TLDR Finasteride treatment slows down hair loss, boosts hair growth, and may increase hair thickness or length, but it can cause side effects like decreased libido and depression in less than 1% of people.
The study, conducted in 2013, examined the effectiveness of finasteride treatment against hereditary male pattern baldness. Six studies on finasteride were selected from the PubMed database. The results showed that finasteride treatment slows the development of hair loss and increases hair growth, with an increase of 7-10% more hairs after one year of treatment or longer with finasteride 1 mg daily. The treatment also appeared to increase the thickness and/or length of hairs. The studies involved men aged 18-19. Adverse reactions, including decreased libido, erectile difficulty, ejaculation problems, and depression, occurred in fewer than 1 in 100 people. The concentration of DHT was decreased by finasteride treatment in all studies.
35 citations,
February 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride significantly improves hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.
66 citations,
June 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride increases hair weight and count in men with hair loss, with best results after four years.
12 citations,
August 2004 in “PubMed” Finasteride, especially in a 1mg dose, effectively slows hair loss and improves hair growth in Japanese men with male pattern hair loss.
46 citations,
October 1999 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride effectively treats male pattern hair loss with a 1 mg daily dose.
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.
3 citations,
June 2004 in “Alternative and Complementary Therapies” The document concludes that hair loss is influenced by genetics and other factors, and while treatments like finasteride can help, they have limitations and side effects.
145 citations,
November 2017 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Use minoxidil for hair loss treatment; assess results after 6 months.
July 2023 in “JAAD International” Two drugs, finasteride and minoxidil, are approved for hair loss treatment, but new therapies are being developed.
June 2023 in “Stem cell reviews and reports” Stem cell therapies could be a promising alternative for hair loss treatment, but more research is needed to understand their full potential and safety.
11 citations,
July 2017 in “Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs” New hair loss treatments may include topical medications, injections, and improved transplant methods.
