Finasteride for Androgenetic Alopecia User Reviews

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 3, 2025

"41 years of age and took 1 mg of finasteride daily for 2 weeks in total. The first few days I noticed side effects, but after around 1 week, I started getting watery clear ejaculations. Eventually, this turned into ED with the main issue being a sense of numbness in my penis and finding it difficult to get/maintain an erection as my libido had tanked considerably. When I did manage to get an erection, it was very hard to maintain it, and upon ejaculation, I felt a loss of orgasm. I decided to quit the drug, and the side effects still persisted for around 2-4 weeks. After around a month, my libido has shot right back up to how it was pre-finasteride, and I have lost all of the sexual side effects, and I am back to normal, I would say. They say finasteride has a short half-life of 6-8 hours, and tissue binding is 4-5 days, but it messes with your body's sensitive hormonal system, and that can take quite a while to sort itself out. So if you are panicking, please give your body time."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2025

"I'm the poster from Nov 2... Just a follow-up on my progression for anyone reading this. I'm still getting higher than normal libido and stronger, longer-lasting erections. I had a lot of hair shedding, which I heard was normal, and I have quite a bit of hair coming back! It started as peach fuzz, getting longer, and now it's slowly growing into real hair... SLOWLY. I feel great, energy is up, mood is great, fitness is better than ever. It seems as though my facial hair is growing back faster. I'm going to continue!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 11, 2025

"My experiences with Finasteride. I am a person who experienced side effects. I'm 21 and started experiencing side effects around 9 months into treatment. I was getting side effects like pain, full gyno, brain fog, depression, and dermatitis for around 6 months, and my hair loss increased on Finasteride. I have been dealing with it, and there has been no improvement. I found out what was causing all these problems, it was low progesterone and low pregnenolone levels causing these issues. It appears that Finasteride does not just block the conversion of DHT but lowers hormones like progesterone, pregnenolone, and allopregnanolone, most likely causing these side effects. But the treatment appears to be working, my side effects on Finasteride appear to be clearing up. The main reason, I think, is because I have lower levels of these hormones naturally, so what I have done is started to supplement with pregnenolone, and my side effects appear to be clearing up. I am still taking Finasteride."

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2025

"I have been on finasteride for 2 months now. My dermatologist prescribed it as I am a postmenopausal 69-year-old woman and no danger from using the drug (pregnancy/fetal dangers). I would be interested to hear other women's experiences using the drug. I now may be just starting the fin shed, and it is distressing! I will stick it out as nothing else has helped! I have not experienced any side effects yet (ED won't be a problem... lol). I take 1.25 mg every morning (dividing the 5 mg pill into 4 parts). Can we hear from the women out there?"

• Rea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 8, 2025

"11 months in, my hair is growing back. Gray hairs are literally turning brown. Incredible stuff. Yes, it's very slow, but it 100% works for me, with zero side effects."

• Can...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2024

"Ok, so I read all these nightmare reviews and decided to try this stuff anyway. It's only been a week, but I feel incredible... I'm sleeping better, I have more energy, focus, I'm way more horny, and my erections are stronger and more intense. I really hope these beneficial side effects continue!!! I must add that I am taking fenugreek as a testosterone booster, and I'm on an SSRI for anxiety. I read that if you have enough testosterone, your body doesn't need DHT for certain things... Try fenugreek!! Oh, also I did have that weird feeling of having to pee after I already went, it seems to be subsiding, though."

• sty...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 6, 2024

"I have been taking this for over 8 years with zero side effects. Never had any issues with my sex life and no issues having a family (I had protected sex once my partner was pregnant, as this drug should not be given to pregnant women). I now take one tablet every two to three days, rather than daily. I have an identical twin brother with the same DNA, so I was able to follow his hair loss while my hair stopped falling out from the day I first took the drug. Everyone was amazed by the results and many friends now think I have had a transplant. The one point I would like to add is that I have always been a happy-go-lucky person and never suffered from any anxiety, depression, or low sex moods. So I was never really concerned about the negative reviews and went into this with a very positive mind. If you suffer from any of the above, then maybe you need to be more careful with your choices, as there are clearly some issues out there, however there are risks with everything."

• Wor...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 26, 2024

"I have used this for 6 years. I take breaks from it for one month every 6-9 months. I have found it works great with very few noticeable side effects - notably no reduction in sexual function or libido. The main side effect for me was the change in my hair color. I have always been super blond - platinum - right up until I was 45. Since taking this, my hair has gone to the darkest shade of blonde over the past 6 years - getting darker every year. Otherwise, all good. I'd rather have darker-colored hair than no hair."

