July 2017 in “Indian journal of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS” Finasteride, a hair loss drug, can cause sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction in 2.1%-3.8% of users, but these usually go away with time or if the drug is stopped. Despite this, its impact on sexual function is minimal for most men.
19 citations,
June 2021 in “The world journal of men's health” Using anabolic-androgenic steroids can harm men's reproductive health and increase the risk of heart problems and death.
15 citations,
September 2014 in “JAMA Dermatology” April 2017 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Hair loss patterns differ between males and females due to 5 master regulators and JAK-STAT signaling affects hair growth.
5 citations,
July 2022 in “Orphanet journal of rare diseases” RSPO1 mutations in certain patients lead to skin cells that don't develop properly and are more likely to become invasive, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
581 citations,
October 1998 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride safely and effectively treats male pattern hair loss, but may cause reversible sexual issues and harm male fetuses.
235 citations,
September 2004 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” Drugs that block DHT production can effectively treat enlarged prostate and improve urinary issues with some sexual side effects.
223 citations,
December 2010 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Some patients taking finasteride or dutasteride may have ongoing sexual problems and depression even after stopping the medication.
93 citations,
January 1996 in “Clinical Pharmacokinectics” Finasteride helps regrow hair and shrink prostate by reducing DHT, with some sexual side effects.
66 citations,
June 2013 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” Finasteride and dutasteride effectively treat hair loss, but may cause side effects like sexual dysfunction and depression.
62 citations,
June 2015 in “Sexually Transmitted Infections” Sexual activity can spread T. interdigitale, needing quick antifungal treatment to avoid permanent scarring.
56 citations,
April 1998 in “Steroids” Finasteride reduces hair loss and treats BPH without major hormone changes, but may cause sexual dysfunction.
44 citations,
October 2010 in “BJUI” 5-α-reductase inhibitors reduce prostate cancer risk but may cause sexual dysfunction and don't affect high-grade tumor or death rates.
36 citations,
June 2014 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Dutasteride helps hair growth in those unresponsive to finasteride, but may cause more sexual dysfunction.
35 citations,
June 2018 in “Urology” The review suggests younger men taking 1 mg finasteride report more side effects, including sexual, skin, metabolic, and psychological issues.
35 citations,
April 2013 in “Sexual medicine reviews” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors slightly increase the risk of sexual and mood side effects, and breast growth in men.
35 citations,
February 2012 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Finasteride significantly improves hair growth but may cause sexual side effects.
33 citations,
January 2016 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology” Taking 1 mg of finasteride daily can increase hair count and improve hair appearance, but it may have side effects on sexual function and a potential risk of prostate cancer. It may not be effective for postmenopausal women unless taken in higher doses.
26 citations,
November 1993 in “Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry” Treatment during development affects hormone balance and sexual behavior in male rats.
20 citations,
January 2008 in “Reproductive Biomedicine Online” Sexual orientation does not affect the prevalence of PCOS or fertility rates in women undergoing artificial donor insemination.
17 citations,
January 2013 in “Our Dermatology Online” Dutasteride mesotherapy helps treat male hair loss but may harm sperm and sexual function.
13 citations,
September 2018 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Finasteride effectively stops hair loss in most patients, but concerns about rare sexual side effects exist.
13 citations,
June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.
8 citations,
December 2016 in “Revista Medica De Chile” Finasteride can cause sexual dysfunction, sperm changes, and affect bone density and metabolism.
7 citations,
June 2020 in “Translational Andrology and Urology” Finasteride for hair loss may cause lasting sexual, genitourinary, mental, and anti-androgenic side effects in young men.
6 citations,
December 2013 in “Medical Journal of Australia” Bald men are not more virile and may have fewer sexual partners.
5 citations,
January 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders” Oral dutasteride works better for hair loss, but has more sexual side effects; intralesional dutasteride is a possible alternative.
2 citations,
April 2019 in “Journal of Internal Medicine” Men using steroids or finasteride to look more attractive may harm their fertility and sexual function, creating a paradox where they seem fit but may be less able to reproduce.
2 citations,
March 2018 in “Current Opinion in Urology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual, neurologic, endocrine, and cardiovascular side effects, but these are rare and usually stop after ending treatment.
2 citations,
April 2016 in “Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences” Finasteride, used for treating hair loss, can cause mental, physical, and sexual side effects, some of which may persist even after stopping the drug, and it can also cause mild to moderate oral issues.