Faculty Opinions Recommendation of Persistent Sexual Dysfunction and Depression in Finasteride Users for Male Pattern Hair Loss: A Serious Concern or Red Herring?
December 2015
in “
Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature
”
TLDR Finasteride, a hair loss treatment, may cause long-term sexual dysfunction and depression.
In 2014, Singh and Avram reviewed the side effects of finasteride, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor commonly used for male hair loss. They reported concerns about worsening sexual function, which in some cases can be longstanding. This medication, also used in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, had been linked to these same concerns when used for hair loss treatment.
