The hair loss drug Propecia (finasteride) has a dark side. One of its side effects, sexual dysfunction, can have long-lasting consequences.

In an interview, a man named Chris described his ordeal: “Sure, being bald is a drag but it’s nothing compared to these problems.”

Chris was prescribed Propecia a little over two years ago to treat his hair loss, but stopped after experiencing adverse sexual side effects. Even though he stopped taking the medication, Chris said the sexual dysfunction continues.

At risk for Chris and his wife, because of taking the hair loss remedy, is the possibility that they won’t be able to conceive a child.

Propecia is a popular male-pattern baldness treatment drug, commonly prescribed to men experiencing hair loss. It was approved by the FDA in 1997 and is manufactured by Merck & Co.

Finasteride works by blocking the hormone responsible for hair loss. Users like Chris are typically told that erectile dysfunction and other sexual complications were rare side effects, and that they are only temporary.

Chris said that if he had known about the long-lasting Propecia sexual dysfunction side effects, he would not have taken the drug.

Propecia Sexual Dysfunction Complications

According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, sexual side effects lasted at least three months after the subject stopped taking Propecia.

The study, conducted at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences,  found that 94% of men taking finasteride developed low libido function, with 92% suffering from erectile dysfunction, and 69% of them experiencing orgasm complications.

Lead endocrinologist researcher Dr. Michael Irwig, explained that this study had been initiated after the FDA forced the drug manufacturer to update Propecia’s warning label.

In the April 2015 issue of JAMA, researchers found that the Propecia clinical trials did not provide sufficient information to establish an accurate safety evaluation to treat hair loss. The researchers went on to say that the clinical trials seemed to be limited, poor quality, and systematically biased.

This report raised serious concern about the clinical trials performed prior to the release of Propecia. While Merck did update Propecia’s warning label to include “persistent sexual side effects,” Dr. Irwig and others have said that falls short.