Dispelling Fears: My Experience on Finasteride and Unrelated Allergic Reactions

[Smash]

I'm sharing this experience because I couldn't find much information on the topic, and I hope it can help others in similar situations.

Last year, I experienced a sudden allergic reaction. As someone without any history of allergies, this was unexpected. My skin erupted in itchy hives, and my face and lips began to swell. I immediately went to the Emergency Room, fearing the reaction could worsen.

The symptoms stabilized, and I was given antihistamines. The doctor asked me about potential triggers and whether I was taking any medications.

I mentioned that I was on finasteride, which i'd been taking for several years.

While the doctor didn't initially express concern, I worried that the finasteride might have been responsible. The leaflet in the box listed hives as a potential side effect, which made me anxious since, like many readers here, I rely on finasteride for maintaining my hair.

I decided to stop taking finasteride for a few weeks and, per the doctor's advice, maintained a diary of any subsequent outbreaks, which plagued me for many weeks.

Although there were no obvious triggers, the symptoms would randomly recur at intermittent intervals and usually for a few days. Eventually, with the help of the diary, I traced the cause back to rosin oil, a product of pine trees used in numerous household items such as glue, adhesive bandages and, in my case, table wax. It seemed that my skin's contact with the varnished table initiated the hives, with future outbreaks being consequences of the initial exposure. After quite a few months, the hives finally disappeared.

Now, the good news: I resumed taking finasteride without any adverse effects.

Not medical advice, but if you're concerned about finasteride causing hives, keep in mind that there might be other factors at play. Hope this helps.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Smash