Using 5α-reductase inhibitors for hair loss can cause lasting sexual, physical, mental, and vascular health issues in men, even after stopping the medication.
The conversation discusses why personal stories about hair loss treatments like Minoxidil and finasteride are often taken more seriously than scientific evidence in certain forums. People tend to believe what they want and use others' experiences to support their own views on treatment effectiveness and side effects.
Hair loss treatments, specifically the use of oral minoxidil in combination with micro-needling. Oral minoxidil has been found to improve hair density in 90% of patients with a low side effect profile, but using 5mg per day can result in higher side effects including hypertrichosis and edema. Other treatments mentioned include finasteride and RU58841.
A user initially had side effects from finasteride, attributed them to anxiety and the nocebo effect, and after resuming the drug, experienced positive effects and now warns against misinformation about Post Finasteride Syndrome.
Long term Finasteride users and whether or not they have noticed improvements after two years of use, with other treatments such as Minoxidil and dermarolling also discussed. Some replies suggest that improvement is possible even beyond the two year mark while others caution against believing studies backed by the Post-Finasteride Foundation.
Finasteride can cause sexual side effects in less than 2% of men, but these often disappear over time, even if the treatment continues. Some users report persistent side effects, while others experience no issues or only temporary ones.