Recently, more stories have come out in the news about the experience of using finasteride for hair loss, and it had an important message: this hair growth product can cause severe side effects. Newspapers have spoken to men who experienced such serious side effects from using finasteride that they question their choices and the drug itself. In the articles, they describe panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, insomnia and erectile dysfunction. Is using finasteride really as intense an experience as it is presented here?
Recently, more stories have come out in the news about the experience of using finasteride for hair loss, and it had an important message: this hair growth product can cause severe side effects. Newspapers have spoken to men who experienced such serious side effects from using finasteride that they question their choices and the drug itself. In the articles, they describe panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, insomnia and erectile dysfunction. Is using finasteride really as intense an experience as it is presented here?
Finasteride is one of two approved medicines for hair loss in the Netherlands (the other is minoxidil). It blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by about 60 to 70%. This prevents hair loss. However, DHT has multiple functions in the body. Among other things, it is also responsible for sexual development, prostate, and muscle growth. So blocking or inhibiting this hormone does not only affect the hair follicles. What the man in the article describes are therefore all known side effects.
Lareb is the Dutch side effects centre responsible for registering the side effects of medicines. It keeps track of how often side effects are reported. For finasteride, this is as follows:
Rare (in 1 to 10 out of 100 people)
Sexual problems, such as impotence, inability to ejaculate.
Very rare (in less than 1 in 100 people)
Painful and swollen breasts and breast enlargement.
Infertility, painful testicles and breast cancer.
Liver problems.
Depressive feelings.
Heart palpitations.
Hypersensitivity such as skin rash.
Side effects of medicines are actively monitored by various authorities. This means that warnings can be issued about new side effects or patterns can be recognised. In May of this year, for example, the Dutch medicines review board deemed it proven that suicidal thoughts can occur in people who use the medicine. Since then, this additional information about the dangers of the medicine has been added.
What are the experiences with finasteride?
Finasteride has been available for over 20 years. Registered side effects therefore do not tell the whole story. It is more important to listen to the experiences of users themselves. The more people use a drug, the more is known about its effects and side effects. For years, men have been reporting serious complaints – even after stopping the drug. A pill that combats caída del cabello but can cause depression as a side effect? For many, the trade-off does not outweigh the benefits. That is why active attention is being drawn to these unintended consequences.
The article in the AD is an example of this. Abroad, active warnings are also being issued. The Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation (PFS) is an organisation dedicated to recognising the negative effects of finasteride. Several publications have devoted articles to men's experiences with the drug. In this Vice article from 2018, the writer himself recounts his experiences with finasteride. The BBC also reported on it this year. Even comedians are familiar with it. Jim Jeffries opens his Netflix special High&Dry with it.
In an analysis by The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, it is even argued that finasteride may have been brought to market too early and that manufacturers and regulators should have done more to prove that the pill is safe to use. The researchers believe that there has been sufficient evidence since 2002 to take the reported side effects seriously. Even young, healthy men with no history of psychiatric problems developed these complaints, and these symptoms persisted long after stopping the drug. The PFS has been fighting for years for the recognition of this condition, known as post-finasteride syndrome.
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To understand the negative experience of this hair growth product, you need to know how hair loss occurs and what finasteride does in the body to counteract it. A popular myth is that men with high testosterone levels go bald more quickly. This is not true, but there is some truth to it. Hereditary hair loss in men is caused by a by-product of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone. In men who are hypersensitive to this hormone, it attacks the hair follicles. This makes it increasingly difficult for the hair follicles to produce hair, eventually causing them to disappear.
Finasteride blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT by up to 70%. This reduces the likelihood of it attacking the hair follicles, allowing you to maintain or regain a full head of hair.
Alternative to finasteride: minoxidil
Finasteride is a prescription medication. This means that only a doctor can prescribe it. It is, however, possible to buy it online, but we do not recommend this because a doctor cannot get a complete picture of you and your medical history.
So if you want to buy a hair growth product online, we recommend minoxidil. This is also a scientifically proven medicine, but it works differently. Instead of inhibiting DHT, it dilates the blood vessels, making it easier for hair to grow. It works best for people with early hair loss and is applied to the areas where you are experiencing hair loss. The product is effective for both men and women and is available in different variants. The 2% lotion is recommended for women. For men, there is the 5% lotion and 5% foam.
Versión recomendada para mujeres.
Este medicamento ha sido aprobado para el tratamiento de la caída del cabello hereditaria (alopecia androgenética) tras investigaciones a largo plazo.
A pesar de su menor concentración, las investigaciones demuestran que el Minoxidil al 2% es eficaz con un uso diario constante.
La forma de Minoxidil que recomendamos para la mayoría de los hombres.
La concentración del 5% ha demostrado ser más eficaz que la del 2% para estimular el crecimiento del cabello.
Minoxidil puede proporcionar un crecimiento visible del cabello después de 4 meses con un uso eficaz.
Finasteride is a medicine that reduces hair loss by inhibiting dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. By lowering DHT levels, finasteride helps prevent the shrinkage of hair follicles, which is the main cause of hereditary hair loss.
Finasteride is not prescribed to women. Especially not to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as it can cause birth defects. Some doctors may prescribe it off-label to postmenopausal women, but this use requires close monitoring and a clear understanding of the risks.
Pieter lleva varios años trabajando para Hairgivers como redactor de contenidos. Escribe a diario sobre la caída del cabello, los...
Pieter lleva varios años trabajando para Hairgivers como redactor de contenidos. Escribe a diario sobre la caída del cabello, los problemas del cuero cabelludo y los mejores tratamientos para el debilitamiento del cabello. Como resultado, sigue de cerca las noticias sobre la industria del crecimiento del cabello.
