This Hair Loss Medication Has Severe Side Effects

Intervene in the hormonal balance to stop hair loss. That can’t be healthy, can it? Finasteride is that dangerous

Some promises make you skeptical because they are too close to the fulfillment of a dream: swallow one tablet with the active ingredient finasteride a day, and the hair loss stops.

Even better: hair even grows back. It sounds too good to be true.

The miracle pill has one very obvious catch: you have to swallow a medication every day that interferes with your hormonal balance. Please? Yes, we reacted that way too.

How are you supposed to achieve a full head of hair, and is that even healthy? We wanted to know that, too. That’s why we at Dr. Désirée Hölscher, a dermatologist and hair expert at the renowned Dermatologicum in Hamburg, asked.

What is finasteride, and how does it work?

The active ingredient influences the male hormonal balance. Taking less dihydrotestosterone (DHT) produces testosterone from testosterone. DHT not only ensures the development of the male sexual organs in children but also the growth of body hair. It can also cause hair loss later in life.

“DHT shortens the growth phase of the hair until the follicles, the growth engines for the hair, finally die. The result: the hair thins,” says hair expert Dr. Hölscher, adding: “By taking finasteride, DHT production is blocked. Hair loss is stopped, and hair density can increase,” says Dr. Hölscher. We have compiled further information about hair loss here.

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Patience and perseverance are prerequisites for success. Because it can take a few months for the effect to become visible. “The first positive effects can be expected after 3–6 months. The active ingredient works for 90 percent of all users.” The big catch is that the drug has severe side effects. And is therefore not the first recommendation from experienced hair loss experts like Dr. Hölscher.

What side effects does finasteride have?

Finasteride requires a prescription and may only be taken after an intensive consultation with a doctor. These side effects are known:

• Erection problems
• Loss of libido
• Depression with suicidal thoughts
• Chronic pain
• Sleep problems and lack
• No blood may be donated

“There has therefore been a Red Hand letter for the medication since 2018. Every patient must be thoroughly informed about these side effects. Finasteride is not one of my first recommendations due to the possible known side effects. If a patient wants to take finasteride, he or she must do so with his signature confirming that he has been informed about side effects and accepts them,” says Dr. Désirée Hölscher.

Tip: As an alternative without serious side effects, the hair expert recommends using minoxidil preparations, which are applied externally to the scalp. The REGAINE men’s foam with 5 percent minoxidil reactivates inactive hair roots and thus supports the formation of new hair.

What happens if I stop finasteride?

As soon as finasteride is stopped, hair loss starts again. It is difficult to generalize whether and how quickly any side effects will subside. Sometimes they persist even after the medication is stopped.

Experts suspect that the drug permanently damages the hormonal balance and thus the balanced mood, which can ultimately lead to ongoing psychological problems. Erectile dysfunction can also persist beyond the end of the medication period.

You should think carefully before taking pills carelessly just for hair loss. The chances of success are high, but so is the risk of lasting side effects. We think hair loss isn’t so bad. There are lower-risk remedies, such as minoxidil, and hairstyles that you can use to conceal hair loss.