Case Report: Pseudoporphyria in a 56-Year-Old Man as a Result of Finasteride Intake

January 2011 in “ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ”

finasteride pseudoporphyria topical steroid porphyrin Propecia

TLDR Finasteride may cause pseudoporphyria, a blistering skin condition.

A 56-year-old man developed tense blisters on his hands and foot, which were diagnosed as pseudoporphyria, after taking finasteride for 7 months. The blisters did not respond to topical steroid treatment, and tests ruled out porphyria due to normal porphyrin levels. The patient's medical history was unremarkable, and he denied alcohol and NSAID use. After discontinuing finasteride, no new lesions appeared over a 4-month follow-up period. This case was notable as pseudoporphyria had not been previously associated with finasteride use.

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research Advances in the Treatment of Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Brief Review of Finasteride Studies

10 citations , June 2001 in “PubMed”

Finasteride is effective in growing hair and stopping hair loss in men with mild to moderate alopecia.