Hair Restoration Blog

Q:

I have been losing my hair since I was 18 and I am 30 now. I started taking Propecia last year and seen great result only after taking if for only a few months. The thing is I noticed that it might have affected my erection and it takes me longer to get an erection. I know when you know you are taking a medication that has to do with your male hormone it may automatically affect your sex function negatively. So I don’t know whether it is mental or real. I don’t want to stop Propecia if it is safe to do.

A:

You are experiencing erectile dysfunction recently while you have been on Propecia (finasteride) for a year. Erectile dysfunction has been evaluated in patients who have been taking Propecia. The incidence of erectile dysfunction is reported to be 1.3% of men who were on Propecia for one year. The rate of erectile dysfunction was reported 0.7% among the patients who only took placebo. You can test this side effect of Propecia by stopping it for at least two weeks and see if you still have any problem with erectile dysfunction. If your erectile dysfunction improves by discontinuing Propecia after two weeks, erectile dysfunction might be a real side effect. If you still want to continue taking Propecia despite of experiencing erectile dysfunction, you may try a lower dose that can still help your hair growth without giving you any negative effects on your sex life.