Almost every drug has undesired reactions and side effects, which may range from mild to severe among patients taking the drugs. Propecia, a drug prescribed for preventing the advance of male pattern baldness, has also been found to have some side effects.

For most males, Propecia increases the volume of scalp hair in the first 12 months, thus helping in refilling the bald or thin areas on scalp. Slower hair loss is visible. Generally growing back all the lost hair is not possible. Propecia has not been conclusively proven to control a receding hairline in the temporal areas on both sides of the head. People who are given Propecia are advised to wait for some time, as results may not be observed until a year or more. On average, a male who has been taking Propecia is supposed to grow a half inch of healthy hair every month.

Side effects of Propecia:

Less severe or common side effects of Propecia include:

  • Dizziness, weakness
  • Nausea that remains persistent
  • Loss in the desire to have sex
  • Abnormal ejaculation
  • Headache
  • Rashes on skin
  • Runny nose
  • Pain in abdomen
  • Asthenia

Medical attention is advised immediately if any severe side effects with Propecia is noted. Severe side effects known for Propecia are as:

  • Severe allergic reactions may appear as itching, rashes, hives, tightness in chest, puffines of the face, mouth, lips, tongue and difficulty in breathing.
  • Merck claims that 2% of the patients taking this drug experienced side effects as affecting their normal sexual life . These included less desire/drive, trouble in achieving erections, decreased semen production, and testicular pain.
  • Breast enlargement, tenderness and pain have been known to be caused by Propecia.
  • Potentially dangerous side effects are impotency, erectile dysfunction, and lowered libido.
  • Gynocamestica, which is enlargement of breasts in males, is also been reported.

Males considering Propecia for hair treatment must be aware of the irreversible side effects of the drug, which can be:

  • Early Andropause, usually seen in men above 50 years, after taking propecia has known to occur as early as their 20’s
  • Permanent erectile disfunction
  • Secondary hypogonadium
  • Lowered DHT/Testosterone
  • Total loss of sexual desire
  • Lowered levels of LH/FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)
  • Decreased mental capacity

Warning to patients:

Finasteride, the active ingredient in Propecia can change the patient’s prostate specific antigen (PSA) level.  Propecia causes a decrease in PSA and thus regular evaluation is advised to detect early signs of any dangerous complication.

Be aware before taking Propecia

Many people who have taken Propecia are suffering from conditions like impotency, loss of sexual drive, Peyronie’s disease, decreased mental capacity, and have developed prostate cancer and male breast cancer. The side effects and complications with Propecia are very real and at times can be life threatening. Also, it has been reported that the side effects may linger even though the use of Propecia has been abandoned.

Many patients, once informed of the risks, believe that the irreversible damage that can be inflicted by Propecia, like complete erectile dysfunction and impotency, is too great of a risk for a drug that only prevents baldness.   It is still unknown why the drug affects only some people, or how the drug causes the reactions that bring physiological changes in men.   However, epidemiological studies may overcome these gaps in our knowledge regarding Propecia side effects, and allow legal claims against Merck to go forward.  Contact Powers Taylor LLP if you have experienced side effects from Propecia.