• Tma...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 20, 2024

"I took this medicine for 3 years. My hair was slightly thinning, but my derm suggested 1 mg daily. My sperm volume went way down, and sometimes just a drip of watery material came out. 80% of my chest and back hair fell out along with thinning of hair along my neckline. I have been off of it for a week and feel so much better. I would suggest trying liquid Rogaine instead. The same dermatologist suggested oral minoxidil, but that sounds even worse. Don’t mess with your testosterone. I didn’t have a problem getting an erection, but orgasms were much less pleasant. I'm feeling much more like my old self again."

• The...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 29, 2023

"It's just sensational. I've been on it now for 6 months with no side effects and my hair is thicker than ever. Just amazing. On 1mg per day."

• spe...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 14, 2023

"I can't believe all these negative reviews. After taking 1 mg of finasteride per day for a year, I have definitely seen a comeback in the hairline at the front of my scalp. No negative sexual side effects, no decreased libido, no depression, and no decrease in sleep. It seems like those with horror stories may be in the minority. All I can say is: it worked for me."

• tea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 22, 2023

"Currently noticing slight hair loss at 28 years old and decided to give this a go, but I cannot stress enough to not touch this, especially for young guys. Your body will be naturally producing high levels of test and DHT to alter these levels more than likely will cause really bad side effects. I personally had to stop after a few months. I experienced a really low, flat feeling like something was always missing and nearly went on antidepressants because I thought it was me and not the drug. It really heightened anxiety and a lot of anger and agitation at everything. I noticed I've went from 7'9" erect to 6'4" erect, and I struggle now to maintain the erection. It can disappear extremely fast and ultimately lose it all, which was never an issue before, but I also have a lot of clear, watery semen. I also pee a lot like I can't fully empty the bladder, always frequently going. Thankfully, this drastically improved after stopping, but I still don't feel 100% where I was before."

• Eth...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2023

"At the age of 19, I took finasteride for 2 weeks from dosages ranging from 0.25 mg to 0.50 mg. This was easily the biggest mistake of my life. As a consequence of my usage, I went on to rapidly develop post-finasteride syndrome - for me, characterized by continuously cold and numb genitals, muted orgasms, near absent libido, and weakened erections. It's been 2 years that I've been in this hell, and because of this, I have no sex or romantic life. I constantly regret taking this drug and think about what could have been had I never taken it."

• car...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 19, 2023

"Last year, I decided to take 1 mg Finasteride for 3 months to address my hair loss. I didn't experience any significant side effects, I had zero trouble achieving or maintaining an erection, nor ejaculating. I do see other people online had the opposite experience. I was surprised to see how much thicker and fuller my hair had become, though it was still falling out, albeit at a slower rate. I am happy to be on it for the rest of my life. One problem I had with this drug is that my insurance does not cover it (they said it was a lifestyle medication and not a real disease - which frankly is really underestimating the importance of a head of hair to the male ego and thus happiness/avoiding depression). As a result, I was looking at spending over 100 dollars per month at the pharmacy. YMMV... just sharing my experience. Good luck to all the guys out there!"

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 7, 2023

"This drug moderately helped my hair loss, but it permanently damaged me. My penis has been completely numb for 16 months. I am 30 years old and I have to live with this for the rest of my life. I was perfectly healthy before. There is no cure for the sides that this causes. I don’t even have a family yet. Absolutely devastating."

• Pur...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 7, 2023

"I took this medication for over a year and had insidiously slow, gradual sexual side effects until one day my penis and testicles went completely numb. For a year, doctors thought I was crazy, and I thought I had a spinal problem because I developed pudendal neuropathy from this drug. When I started it in 2020, I did tons of research, and PFS was not even talked about. About 5% of the studies showed permanent side effects. In the time I took it, countless studies were done showing how horrendous this drug is. Judge for yourself: well over 50% of these reviews are negative, and those are only the reported ones. This drug will change you as a person and will steal your humanity from you. Conveniently, I had to learn firsthand the side effects are permanent. Say goodbye to your manhood and sex/relationship FOREVER."

• Reg...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 7, 2023

"This is not worth taking just to keep your hair. This drug literally caused my genitals to go permanently numb at 29 years old. Chemical castration in a bottle."

• Sim...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 1, 2023

"I used this for many years and didn't realize how bad the sexual effects are until I started losing women and confidence. The scandalous thing about this drug is the misreported risk of side effects originally given by Merck, who had the original patent on this med. They stated 2%, but the reality is a lot higher. I would be surprised if everyone on it isn't getting side effects, as a percentage may not even be aware of them. I experienced ball shrinkage, ED, loss of libido, and loss of confidence, and in all of this, nobody is sure if hair loss is stopped or reversed. Most people cannot tell if the hair is lost or gained because the process is slow, and unless we take photos daily in various lighting, most, if not all, of our perceptions are going to be unclear. What I'm saying here is that you can't really tell if you get your hair back unless a bald spot gets coverage, which I haven't seen."

