Health Risks Associated with Long-Term Finasteride and Dutasteride Use: It's Time to Sound the Alarm World J Mens Health. 2020 Jul;38(3):323-337. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.200012. Epub 2020 Mar 20. Author Abdulmaged M Traish 1 Affiliation 1 Department of Urology, Boston University. 1. About finasteride. Finasteride is used to treat men with an enlarged prostate (benign prostate enlargement). It can help ease your symptoms if: it's difficult to start peeing; you need to pee urgently or frequently more often; it's difficult to empty your bladder completely; Finasteride comes as tablets. It's available on prescription only. It can also be used to treat men for hair loss.