Finasteride – Side Effects you should be aware of

Now, I’d never judge someone for trying to stop their hair loss. But, you should know the possibility of adverse side effects before using any kind of product, regardless of what it’s intended to do. Now, does Finasteride work for hair loss? The majority of people say yes.

But, there are some side effects that you just don’t want to run the risk of with a hair loss product in my opinion. Finasteride has a few of these side effects that to me, make it totally not an option if I was looking for a hair loss mitigator.

Let’s have a look at some of the reported side effects of Propecia and see whether you’re still convinced that this is the DHT blocker that can help to save your scalp.

What is Finasteride (Propecia)

Aside from Minoxidil, Propecia is undoubtedly one of the best known hair loss drugs in the western Hemisphere.

Now, what’s the difference between Finasteride and Propecia? Well, nothing. Propecia is just the brand name of the chemical drug Finasteride. Much like Rogaine is the popular name for Minoxidil, Hoover became the name for vacuum cleaners in the United Kingdom, or Band-Aid is what we call a adhesive bandage in the United States. It’s just a case of the brand name dominating the market so much that it becomes the popular term.

Now that’s out the way, Finasteride is a medication or a drug used to decrease the DHT production in your blood. How does it do this? Well,

How do you take Finasteride?

Initially, Finasteride was produced in small 1mg tablets, which is still the most popular method of taking Finasteride today.

Although in recent years, it’s become more popular to use Finasteride as an ingredient in DHT blocking shampoos, too.

Finasteride Side Effects

Now, remember that these side effects aren’t a guarantee, but they have all been reported by Finasteride users.

ED (Erectile Dysfunction) – If you’re looking at Finasteride side effects, then the likelihood is that you already know about the big one. ED is something that no man wants, although you’d be surprised by the amount of men that have experienced it. It’s the biggest side effect risk whilst taking Propecia, and it’s something you’ll want to consider before taking Propecia.

A Decreasing Libido – Continuing down the penis themed line, a decreasing libido is something that a small percentage of users reported whilst they were using Propecia. Although it’s not as common as actual ED, a decreased libido is another concern if you start using Propecia.

 Weaker Erections in General – Whilst life isn’t all about your penis, if you’re in good health with strong erections – is it worth the risk? Finasteride has been reported to give guys weaker erections in general. Okay, I’m done scaring your penis now.

 Fainting – There are some who have reported an effect on their blood pressure, with the occasional report of this making the user faint.

 Generally feeling dizzy and weak -?Not just fainting, but feeling dizzy and weak has also been reported as a side effect of taking Propecia.

For me, the sexual side effects that you’re running the risk of inducing by using Finasteride are totally not worth it. There’s a lot of articles online saying that only 2-3% of guys found that taking Finasteride effected their erections negatively. Only 3%?! So what, there’s a 1 in 33 chance I’m going to lose the ability in my penis for the chance to grow some hair back? No, thanks.

It’s not just the idea of sexual dysfunction that scares me. It’s the idea that even if you stop taking Propecia, these sexual side effects can continue long after you’ve stopped taking the drug. Now, that’s truly scary.

I’m still interested in taking Finasteride

And good for you! You’ve done some extensive research and come to the conclusion that you’re still interested in trying Finasteride out, and that’s fine. Speak to your doctor about this before you take an action and they can usually ppoint you in the right direction.

Let’s have a look at why it is that Propecia and Finasteride has become so increasingly used amongst men.

Pros of Taking Finasteride

Now, I’ve already said that I wouldn’t take Propecia myself, but I understand why it’s so popular.

High success rate – In general, the reason that Propecia in particular has become so popular is that it has an extremely high success rate. Whilst I’ve read studies saying that 2 out of 3 people find positive results from using Propecia, I’ve also read others where in excess of 80% reported positive results by using Propecia.

 Easy to take – With Minoxidil and other hair loss products, you end up applying it twice a day when you’ve just got out there shower. Or with some shampoos and conditioners, you need to leave it in for ten minutes to see the full effect. With Propecia, you just need a 1mg tablet and you’re done.

 Prescribed or Cheap – Whether you get your Propecia prescribed to you by an expert or you purchase it online, it’s relatively cheap in comparison to some hair loss products I’ve seen out there.

5 recommended natural DHT blocking supplements

Below are some popular supplements with natural DHT blocking ingredients.

Conclusion

I’ve tried to stay impartial whilst having a look at Finasteride, but I just couldn’t! To me, I do not think that it’s worth running the risk of taking Finasteride. I’d rather be fully bald than run the risk of experiencing some of these side effects. But, ultimately it’s up to you to make your own decision on whether Finasteride is the right choice for you.