Relative Safety and Efficacy of Finasteride for Treatment of Hirsutism

    April 2004 in “ Annals of Pharmacotherapy ”
    Kara A Townsend, Karen F. Marlowe
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    TLDR Finasteride reduces hirsutism effectively with fewer side effects but is a second-choice treatment due to safety concerns.
    The study evaluated the safety and efficacy of finasteride for the treatment of hirsutism in women with hyperandrogenism. Data was collected from multiple observational and randomized trials, which showed that finasteride reduced hirsutism by an average of 30% to 60% and decreased the average diameter of hair. Finasteride was found to be similarly effective with fewer side effects compared to other antiandrogens. However, concerns about potential teratogenicity and lack of long-term safety information make finasteride a second-line treatment option for hirsutism.
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      community DHT levels after 4 weeks of Fina and 8 weeks of Fina + 4 weeks of Duta

      in Update  35 upvotes 5 years ago
      The user reported early stage diffuse hair thinning and increased DHT levels after 4 weeks on Finasteride and 8 weeks on Finasteride plus 4 weeks on Dutasteride, despite the medications being authentic and stored properly. They are considering increasing their Dutasteride dosage due to the lack of side effects and are unsure if the treatment is helping their hair.

      community No, Finasteride as a treatment for MPB was not an "accident"

      in Research/Science  105 upvotes 3 years ago
      Finasteride was intentionally developed to treat BPH and later approved for male pattern baldness (MPB) due to its 5AR inhibition effects. The delay in MPB approval was due to concerns about off-label use for female hirsutism and the prioritization of treating a more debilitating condition.

      community Finasteride 5mg & Spironolactone 100mg

      in Female  2 upvotes 4 weeks ago
      A 20-year-old female is using finasteride 5mg and spironolactone 100mg for severe hirsutism and is experiencing minor side effects like water weight loss and irregular periods. She is concerned about potential future side effects and hair regrowth on her scalp.

      community 8 months on 5mg fin daily, 5% min twice daily, and hrt(mtf). Thought my hair was unrecoverable before but now I’m so happy.

      in Transgender  1899 upvotes 1 year ago
      A user named "LordGeek101" shared their positive experience with hair regrowth after using 5mg of finasteride daily, 5% minoxidil twice daily, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for 8 months. The user is transgender (MTF) and mentioned that the larger dose of finasteride was recommended by their doctor for better chances of hair revival.

      community My Experience With Finasteride

      in Research/Science  21 upvotes 1 year ago
      A user shared their experience with Finasteride for hair loss, noting a significant reduction in DHT levels and a complete loss of libido without other side effects. Another user agreed, discussing the negative impact on sexual drive and criticizing the community's attitude towards discussing side effects.

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