Efficacy and Safety of Finasteride Therapy for Androgenetic Alopecia

October 2010 in “ Archives of Dermatology ”

José M. Mella, María Clara Perret, Matías E. Manzotti, Hugo N Catalano, Gordon H. Guyatt

finasteride androgenetic alopecia erectile dysfunction decreased libido ejaculation dysfunction Propecia

TLDR Finasteride helps hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.

This document is a meta-analysis of 12 studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of finasteride therapy for androgenetic alopecia. The analysis found that finasteride therapy was effective in increasing hair count and improving patient self-assessment and investigator assessment in the short term and long term. However, there was a risk of sexual adverse effects, including erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and ejaculation dysfunction. The quality of evidence was considered moderate due to the likelihood of publication bias and risk of bias in some studies.

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Research cited in this study

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The Importance of Dual 5α-Reductase Inhibition in the Treatment of Male Pattern Hair Loss: Results of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study of Dutasteride Versus Finasteride

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