Effect of Finasteride on facial hair

[HairBane]

Question for any men who have used finasteride since the age of 18-25: Did it have any effect on your ability to develop a full beard?

I've been waiting for my beard to thicken up since the age of 15 (now 21) and I'm worried that taking fin could stop it dead in it's tracks and leave me with bumfluff for life.

I read a study that claimed that finasteride actually INCREASED beard thickness, supposedly because:
- Testosterone is responsible for 'priming' the hair follicles of the face
- DHT is only responsible for 'linear growth'
and given that finasteride increases T and decreases DHT, facial hair gets thicker but grows slower.

Anyone here have any experience with this? Thanks in advance.

[Aames]

I'm not really sure, to be honest. But if you are concerned with beard thickness, I hear that rubbing minoxidil on your face can help (although it may also be indicated in causing wrinkles, so I would research first).

[StuckInARut]

I've noticed I'm losing beard hair everyday now whereas before I never noticed much loss. It could be the Fin since that's the only thing new I've introduced recently. I never really had a thick course beard but it had enough hair for decent coverage. I will keep an eye on it.

[BigThinker]

My facial hair is growing and maintaining just the same.

[25 going on 65]

2.5 years on fin, 2+ months on dut, not really noticing a change in facial hair.

[PatientlyWaiting]

What is happening is that finasteride is taking the hair that would otherwise go to your face, and it is slowly using it for your head. Finasteride is like a beard transplant, but it happens inside of your body, rather than a doctor doing it. Females are born with this, that is why they grow hair much faster and have lower hairlines. The rare times you see women with facial hair, if you notice they also don't have as much hair on their head as the average female.


Disclaimer: This is false, it was just a joke.

I wish finasteride actually decreased facial hair, less tedious shaving for me.