Low-dose oral minoxidil is safe and effective for treating hair loss, with most side effects being mild and reversible.
Sublingual minoxidil increases hair thickness in men with hair loss.
April 2017 in “Reactions Weekly” Man experienced sexual dysfunction, depression, breast growth, and skin discoloration after taking finasteride for hair loss.
Finasteride significantly reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
15 citations
,
June 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride doesn't affect erections much, but may decrease libido in men.
5 citations
,
January 2022 in “Clinical cancer investigation journal” Certain Dibenzo derivatives may help treat prostate cancer.
August 2021 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride treatment changes hormone levels in male pattern baldness patients.
35 citations
,
February 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride significantly improves hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.
August 2011 in “Der Urologe” 5α-reductase inhibitors lower overall prostate cancer risk but not high-grade cancer risk; longer-term screening and new treatments show promise.
April 2007 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride reduces bleeding risk during prostate surgery.
30 citations
,
September 2016 in “BMJ” Taking 5-α reductase inhibitors for prostate enlargement or hair loss does not significantly raise the risk of erectile dysfunction.
12 citations
,
September 2018 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Daily low-dose aspirin lowers minoxidil's effectiveness for hair loss treatment.
April 2017 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride before TURP reduces blood loss and improves early postoperative quality of life.
May 2024 in “Reactions weekly”
October 2024 in “Journal of Neuroscience Research” Long-term Finasteride treatment reduces depression better than short-term treatment in rats.
July 2007 in “Journal of Reproduction & Infertility” Short-term finasteride use likely doesn't harm male fertility.
April 2015 in “Reactions Weekly” Finasteride toxicity information is limited, poor quality, and biased.
April 2026 in “Mendeley Data” April 2026 in “Mendeley Data” 42 citations
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August 2012 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Finasteride reduces certain behaviors caused by D1-like receptor agonists but not by D2-like receptor agonists in mice.
1 citations
,
November 2016 in “Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association” Finasteride treats hair loss but may cause side effects like low libido and dizziness.
15 citations
,
October 2014 in “Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation” Some hair loss and prostate drugs might increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Finasteride improves hair but may reduce sperm quality at higher doses.
3 citations
,
November 1998 in “PubMed”
34 citations
,
February 1993 in “Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology/The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology” Certain 4-azasteroids are effective at blocking the enzyme that processes testosterone in human skin and could help treat acne, excessive hair growth, and male pattern baldness.
March 2009 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride improves urinary symptoms and quality of life in BPH patients, especially with larger prostate size.
14 citations
,
November 2008 in “Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology” Finasteride helps treat prostate issues and may prevent prostate cancer in high-risk men.
December 2010 in “Dermatologic Surgery” Finasteride's effectiveness on the frontal hair loss area is not well-studied or confirmed.
10 citations
,
October 2009 in “Clinical Therapeutics” Finasteride 5-mg oral disintegrating tablets and standard tablets are bioequivalent in healthy adult male Han Chinese volunteers.