Finasteride: What It Is, How It Works, and What Alternatives Exist

When you hear Finasteride, a prescription medication used to treat male pattern baldness and benign prostatic hyperplasia by blocking the hormone DHT. Also known as Propecia when used for hair loss, it’s one of the most studied drugs for stopping hair thinning in men. Unlike lotions or supplements that promise results without proof, Finasteride works at the root cause: it stops your body from turning testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, or DHT—the hormone that shrinks hair follicles over time. This isn’t guesswork. Clinical trials show it slows or reverses hair loss in up to 80% of men who take it consistently.

But Finasteride isn’t just for hair. It’s also prescribed for benign prostatic hyperplasia, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that causes frequent urination and weak urine flow. In this case, reducing DHT helps shrink the prostate, making bathroom trips easier. The same mechanism that saves your hair also helps your bladder. That’s why you’ll see it mentioned alongside other hormone-modulating drugs like dutasteride, a similar DHT blocker that targets more enzyme types and may be stronger. Both are in the same class, but Finasteride is older, cheaper, and has more long-term safety data.

People often ask if there are better or safer options. The answer depends on what you’re trying to fix. For hair, topical minoxidil is the most common alternative—it doesn’t block DHT but stimulates blood flow to follicles. Some combine both. For prostate issues, alpha-blockers like tamsulosin relax muscles around the urethra instead of shrinking the gland. Then there are natural options like saw palmetto, but studies show they’re far less effective than Finasteride. You can’t skip the science just because something sounds gentler.

Side effects? Yes, they exist. Some men report lowered libido or erectile issues, but most studies show these happen in less than 2% of users and often go away after stopping. The real risk? Not taking it. Hair loss doesn’t reverse itself. Prostate enlargement won’t shrink on its own. The longer you wait, the harder it gets to fix.

Below, you’ll find real comparisons between Finasteride and other treatments—some you’ve heard of, some you haven’t. We’ve pulled together posts that break down how it stacks up against dutasteride, what happens when you stop taking it, how it affects testosterone levels, and even how it’s used off-label in bodybuilding circles. No fluff. Just facts, user experiences, and what the data actually says.