December 2023 in “International Journal of Biomedicine” Topical finasteride might help with male hair loss with fewer side effects than pills, but more research is needed.
218 citations,
December 2011 in “Advances in Urology” The document concludes that the 5 alpha-reductase enzymes are important in steroid metabolism and related to various human diseases, with inhibitors used to treat conditions like male pattern baldness and prostate issues.
143 citations,
October 1996 in “Dermatologic Clinics” Too much androgen can cause hair loss; finasteride may help.
108 citations,
February 2008 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” Inhibiting 5α-reductase can help reduce prostate cancer risk and improve treatment.
77 citations,
May 2012 in “Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs” New treatments for male hypogonadism are effective and should be personalized.
51 citations,
October 2002 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride increases hair density in female androgenetic alopecia, but individual results may vary.
47 citations,
October 2016 in “Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology” Androgens prevent hair growth by changing Wnt signals in cells.
45 citations,
May 2012 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Too much AKR1C3 enzyme causes resistance to finasteride by increasing testosterone.
42 citations,
May 2003 in “Mini-reviews in Medicinal Chemistry” New steroidal compounds could be effective for treating conditions related to 5α-reductase enzyme activity.
37 citations,
June 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Blocking a protein called CXXC5 with a specific peptide can stimulate hair regrowth and new hair growth in wounds.
37 citations,
January 2015 in “Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine” An extract from Quercus acutissima bark was found to reduce sebum production and block an enzyme linked to acne.
30 citations,
November 2013 in “PLOS ONE” Androgen receptor signaling causes early aging of cells important for hair growth by damaging their DNA.
24 citations,
January 1989 in “Archives of biochemistry and biophysics” Male rats have androgen receptors in their liver, which are different from proteins that bind estrogen.
23 citations,
July 1993 in “Pharmacotherapy” Finasteride treats enlarged prostate and baldness, but may cause limited urinary improvement and sex-related side effects.
23 citations,
May 1984 in “Journal of the American Geriatrics Society” Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia may be caused by changes in how the body processes male hormones.
20 citations,
May 2011 in “Cancer Biology & Therapy” Finasteride may improve prostate cancer treatment outcomes.
20 citations,
February 2002 in “Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents” New research is needed to create better drugs that block the enzyme responsible for conditions like male baldness and prostate enlargement.
19 citations,
June 1999 in “Steroids” Different halogens on progesterone derivatives can either block or mimic male hormone effects, depending on their type and amount.
18 citations,
March 2008 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Finasteride works better for hair loss in patients 26 or younger.
18 citations,
November 2007 in “Annals of Surgery” Finasteride reduces inflammation and improves immune response after trauma by altering hormone levels.
14 citations,
April 2006 in “Expert Review of Dermatology” Antiandrogen therapy helps treat genetic hair loss.
11 citations,
August 2020 in “Diabetes” Testosterone helps human pancreatic cells increase insulin release.
11 citations,
February 2016 in “Current Medicinal Chemistry” New treatments for prostate cancer and BPH show promise, including novel compounds that target hormone synthesis and response.
11 citations,
August 1997 in “Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents” Many potential alopecia treatments need more testing to confirm they promote acceptable hair growth with minimal side effects.
10 citations,
December 2019 in “in Vivo” Testosterone makes the connections in the uterus lining simpler and lowers certain protein levels, which might lead to infertility.
8 citations,
March 2020 in “Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology” Researchers created immortal human skin cells with constant testosterone receptor activity to study hair loss and test treatments.
7 citations,
January 1994 in “Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry” Understanding how androgens work is key for creating new treatments for prostate issues and hair/skin conditions.
6 citations,
November 2020 in “Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology” Androgens reduce BMP2, which weakens the ability of certain cells to help hair stem cells become different types of cells.
4 citations,
July 2021 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” Finasteride helps hair growth but may cause sexual side effects and depression.
3 citations,
October 2019 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Hair loss in men is mainly caused by hormones and genes, and while current treatments can slow it down, they can't fully stop it.