The Use of Finasteride in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris and Androgenetic Alopecia
December 2022
in “
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
”
TLDR Topical finasteride effectively treats hair loss and acne with fewer side effects than oral forms.
This integrative literature review examines the effectiveness of finasteride in treating androgenetic alopecia and acne, based on 11 studies involving over 900 patients across 7 countries. The findings indicate that finasteride is highly effective in combating both conditions by inhibiting the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, thus preventing related health and aesthetic issues. In Italy, 66% of patients with alopecia levels I and II showed improvement, while in Brazil, 81% reported increased hair volume. In the U.S., a 50% improvement in acne lesions was observed after 4 weeks. However, 92% of adverse effects in Wales were sexual in nature. The review suggests that topical finasteride is as effective as oral forms but with fewer systemic side effects, making it a preferable option when considering risk versus benefit.