124 citations
,
March 2012 in “JAMA” Testosterone's muscle-building effects do not require its conversion to DHT.
78 citations
,
January 2000 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” Norgestimate is the most effective birth control progestin for reducing an enzyme linked to acne and excessive hair growth in women.
78 citations
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April 1984 in “Archives of Dermatology” Minoxidil can help regrow hair in alopecia areata patients.
50 citations
,
September 1975 in “American Heart Journal” Minoxidil effectively controls blood pressure in severe cases, but may cause fluid retention and edema.
45 citations
,
January 2012 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Too much AKR1C3 enzyme causes resistance to finasteride by increasing testosterone.
36 citations
,
November 2020 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may reduce COVID-19 symptoms in bald males.
36 citations
,
September 2018 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” Combination of 0.25% finasteride and 3% minoxidil works better than just 3% minoxidil for increasing hair thickness in women.
35 citations
,
July 1981 in “Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics” Minoxidil can cause dangerous fluid buildup around the heart.
33 citations
,
October 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces hair growth and is safe for women with excessive hair.
29 citations
,
October 1996 in “Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology” Higher minoxidil doses in dogs cause faster heart rate, lower blood pressure, and heart issues.
23 citations
,
July 1993 in “Pharmacotherapy” Finasteride treats enlarged prostate and baldness, but may cause limited urinary improvement and sex-related side effects.
22 citations
,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces dihydrotestosterone, increases testosterone, and may treat hirsutism in women.
20 citations
,
December 1995 in “Journal of Chromatography B: Biomedical Sciences and Applications” Accurate method measures finasteride levels in human plasma using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
19 citations
,
April 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Dutasteride works better than finasteride for hair loss, with both being safe to use.
18 citations
,
March 2014 in “Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy” New gel formulas without ethanol and propylene glycol, containing a minoxidil-methyl-β-cyclodextrin complex, have been created for treating hair loss.
16 citations
,
October 2007 in “Andrologia” DHT is a strong androgen that may pose less risk to the prostate compared to testosterone.
15 citations
,
July 2016 in “Urologic Clinics of North America” Finasteride and dutasteride are effective for long-term treatment of enlarged prostates but have sexual side effects and a risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
11 citations
,
April 2009 in “Pharmacotherapy” Minoxidil can cause deadly skin reaction; monitor patients closely.
10 citations
,
October 2018 in “Sexual medicine reviews” Men using hair loss drugs like finasteride may experience sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction, but it's unclear who will be affected and when. Treating depression and sexual symptoms is suggested, as these men often have higher rates of both. More research is needed to understand why these side effects occur.
10 citations
,
October 2014 in “Journal of Ovarian Research” The IRS-2 Asp/Asp genotype may increase the risk of PCOS in Chinese women, especially if they are not obese.
9 citations
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March 1991 in “Endocrinology” Using two drugs together, Flutamide and 4-MA, is more effective for blocking male hormones than using each one alone.
3 citations
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April 2021 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” Finasteride may affect PNMT, causing side effects.
3 citations
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December 2000 in “International Journal of Cosmetic Science” The study created a new method to test drugs that affect hormone processing in skin.
3 citations
,
October 1995 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride helps treat skin issues like acne and baldness by blocking testosterone conversion.
December 2025 in “Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Abant Tip Dergisi” Minoxidil did not significantly affect epilepsy in rats.
January 2026 in “Frontiers in Natural Products” Combining shikimic acid and Prunus mume extract may effectively treat acne naturally.
59 citations
,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces scalp DHT levels, potentially treating male pattern baldness.
52 citations
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March 1979 in “Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology” Minoxidil can cause heart muscle damage in dogs.
22 citations
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January 1985 in “Annals of Internal Medicine” Minoxidil in breast milk may harm nursing infants.
16 citations
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September 2018 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Plant-based remedies may treat hair loss by reducing inflammation and improving insulin resistance.