staying on it for years takes ongoing care.
Hair-loss treatment timelines are long, and stopping treatment reverses your gains. Membership covers the physician oversight that keeps you on plan and catches side effects early.
- Week 1Day 1–5
Physician evaluation and prescription
A licensed physician reviews your history and confirms finasteride 1mg is appropriate. Patients under 21, women, and men with prior reactions to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are not prescribed through Instalab.
- Week 1–4
Pickup and first doses
Pick up finasteride from your pharmacy. Take it once daily, with or without food, at the same time each day. You may not notice anything in the first few weeks — that is expected.
- Month 3–6
Shedding slows; first signs of stability
Most men see active shedding slow by month 3 and visible signs of stabilization or early regrowth by month 6. Some men have a paradoxical early shed in the first two months as miniaturized hairs cycle out — this usually resolves.
- Month 12+
Full effect and ongoing care
Visible regrowth typically peaks at 12 to 24 months. We keep your prescription active for as long as you choose to stay on it. Stopping reverses the gains over 6 to 12 months, so this is a long-term commitment.
Without membership
Schedule a dermatology visit. Wait weeks. Get a 3-month script. Realize hair-loss timelines are 12+ months. Try to find another appointment. Run out of meds. Lose your progress.
With Instalab
2-minute questionnaire. Physician review within 1 business day. Refills handled automatically. Side-effect check-ins built in. Stay on the medication that only works while you take it.
About the medication
A simple daily routine, with a long arc to results.
One small pill, once a day. Hair-loss medication works on the timeline of hair cycles, not weeks. Most men see results in 6 to 12 months, with full effect by 12 to 24 months.
- One pill, once a dayTake it at the same time each day, with or without food. Consistency matters more than timing.
- Be patient — results take monthsMost men see shedding slow in 3 months and visible regrowth in 6 to 12 months. Some have a paradoxical early shed in the first two months as miniaturized hairs cycle out. That usually resolves.
- Stopping reverses the gainsFinasteride only works while you take it. Stopping leads to gradual regression over 6 to 12 months. Plan for long-term use.
- Ongoing supportOur care team is a message away. Reach out if you notice any side effects or your progress stalls.
Why finasteride
The only oral medication FDA-approved for male pattern hair loss.
Male pattern hair loss is driven by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), an androgen that progressively shrinks hair follicles on the top and crown of the scalp. Finasteride blocks the Type II 5-alpha-reductase enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, dropping scalp DHT levels by about 60%. With less DHT, follicles can recover, shedding slows, and many men regrow visible hair. Minoxidil and microneedling work alongside it but don't target the underlying hormone.
- ~90% of men stopped losing hair at 2 yearsAcross the FDA-pivotal trials, about 9 out of 10 men on finasteride 1mg stopped losing hair (no further visible reduction) at 2 years, versus a minority on placebo. The trials used standardized photography and hair counts, not subjective rating.
- ~66% saw visible regrowth at 1 yearAbout two-thirds of men on finasteride saw measurable hair regrowth at 12 months, with continued improvement through 2 years. Results are strongest on the crown and vertex; the frontal hairline responds more slowly.
- The longest track record in hair lossFDA-approved for male pattern hair loss in 1997. Decades of clinical use, multi-year follow-up data, and a well-characterized side-effect profile. It is the standard of care for androgenetic alopecia in men.
The pivotal 5-year trial
Published in JAAD in 2002, the long-term extension of the FDA-pivotal trials followed 1,553 men on finasteride 1mg for 5 years. At year 5, 90% of men on finasteride had no further visible hair loss versus 25% on placebo, and 65% had measurable regrowth. These results established finasteride as the standard of care for male pattern hair loss.
1,553
Men followed over 5 years
90%
No further hair loss at 5 years
~60%
Reduction in scalp DHT
Finasteride is a prescription medicine. Important safety information applies. Most men tolerate it well. Sexual side effects are uncommon but can be persistent in rare cases. It is not for women and not for patients under 21.
Ready when you are
Stop the shed. Keep the hair.
Answer the questionnaire. A physician reviews your case and, if finasteride 1mg is appropriate, prescribes it. We handle refills and follow-up so you stay on plan through the months it takes to see results.
No commitment to treatment. Adult men 21+ only.