Finasteride
Hair loss treatment in Health & fitness
People recommend it for hair regrowth and slowing loss, often with minoxidil. Critics cite side effects, including hormonal ones, and some persisting after stopping.
People recommend it for hair regrowth and slowing loss, often with minoxidil. Critics cite side effects, including hormonal ones, and some persisting after stopping.
16 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 10
- criticize it
- 6
- approval share
- 63%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 10 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 1.6 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 5 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Helps regrow hair and stop shedding
“I saw a friend who went bald at 28 get all of his hair back from Minoxidil + finasteride”
Comment from 30 Dec 2025 in “Humans May Be Able to Grow New Teeth Within Just 4 Years” “Many people have success regrowing hair on bald spots with minoxidil and/or finasteride.”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Humans May Be Able to Grow New Teeth Within Just 4 Years” “I am now on Minoxidil and Finasteride, with no creatine, and no longer have shedding.”
Comment from 31 May 2026 in “Creatine raise brain energy levels and slow Alzheimer's cognitive decline by 30%” - Comment from 27 Nov 2025 in “Don't be a scary old guy: My 40s survival strategy with charm”
Few side effects for long-term users
“Even oral 1mg finasteride has basically the same side effect profile after 1 year as placebo”
Comment from 4 Dec 2025 in “Human hair grows through 'pulling' not pushing, study shows” “I've been taking it without significant side effects for ~15 years”
Comment from 15 Aug 2026 in “So How Is AI Drug Discovery Doing, Really?” “millions of people take it without any issue, myself included”
Comment from 3 Jun 2026 in “Turkey Hacked the Hair Transplant Industry”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Sexual and hormonal side effects
“only problem is that it castrates you chemicallym”
Comment from 15 Aug 2026 in “So How Is AI Drug Discovery Doing, Really?” “Finasteride can make you have man-boobs, it's a known side effect”
Comment from 31 Dec 2025 in “Humans May Be Able to Grow New Teeth Within Just 4 Years” Risks needing close monitoring
“There are definitely less risks in not taking finasteride and minoxidil.”
Comment from 27 Nov 2025 in “Don't be a scary old guy: My 40s survival strategy with charm” “enough to warrant vigilant monitoring and titration”
Comment from 15 Aug 2026 in “So How Is AI Drug Discovery Doing, Really?” “there are risks associated with these unfortunately”
Comment from 27 Nov 2025 in “Don't be a scary old guy: My 40s survival strategy with charm” Side effects, some persisting after stopping
“some users report persistent side effects even years after stopping the medication”
Comment from 15 Aug 2026 in “So How Is AI Drug Discovery Doing, Really?” “I think the finasteride side effects sound too much for me to handle.”
Comment from 3 Jun 2026 in “Turkey Hacked the Hair Transplant Industry”
What people recommend instead
The same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FinasterideThis page | 10 | 6 | 63% | 5 | — | — |
| Minoxidil | 6 | 1 | 86% | 3 | — | — |
What people said
All 17 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“I've been taking it without significant side effects for ~15 years”
“some users report persistent side effects even years after stopping the medication”
“It produces higher concentrations of the medication in the scalp and lower systemic concentration.”
“enough to warrant vigilant monitoring and titration”
“only problem is that it castrates you chemicallym”
“millions of people take it without any issue, myself included”
“I think the finasteride side effects sound too much for me to handle.”
“I am now on Minoxidil and Finasteride, with no creatine, and no longer have shedding.”
“Finasteride can make you have man-boobs, it's a known side effect”
“Many people have success regrowing hair on bald spots with minoxidil and/or finasteride.”
“there's growing concern that the link between finasteride and depression has been underestimated”
“I saw a friend who went bald at 28 get all of his hair back from Minoxidil + finasteride”
“Maybe for thinning hair only.”
“Even oral 1mg finasteride has basically the same side effect profile after 1 year as placebo”
“There are definitely less risks in not taking finasteride and minoxidil.”
“there are risks associated with these unfortunately”
“Finasteride and minoxidil are a lifesaver”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.