581 citations
,
October 1998 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride safely and effectively treats male pattern hair loss, but may cause reversible sexual issues and harm male fetuses.
June 2018 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Finasteride does not negatively affect male reproductive function.
14 citations
,
January 2020 in “Archivio Italiano di Urologia e Andrologia” Finasteride helps with prostate symptoms but may cause sexual side effects.
89 citations
,
December 2006 in “Lancet Oncology” Taking 1 mg/day finasteride for hair loss significantly lowers PSA levels in men, which may affect prostate cancer screening.
July 2010 in “PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News”
41 citations
,
October 2011 in “Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride 1 mg effectively and safely increases hair growth in Japanese men with hair loss.
April 2026 in “The Journal of Urology” Low-dose finasteride may increase erectile dysfunction risk over time.
May 2015 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Young men taking finasteride for hair loss have a higher risk of sexual dysfunction.
5 citations
,
October 2017 in “Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences” Finasteride treatment should be personalized to individual mental profiles.
Most patients were satisfied with topical finasteride, and few experienced side effects.
2 citations
,
December 2006 in “Lancet Oncology” Finasteride significantly reduces PSA levels in men, and doctors should adjust PSA readings for those taking the drug.
January 2017 in “Indian journal of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS” Finasteride, a hair loss drug, can cause sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction in 2.1%-3.8% of users, but these usually go away with time or if the drug is stopped. Despite this, its impact on sexual function is minimal for most men.
33 citations
,
January 2016 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology” Taking 1 mg of finasteride daily can increase hair count and improve hair appearance, but it may have side effects on sexual function and a potential risk of prostate cancer. It may not be effective for postmenopausal women unless taken in higher doses.
April 2026 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride and dutasteride reduce semen quality, with dutasteride having a stronger negative effect.
13 citations
,
September 2018 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Finasteride effectively stops hair loss in most patients, but concerns about rare sexual side effects exist.
36 citations
,
June 2014 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Dutasteride helps hair growth in those unresponsive to finasteride, but may cause more sexual dysfunction.
44 citations
,
July 2004 in “Archives of Dermatology” Finasteride for hair loss has minimal impact on sexual function.
July 2004 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride effectively and safely improves hair growth in young men with hair loss.
December 2005 in “Current Prostate Reports” In 2005, men used finasteride mainly to treat an enlarged prostate.
36 citations
,
September 2001 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Finasteride doesn't reduce sexual function in people with hair loss.
July 1997 in “Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery” Finasteride significantly increases scalp hair and prevents hair loss in young and middle-aged men.
40 citations
,
April 1999 in “Drugs” Finasteride treats enlarged prostate, improves urinary flow, but may cause sexual side effects.
February 2007 in “Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature” Taking 1mg of finasteride daily for hair loss can lower PSA levels by 40-50%, so to keep PSA effective as a cancer screening tool, the PSA value should be doubled during treatment.
June 2019 in “Reactions Weekly”
62 citations
,
April 2004 in “Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy” Finasteride effectively treats male pattern baldness, improving hair growth and density.
2 citations
,
April 1999 in “PubMed” 4 citations
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April 2018 in “Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences” Patients should discuss risks with doctors before using finasteride for hair loss.
8 citations
,
January 2019 in “Clinical research and trials” Finasteride is effective and safe for long-term treatment of hair loss in Japanese men.
6 citations
,
February 2016 in “Journal of Microencapsulation” Improved finasteride formula allows slow, sustained release and better absorption for patients.
9 citations
,
January 2009 in “PubMed” Finasteride treatment can decrease certain steroids and increase others, possibly leading to depression symptoms in some cases.