Appendix: Results of online polls on side effects

This is an Appendix to the post: Polls vs. official data on side effect rates.

Summary

Mobile users: swipe left to see more columns.

ID & sourceDate postedParticipants% with side effects% with severe or persistent side effects
P1. r/tresslessJan 201614653.4%NA
P2. r/HairLossJul 202111027.3%NA
P3. r/MorePlatesMoreDatesAug 20216547.7%18.5%
P4. r/HairLossSep 20215232.7%NA
P5. r/HairLossResearch & r/BaldingFeb 202220849.5%12.5%
P6. r/MorePlatesMoreDatesJul 202216348.5%19.6%
P7. r/HairTransplantsSep 202210533.3%NA
EXCLUDED POLLS
HaarWeb.nlMar 200455655.4%NA
HairLossTalk forumAug 20175048.0%NA
Hair Restoration Social NetworkFeb 201910735.7%NA
Table 1. Results of all polls. Included polls appear in chronological order. Polls with the r/ prefix are Reddit forums. Three polls included responses for severe and/or persistent side effects as shown in the right column (P3, P5 & P6).

P1. r/tressless on Reddit • Jan 16, 2016

“Do/did you have Finasteride side effects?”

Yes7836.0%
No, just no. ZERO side effects.6831.0%
I have avoided Finasteride due to Fear/other reasons7333.0%
TOTAL219100.0%

Standardized results:

Experienced side effects7853.4%
No side effects6846.6%

Sources: Data at pollcodeOriginal Reddit post (Archived: Poll dataImage of deleted Reddit post)


P2. r/HairLoss on Reddit • Jul 29, 2021

“To those who have taken fin, did you get side effects?”

Negative side effect3027.3%
None8072.7%
TOTAL110100.0%

Standardized results:

Experienced side effects3027.3%
No side effects8072.7%

Source (Archived: postpoll)


P3. r/MorePlatesMoreDates on Reddit • Aug 26, 2021

What is your experience with Finasteride?”

ResponseVotesPercent
Used it with no side effects3412.9%
Used it with mild side effects (e.g. reduction in erection quality / libido)197.2%
Used it with severe side effects (e.g. brain fog, depression, ED, gyno)124.6%
Never used it19875.3%
TOTAL263100.0%

Standardized results:

Experienced side effects3147.7%
– Severe side effects1218.5%
No side effects3452.3%

Source (Archived: postpoll)


P4. r/HairLoss on Reddit • Sep 11, 2021

“A poll on the side effects and efficacy of Finasteride.”

Haven’t experienced any side effects.3531.8%
Experienced side effects.1715.5%
Fin didn’t work for me.54.5%
I haven’t used Fin.5348.2%
TOTAL110100.0%

Standardized results:

Experienced side effects1732.7%
No side effects3567.3%

The option ‘Fin didn’t work for me’ (5 votes) was excluded because it is ambiguous as to the experience of adverse events.

Source deleted; see screenshot


P5. r/HairlossResearch & r/Balding on Reddit • Feb 5, 2022

This poll was posted to r/HairlossResearch and cross-posted to r/Balding

“If you are currently on oral finastride, please select on option below:” [sic]

No side effects10550.5%
Side effects that went away3114.9%
Side effects that haven’t gone away in a few months2612.5%
Minor side effects I can live with4622.1%
TOTAL208100.0%

Standardized results:

Experienced side effects10349.5%
– Persistent side effects2612.5%
No side effects10550.5%

Sources: r/HairlossResearchr/Balding (Archived: postpoll)


P6. r/MorePlatesMoreDates on Reddit • Jul 13, 2022

Finasteride Side Effect Poll

No side effects at all8451.5%
Small Side effects3722.7%
Sides went away after stopping Fin106.1%
Heavy side effects1811.0%
I have PFS148.6%
TOTAL163100.0%

Standardized results:

Experienced side effects7948.5%
– Mild/transient4728.8%
– Severe1811.0%
– Post-discontinuation148.6%
No side effects8451.5%

Source (Archived: postpoll)


P7. r/HairTransplants on Reddit • Sep 22, 2022

“Did you get side effects from using finasteride (oral or topical)? I’m curious about real world usage. Thanks!

Yes3533.3%
No7066.7%
Not sure38
TOTAL143
Total Yes or No responses105

Source (Archived: postpoll)


Excluded polls

HaarWeb.nl • Mar 18, 2004

[finasteride] Side effects? (Dutch: [finasteride] Bijwerkingen?)

No, didn’t suffer from/never noticed anything.24844.6%
Yes, but not the kind that made me stop taking it.17431.3%
Yes, that’s why I don’t use it anymore.13424.1%
TOTAL556
Results as of Nov 23, 2022

Standardized results:

Yes30855.4%
No24844.6%

Source (Archived)


HairLossTalk • Aug 28, 2017

“If you take Finasteride did you get sides?

Yes2448.0%
No2652.0%
TOTAL50
Results as of Nov 19, 2022

Source (Archived)


Hair Restoration Social Network • Feb 8, 2019

“In your opinion, have you experienced side effects from finasteride?”

Yes5035.7%
No7050.0%
I have never taken finasteride, therefore I cannot answer.2014.3%
TOTAL140100.0%
Results as of Nov 19, 2022

Standardized results:

Yes5041.7%
No7058.3%

Source (Archived)