A growing number of men are experiencing serious side effects from a popular hair loss medication, prompting experts to sound the alarm about the need to better educate patients about the potential risks.
Rob Dixon, a 33-year-old music producer from Hampshire, reportedly suffered long-term complications after using finasteride for just six months.
Rob's ordeal began at the age of 24, when he turned to finasteride after a quick online search for hair loss treatments, ordering it online without a prescription. Although he read the warning label warning of rare symptoms such as depression or erectile dysfunction, he didn't expect these effects to affect him, as a healthy young man with no history of mental illness.
However, within 24 hours of taking the first pill, he noticed a sharp drop in his sexual desire, and within two weeks, he completely lost the ability to achieve an erection. These effects persisted throughout the period he took the drug, and after stopping it, his condition worsened, as he experienced panic attacks, tinnitus, blurred vision, gastrointestinal problems, and joint pain, as well as a sense of detachment from reality and suicidal thoughts.
"I wanted more hair, but my health paid the price," Rob says. "I wish I'd never eaten it."
Four years after stopping the medication, Rob's condition gradually improved, and he was able to regain some of his sexual ability. He later married and co-founded a charity called SIDEfxHUB to support those affected by finasteride.
Although his hair loss stopped without treatment, he still experiences some symptoms, such as fatigue, joint pain, and blurred thinking.
Finasteride, originally designed to treat an enlarged prostate, is commonly used to treat hair loss, although it is not approved for this purpose by the NHS. It is readily available online, raising controversy over its accessibility without adequate medical supervision.
Reports of similar cases have increased, prompting the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to issue new warnings in April 2024, most notably the addition of a "Patient Alert Card" inside the drug package warning of depression, suicidal thoughts, and sexual dysfunction.
However, many experts, such as Professor David Healy, believe these measures have come too late and are still insufficient. They emphasize that some men experience lasting effects even after stopping the medication, and there is currently no effective treatment for these conditions.
Experts and pharmacists have urged greater caution, such as pharmacist Thorun Govind, who stressed the need for patients to inform their friends and family when they start taking finasteride, to help them notice any changes in mood.
In contrast, Steve O'Brien, a trichologist, emphasized that his clinic never recommends finasteride due to its risks, preferring less harmful, natural treatments.
