Adverse Effects with Finasteride 5 mg/Day for Patterned Hair Loss in Premenopausal Women

January 2018 in “ International Journal of Trichology ”

Rui Oliveira-Soares, Marisa C André, M Peres-Correia

finasteride Female Pattern Hair Loss FPHL libido reduction mastalgia hypertrichosis hirsutism minoxidil Propecia Rogaine

TLDR Taking 5 mg/day finasteride can cause side effects in women with hair loss, but these are usually mild and fade over time, making the treatment beneficial in the long run.

In 2017, Oliveira-Soares R, André MC, Peres-Correia M conducted a study on 256 premenopausal women with Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL), examining the side effects of 5 mg/day finasteride. After 3 months of treatment, 20% of patients experienced one or more adverse effects, which generally decreased in intensity or disappeared over time. After 3 years, only 3.33% of patients still had an adverse effect. The most common side effects were libido reduction, mastalgia, or hypertrichosis/hirsutism. The study concluded that finasteride is beneficial for premenopausal FPHL patients not planning to become pregnant, particularly those who had a low response to topical minoxidil. The side effects were common but mild, and usually disappeared over time, making long-term treatment feasible.

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12 / 12 results

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