The Bald Truth: Hair Loss Drug Can Cause Sexual Dysfunction in Men

By Mohamed Taki - Medical Research Editor | June 16th, 2011

Hair loss drugs may work miracles on your head, but as it turns out, this comes with a price; a steep one!

According to a new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the hair growth drug finasteride can cause sexual complications for men after stopping the medication. Finasteride decreases the conversion of testosterone, which affects male sexual performance.

Contrary to what some people think, sexual dysfunction might not be reversible.

Medical researcher at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Michael Irwig, said that out of the 71 men who reported side effects before the study, 20 percent still had symptoms, including erectile dysfunction, more than six years after they stopped taking the medicine.

"The study underscores the importance of physicians, who are treating male pattern hair loss, [to discuss] the potential risk of persistent sexual side effects with their patients," Irwig said in a statement.

Abdulmaged M. Traish, PhD, a professor of biochemistry at the Boston University School of Medicine, argues that this could happen because nerves that are maintained by dihydrotestosterone become permanently degraded and can’t be repaired even after men come off the medication. He also contends that the drug dose doesn’t matter at this point; lower doses can still be unsafe than higher doses in individuals who happen to be prone to side effects.

“They ought to think three times, not just twice,” he says. “Patients and doctors should not take this issue lightly. There should be honest, sincere, frank discussion before you put someone on these drugs.”

The most common causes of hair loss in men are genes, hormones, and age. Hair loss affects women as well; however reasons and causes may vary with gender.

Finasteride is also prescribed, under the trademark name Proscar, at a higher dose by doctors to treat an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia, a far more serious medical condition. It is mostly used by men for cosmetic purposes, though.

Merck, the pharmaceutical company that produced the hair loss drug (finasteride), was bombarded with law suits from men claiming that the drug has left them with permanent sexual dysfunction.

That is why hair transplant surgery can be an ideal alternative for many men who suffer from hair loss. Many hair restoration surgeries are available in the US and worldwide in countries like Mexico, Turkey, and Dubai to name a few. Hair restoration specialists now use effective, advanced methods such as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) to replace and regrow lost hair.

To learn more about hair restoration options, find a hair transplant surgeon in your area.

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