Medical treatments
Finasteride side effects
A tablet that can hold male pattern hair loss, with sexual and mood side effects you should hear before you start.
Written in the UK, for women and men.
Finasteride is a main NHS treatment for male pattern baldness, and women should not use it. The British Association of Dermatologists says decreased libido and erectile problems occur in approximately 2% of men. The MHRA warns that depression, suicidal thoughts and sexual dysfunction can occur, and that sexual problems have persisted after stopping in some cases.
See a GP if hair loss is sudden, patchy, or comes with illness, a rash, or other symptoms. The NHS asks for that conversation before a private clinic.
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Finasteride is the tablet the NHS names, with minoxidil, as a main treatment for male pattern baldness. Women should not use it. It is not a vitamin, and it is not something to borrow from a partner.
What side effects does the UK guidance name?
The British Association of Dermatologists says decreased libido and erectile problems occur in approximately 2% of men. Benefit can take continuous use for up to 14 months to show, can lessen over time, and the loss restarts after you stop.
The MHRA Drug Safety Update of April 2024 goes further on harm. Finasteride 1 mg (Propecia) is for male pattern hair loss in men aged 18 to 41. Finasteride 5 mg (Proscar) is for benign prostate enlargement. The update says finasteride is associated with depressed mood, depression, suicidal thoughts and sexual dysfunction, including decreased sex drive and erectile dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction has persisted after stopping in some cases. An earlier 2017 update had not made that persistence widely clear.
Read the patient leaflet. If mood or sexual symptoms appear, speak to a doctor. If you already take it, do not stop suddenly on the strength of an article. Ask the prescriber what to do, and report the symptoms.
Can you get it from a GP?
NICE CKS says treatment for male pattern hair loss is not available on the NHS in the usual way. Finasteride 1 mg is a private prescription. Minoxidil is something you buy. Surgery is not NHS-funded either. A GP can still be the person who decides this tablet is wrong for you.
What is not finasteride?
Saw palmetto is not a licensed substitute. Dutasteride is a prostate drug, not a UK hair-loss licence. Neither belongs in a homemade stack. Saw palmetto explains the gap. Minoxidil is the other NHS-named option, and it has a different side-effect list.
Red light is a device, not a hormone blocker. It does not replace this conversation. The hat comparison is in devices if you want it as well as, or instead of, a tablet you would rather not take.
Common questions
What are the sexual side effects of finasteride?
The British Association of Dermatologists says decreased libido and erectile problems occur in approximately 2% of men. The MHRA says sexual dysfunction includes decreased sex drive and erectile dysfunction, and that it has continued after stopping in some men.
Can finasteride affect mood?
The MHRA Drug Safety Update of April 2024 says finasteride has been associated with depressed mood, depression and suicidal thoughts. Read the leaflet and speak to a doctor if mood changes.
Is finasteride free on the NHS for hair loss?
NICE CKS says finasteride 1 mg for male pattern hair loss is not usually prescribed in NHS primary care. It is a private prescription. The 5 mg tablet is a prostate medicine, not a hair-loss starter dose.
Sources
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