1 citations
,
July 2022 in “JEADV Clinical Practice” This abstract outlines a guide reviewing both FDA-approved and off-label therapies for androgenetic alopecia and proposes treatment algorithms based on scientific research, highlighting a gap in common treatments for this prevalent condition.
June 2022 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” This study reports no results yet and only indicates an ongoing randomized placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of microneedling combined with topical dutasteride solution for treating androgenetic alopecia.
13 citations
,
February 2022 in “JAMA Dermatology” This meta-analysis reported that 0.5 mg/d of dutasteride significantly increased total hair count at 24 weeks compared to finasteride and minoxidil in men with androgenetic alopecia.
1 citations
,
January 2022 in “Annals of Dermatology” In this South Korean retrospective study, dutasteride improved hair growth more effectively than finasteride in men with androgenic alopecia, and had a similar or possibly lower rate of adverse events, suggesting it as a viable treatment option.
11 citations
,
October 2021 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” This study found that topical finasteride significantly increased hair count in men with androgenetic alopecia compared to placebo while maintaining similar efficacy to oral finasteride but with lower systemic exposure and a reduced impact on serum DHT levels, potentially minimizing sexual side effects.
19 citations
,
April 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” This review found that dutasteride is more potent than finasteride as a dual receptor dihydrotestosterone blocker for treating androgenetic alopecia and shares a similar safety profile in terms of fertility, teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity.
5 citations
,
January 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders” This study found that oral dutasteride increased hair count more than intralesional administration in androgenetic alopecia, but more research is needed for a reliable comparison.
30 citations
,
January 2020 in “Fertility and Sterility” This review discusses the evidence for post-finasteride syndrome as a condition potentially induced by finasteride and dutasteride, associating them with sexual dysfunction, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in a subset of men, and reports no new clinical results.
26 citations
,
December 2019 in “Neurobiology of Stress” This review discusses adverse effects of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, particularly persistent side effects such as post-finasteride syndrome, and highlights the need for further investigation.
1 citations
,
December 2019 in “Indian Journal of Pharmacy Practice” 
26 citations
,
July 2019 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that reproductive gynecologists are the primary source of referrals for male infertility evaluations, with many men referred before completing a male factor investigation even when using assisted reproductive technologies or lifestyle factors like testosterone replacement.
11 citations
,
March 2019 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This review identifies evidence of sexual adverse effects, particularly linked to finasteride, in men using systemic dermatologic medications but reports no new clinical findings.
38 citations
,
February 2019 in “Clinical Interventions in Aging” This meta-analysis found that dutasteride was more effective than finasteride in increasing hair count and improving photographic assessments for men with androgenetic alopecia, while both drugs had similar rates of sexual dysfunction-related adverse effects.
18 citations
,
October 2018 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This review indicates that many former FDA category D and X systemic dermatologic medications may negatively impact male fertility, with further research needed to assess potential teratogenic effects.
11 citations
,
April 2018 in “Journal of Dermatology” In a randomized study, men treated with dutasteride for androgenetic alopecia experienced sexual adverse events at twice the rate of those on placebo during 24 weeks, but these events were mild, moderate, and resolved after treatment.
January 2018 in “Our Dermatology Online” This review summarizes the use of injectable dutasteride mesotherapy for androgenic alopecia and reports improved hair growth when combined with other substances, but highlights the need for further studies to establish long-term protocols.
50 citations
,
March 2017 in “PeerJ” This study found that longer exposure to 5α-reductase inhibitors significantly increased the risk of persistent erectile dysfunction, especially in younger men exposed to finasteride.
21 citations
,
January 2017 in “Dermatology Online Journal” This review discusses the sexual side effects of finasteride and dutasteride, two 5-α-reductase inhibitors, and reports no new clinical findings while calling for further research into dosage differences.
24 citations
,
October 2016 in “Oncotarget” This study found that finasteride was associated with more reproductive adverse effects, including sexual dysfunction in men and fetal harm in women, compared to minoxidil in reported alopecia cases.
57 citations
,
July 2016 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study concluded that 5α-reductase inhibitors were linked to increased sexual dysfunction in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but not in men with androgenetic alopecia.
32 citations
,
February 2016 in “Journal of Dermatology” This study found that in Japanese male patients with androgenetic alopecia, dutasteride 0.5 mg daily over 52 weeks was associated with improvements in hair growth and appearance, with reported adverse events mostly mild.
51 citations
,
September 2015 in “Medical Clinics of North America” This review discusses common skin appendage diseases, including their pathophysiology and treatments, but does not report new results.
