Propecia (generic, finasteride) is one of the most popular hair loss treatment products that men use to reverse their male pattern baldness. Manufactured by Merck & Co., it has become one of the company’s most popular but controversial products.

Unfortunately, there have been a number of complaints alleging Propecia impotence, erectile dysfunction, and other such sexual dysfunction complications.

Approved in 1997, Propecia was developed for the specific purpose of treating male-pattern baldness after it was discovered that its predecessor, Proscar, had been seen to provide that benefit.

While Proscar is primarily prescribed to treat enlarged prostrate, its main component finasteride had shown to reverse the balding process due to hormone manipulation. In fact, Merck had discovered by lowering the finasteride levels, men had started to regrow hair.

According to research, male-pattern baldness affects approximately 50% of America’s male population 50yrs and older. After putting in half a billion dollars into research and development, Propecia had entered the market with high anticipation, with 400,000 men signing up for prescriptions in the first year.

Overall, the public responded very well to the drug, with men praising Propecia for its reversal ability against baldness. Unfortunately, it was this hair loss treatment process that has allegedly caused millions of men to lose their sexual functions.

Overview of Propecia Side Effects

Propecia and Proscar belong to the drug family 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, which are used to treat conditions related to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent hormone derived from testosterone; common conditions associated with DHT include male-pattern baldness and prostate cancer.

For men genetically inclined to baldness, DHT forces the hair follicles in the scalp to shrink and destroy their ability to grow.

Finasteride directly counteracts this process, by preventing the conversation of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. However, clinical studies have shown that this process has extreme adverse effects on a male’s sexual functions.

While Merck & Co. did provide a list of Propecia side effects early on after the drug’s release, it soon became clear that the problem was much more substantial.

Originally, Merck claimed that the side effects of Propecia were very rare and would resolve themselves after the hair loss treatment was discontinued. This was rarely the case, as a number of men have complained that their lives had been permanently altered by adverse Propecia side effects.

Propecia Sexual Dysfunction Complications

Additionally, there are very little treatment options or Propecia help regarding these sexual side effects, leaving many doctors to hope that the patients’ sexual functions will return to normal after discontinuing the drug. In the worst cases, the patients’ sexual functions never resumes.

Among the complications reported, Propecia impotence and sexual dysfunction was common. This means that a number of men had been unable to either get or maintain an erection, had suffered from ejaculation disorder, or had lost complete sexual function.

According to the FDA, these Propecia side effects have been seen in patients as young as 21 and commonly in men in their mid-40s. On average, these Propecia impotence and other sexual dysfunction complications would continue for an average of 40 months, after patients stopped taking it.

As mentioned before, Merck & Co. had allegedly downplayed the severity of complications associated with finasteride and have offered little support to effected consumers.

Even now in the middle of product liability allegations, no Propecia help or compensation has been offered from Merck & Co, with the company admitting no wrongdoing.