Informed-Consent & Risk Honesty
How honestly the provider communicates finasteride’s real risks — sexual, mental-health, and post-finasteride syndrome — rather than the dismissive "less than 1%" brush-off.
Why it matters
Finasteride helps many people, but its risks are the subject of active litigation and real patient harm. A provider that hides or minimizes those risks strips you of the informed part of informed consent.
How we assess it
We read exactly how the provider frames finasteride risk at the point of decision.
- Honest disclosure of sexual and mental-health side effects
- Acknowledgement of post-finasteride syndrome (PFS)
- Absence of the dismissive "1%" brush-off
Source types: The provider’s own risk disclosures and consent language on the finasteride offering.
How we score it
Full, upfront risk disclosure that supports genuine informed consent scores high. The "1%" brush-off that minimizes documented risk is the red flag this factor is written to catch and scores low.
- Importance
- Critical
Critical — the most heavily weighted tier, and the one hair-specific Critical factor. Honest risk disclosure is treated as non-negotiable here.
- Scope
- Dermatology / Hair Loss overlay
What this tier is worth
What strong vs weak looks like
Strong
Plain-language disclosure of sexual and mood risks and PFS, presented before you consent.
Weak
A single "side effects are rare, under 1%" line with no mention of persistence.
Not medical advice
- Scope
- Dermatology / Hair Loss overlay
How this shows up in real reviews
Cited evidence we captured on this factor in live provider reviews.