69 citations
,
July 2015 in “Pharmacotherapy” This study found that low-dose finasteride use in young men was associated with higher reporting of persistent sexual dysfunction, with some cases linked to suicidal ideation.
1 citations
,
January 2015 in “Journal of Clinical Toxicology” In this study, paternal exposure to finasteride prior to or during pregnancy was linked to a majority of normal full-term births, although some cases resulted in abortions, aligning with previous animal study findings.
81 citations
,
June 2014 in “American Journal of Men's Health” This study highlights that adverse effects from finasteride may persist in men after discontinuation, indicating a potential "post-finasteride syndrome.
97 citations
,
January 2014 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that dutasteride increased hair growth and restoration in men with androgenetic alopecia more effectively than finasteride and was well tolerated over 24 weeks.
54 citations
,
September 2013 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that discontinuing finasteride led to a significant increase in sperm counts for most men with reduced fertility, though hormone levels and other semen parameters remained unchanged.
55 citations
,
July 2013 in “Dermatologic therapy” This review explores the impact of various medications on male fertility, highlighting reversible negative effects from methotrexate, finasteride, and ketoconazole, while reporting no adverse fertility effects for oral retinoids and certain immunosuppressants.
17 citations
,
January 2013 in “Our Dermatology Online” This study concluded that mesotherapy with a dutasteride-containing solution was the most effective option for treating androgenetic alopecia in males, promoting hair growth and reducing hair loss.
112 citations
,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study, 96% of men with persistent sexual side effects from finasteride reported continued dysfunction after discontinuation, suggesting these effects may endure long-term.
101 citations
,
January 2012 in “Annals of Dermatology” In this study, researchers found that androgenetic alopecia significantly harms quality of life, particularly in younger patients, those with more severe or long-term alopecia, and those who have sought non-medical hair care.
5 citations
,
December 2011 in “Vox Sanguinis” This study found that blood samples from donors on teratogenic drugs sometimes exceeded recommended concentration limits, suggesting a need for improved deferral policies.
152 citations
,
October 2010 in “Archives of Dermatology” This study found that daily oral finasteride may increase hair count and improve hair appearance assessments in men with androgenetic alopecia, but it also appears to raise the risk of sexual dysfunction.
92 citations
,
June 2010 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that 0.5 mg of dutasteride significantly improved hair growth compared to placebo and was well tolerated over six months in men with male pattern hair loss.
11 citations
,
March 2010 in “International Journal of Andrology” This article reviews multiple entries on the Androlog blog regarding finasteride use, concluding that a 1-mg dose does not adversely affect spermatogenesis or pose a risk during conception or pregnancy.
78 citations
,
December 2008 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This review highlights that sexual dysfunction associated with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors is recognized in clinical literature, with erectile dysfunction being the most common adverse effect, followed by ejaculatory dysfunction and decreased libido.
212 citations
,
September 2008 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This review discusses the various treatment options for male and female pattern hair loss and provides no new clinical results; the authors outline the most effective strategies based on existing evidence.
225 citations
,
July 2007 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study, patients informed about finasteride's potential sexual side effects reported a significantly higher occurrence of these side effects, suggesting a nocebo effect.
195 citations
,
February 2007 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” In this study, administering 5alpha-reductase inhibitors reduced dihydrotestosterone levels and was associated with mild, reversible decreases in semen parameters in healthy men.
215 citations
,
November 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that dutasteride increased scalp hair growth in men with male pattern hair loss, particularly at a 2.5 mg dose, and was more effective than finasteride over 24 weeks.
17 citations
,
December 2004 in “The Journal of Men's Health & Gender” This article discusses the role of androgens in hair follicle changes, explaining how dihydrotestosterone contributes to hair thinning on the scalp, while promoting thicker facial hair in men, and reports no new clinical results.
408 citations
,
May 2004 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study found that dutasteride more effectively reduced serum dihydrotestosterone levels than finasteride in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
66 citations
,
April 2002 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” In this study, finasteride, 1 mg daily, significantly increased hair weight more than hair count in men with androgenetic alopecia, indicating additional factors like hair growth rate and thickness may contribute to its effectiveness.
129 citations
,
October 2000 in “British Journal of Dermatology” This study found that finasteride increases anagen hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia.
104 citations
,
October 1999 in “The Journal of Urology” This study concluded that daily treatment with 1 mg finasteride did not affect spermatogenesis or semen production in young men and had small, reversible effects on prostate volume and serum PSA.
581 citations
,
October 1998 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” In male pattern hair loss, this study found that finasteride 1 mg daily significantly slowed hair loss and increased hair growth over two years compared to placebo.