• gom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 21, 2023

"I've been on it almost three months. I did research to learn what it would do as far as hormones, and I did a few things to counter those possibilities. I lost 25 lbs of weight, weight train, supplement with boron and zinc to keep the estrogen down, and here's my experience at this point. I started at half a milligram and went up to a full milligram after about 6 weeks. Orgasm slightly blunted, but no erection issues or drive issues. Higher energy and no prostate spasms like I occasionally had before. I have noticed my orgasms improve, as if my body is adapting, but nothing real serious as far as negative side effects."

• Asd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2023

"I took 1 mg once daily for 4 weeks. Yes, I did notice a slight change around my hairline. However, that’s where the positive ends. I am 24 and have had a receding hairline due to stress. Slowly but surely, I began to get anxious, and I was unable to think and study for my classes. This caused me to go into a full-on downward spiral, and I went into panic mode. I had nightmares each night and would wake up in the morning with my heart racing and my breathing heavy. I’d wake up, eat, and have coffee as usual. Boom, full-blown panic attack. Then I took my prescribed Propranolol, and the racing heart would go away, but what was left was a broken, lost, depressed, suicidal shell of who I formerly was. I had to get a doctor's excuse to miss exams that week. I finally realized it was the finasteride, and I quickly stopped it per two of my doctor’s opinions. Even after stopping, I have continued to be depressed and have suicidal ideation. Getting better."

• Hel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 28, 2022

"So many negative posts about finasteride stopped me from taking it. My hair loss started to increase after 25 y/o, and I started when I was 31. The side effects went away after my body adjusted to the new hormone levels. I only get benefits from it now: better ejaculations (feels like my prostate tissues relax more), hair growth, no changes in volume but maybe a bit more watery sperm. I think the drug is not as bad as people view it, and if you are young and starting to go bald, I would give it a go. I'm on 5 mg daily."

• Bob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 26, 2022

"Side effects are probably much more underreported. I believe most people get side effects, and some just get used to them, and it becomes their new normal. Just like someone who drinks coffee every day for years might say they don’t feel anything, but once they stop for a couple of weeks, they feel different and go back to normal, then they realize its effects. Honestly, the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze for me personally. As a young man, I want to feel like a young man, full of energy, drive, and high sex drive. On finasteride, I felt like a 50-year-old man trapped in a young body. Girls didn’t interest me as much, I lost sensitivity, and my boners and orgasms weren’t that great. I also felt tired all the time and had memory and cognitive issues. If you are considering using this medication, yes, it works, but the price you have to pay can be life-ruining."

• SAW...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2022

"So I was pretty suspicious of the side effects most people witnessed, since most individuals normally overreact. I took it for two weeks and saw hair growth, but the side effects were nasty. My right testicle felt sore, and my penis shrunk. I saw even more ED than I already had as well, specifically when I tried to masturbate. Thankfully, I caught these issues earlier, and they eventually subsided. I’m going to start using the topical version and hope for better results. It sucks because it really does work, but the side effects are way too severe. I know the percentages that they advertise, but it has to be more than that. I don’t believe most men don’t go through some serious side effects. I would recommend getting off it at the first sight of issues, even though my hair stopped falling out AND I saw hair growth in two weeks."

• Flo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 7, 2022

"Just read a load of the reviews on here and was shocked to learn of so many awful experiences. Also didn’t imagine this could happen as I’ve taken Propecia and then finasteride for over 9 years as I started rapidly losing my hair at 31. It took about 3 months, but then my hair completely stopped falling out. About 2 years later, my friends all started commenting that my hair looked like it had grown back - they all thought I’d had a hair transplant. I never experienced any deterioration in sex drive, etc., my junk is as ready to go as ever! Only downside is that my hair has just started to fall out again, so I'm guessing that eventually our genes will prevail."

• Jon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 11, 2022

"There are probably a couple hundred reviews here. More than half are negative as to penile dysfunction, loss of sex drive, etc. I believe most guys (millions) who have great results don't have time, or with positive results, don't leave a review. I grew back almost all of my hair and have actually had an increased sex drive in my 1 year on this medication. This medication has no effect on testosterone but on a testosterone by-product, DHT, that is a crap hormone in aging men. In puberty, it grows your mustache and pubes. With the aging process, DHT causes baldness, large prostates, and us to just get older. I am just giving guys who are thinking of taking it a positive review as I think I speak for about 98% plus who don't write a review and have positive results. It is now cheap as a generic, 5 mg a day. I pee easier and don't have to get up at night. Hair is almost all grown back. Darker and stronger hair. Give it a shot. I wouldn't let the rare cases dictate your chances."