Sexual Dysfunction in Young Men Prescribed Finasteride for Androgenic Alopecia: A Large Single Center Observational Cohort Study

The study analyzed data from a large medical center to evaluate the risk of sexual dysfunction in men exposed to finasteride for androgenic alopecia. The search yielded a cohort of 157,998 healthy men <42 years old, and the results showed that men exposed to finasteride had a significantly increased risk of impotence, PDE5I use, and diminished libido compared to men who had no exposure to a 5-alfa reductase inhibitor. The hazard ratio for developing impotence or diminished libido was considerably higher than reported in clinical trials of finasteride 1 mg in men with androgenic alopecia. The study supports the need for increased awareness in the dermatology community regarding the use of finasteride for androgenic alopecia.