September 2012 in “African Journal of Urology” Testosterone replacement therapy improves libido, mood, muscle strength, and bone density in men with Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome.
August 2009 in “Reactions Weekly” Finasteride caused breast enlargement in two men, which improved after stopping the medication.
June 2026 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Finasteride may be linked to more psychiatric issues than dutasteride, but a definite cause isn't proven.
April 2025 in “Archives of Dermatological Research” The combination of finasteride and minoxidil is as safe and effective as minoxidil alone for improving hair growth in men.
December 2022 in “Scholars journal of applied medical sciences” Dutasteride 0.5mg improves hair growth in 78% of people with hair loss, but may cause sexual problems in some.
February 2019 in “DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)” Dutasteride is more effective than finasteride for hair growth in men, with similar safety.
November 2022 in “Hair transplant forum international” Finasteride does not cause sexual dysfunction in men with hair loss.
May 2019 in “Hair transplant forum international” Finasteride does not cause sexual dysfunction in men with hair loss.
152 citations
,
October 2010 in “Archives of Dermatology” Finasteride helps hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.
125 citations
,
January 1999 in “Drugs” Finasteride effectively treats baldness but may cause sexual side effects.
105 citations
,
January 2004 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride improves chronic pelvic pain, saw palmetto doesn't.
81 citations
,
June 2014 in “American Journal of Men's Health” Finasteride can cause lasting sexual, emotional, and cognitive issues, with varying severity.
78 citations
,
December 2008 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction, but the exact reasons are unclear.
50 citations
,
March 2017 in “PeerJ” Using finasteride or dutasteride may cause long-lasting erectile dysfunction.
44 citations
,
July 2011 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Finasteride effectively increases hair growth in men with AGA, works better for those over 30, and may cause some side effects.
41 citations
,
October 2011 in “Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride 1 mg effectively and safely increases hair growth in Japanese men with hair loss.
39 citations
,
November 1978 in “Annals of internal medicine” Spironolactone may help reduce excessive hair growth in women with high male hormone levels.
38 citations
,
February 2019 in “Clinical Interventions in Aging” Dutasteride more effectively treats hair loss than finasteride, but may increase risk of altered libido.
32 citations
,
July 2016 in “PubMed” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are generally safe but can cause sexual side effects and require patient education on risks.
21 citations
,
January 2017 in “Dermatology Online Journal” Finasteride and dutasteride can cause sexual problems like impotence and low libido.
19 citations
,
January 2016 in “Annals of Dermatology” Dutasteride is safe and effective for treating hair loss, but may decrease libido.
15 citations
,
November 2015 in “Pharmacopsychiatry” α-Blockers and 5-ARIs for BPH can cause sexual dysfunction, including erectile and ejaculatory issues.
13 citations
,
June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.
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.
4 citations
,
April 2018 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride for female hair loss has low side effects, more research needed.
3 citations
,
September 2023 in “International journal of impotence research” Post-finasteride syndrome causes lasting sexual, mental, and physical issues, needing more research for solutions.
3 citations
,
October 2015 in “PubMed” Most men stopped using the hair loss treatment not because of sexual side effects, but because they didn't see positive results.
2 citations
,
December 2021 in “International Journal of Andrology” Most legal cases about 5α-reductase inhibitors, drugs for hair loss and prostate issues, complain about side effects and delayed cancer diagnosis, with most lawsuits settled out of court.
2 citations
,
May 2017 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” Topical minoxidil 5% can cause erectile dysfunction and decreased libido.
1 citations
,
February 2022 in “Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)” Peperomia pellucida extract promotes hair growth, boosts male libido and fertility, and protects kidney cells.