Finasteride in the Treatment of Men with Androgenetic Alopecia
October 1998
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Finasteride safely and effectively treats male pattern hair loss, but may cause reversible sexual issues and harm male fetuses.
Finasteride is a safe and effective treatment for male pattern hair loss in men with androgenetic alopecia. It reduces scalp DHT levels and promotes hair growth. The drug has been shown to be generally well-tolerated with few adverse events reported. Studies involving a large number of participants have demonstrated that finasteride improves scalp hair count and quality after two 1-year trials. However, it may cause reversible sexual function impairment and should not be used by pregnant women as it can harm the development of a male fetus.
