Can SSRI/anti depressants speed up male pattern baldness? Will it make Finasteride less effective?

Question

Hi, just curious. Can an anti depressant speed up male pattern hair loss? And if I take it while I'm on finasteride, will it do anything to the finasteride? Like make it less effective? Thanks

Jeff Rapaport, MD · Answer

SSRI can increase hair shedding by inducing a telogen effluvium. This can further progress your androgenic alopecia. SSRI and finasteride do not interact. However, SSRI can have sexual side effects and add to this side effect if present. Good luck.Jeff Rapaport MDRealself All-star

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

This is an interesting question and it’s important to be clear on a few things. First, it’s possible for an SSRI to speed up male balding but it is rare. In about 2-5 % of SSRI users, a telogen effluvium develops. It’s the telogen effluvium that speeds up the AGA. 95-98 % of males using SSRI’s do no have their male balding sped up by use of these antidepressants and in these men, this discussion is irrelevant. Second, finasteride does no interact with SSRI pills and SSRI pills do not directly interact with finasteride pills.  Third, one needs to always keep in mind here that finasteride can worsen depression in a male who already has depression and is using SSRI’s. The worsening mood status can directly and indirectly affect telogen effluvium and AGA.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

The use of antidpressants like most SSRIs, can cause hair loss, If you have the hair loss for genetic reasons as well, then the finasteride will act on the genetic component but it might not over-rule the SSRI impact

Can SSRI/anti depressants speed up male pattern baldness? Will it make Finasteride less effective?

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