Hair Restoration Blog

Q:

I am a 40 year old man with class IV hair loss. I started taking Propecia recently with great result on the crown area only after a few months. However, it seems like I need more time to get an erection. The other problem is that I cannot maintain an erection as before. I know there is a lot of psychogenic side effect associated with this drug so I am not sure I am really experiencing a side effect or it is just in my head?

Thank you,

A:

You have been taking Propecia (finasteride) recently and have had great result from it, but you are recently experiencing erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction has been reported in men who used Propecia. The comparison of its occurrence between the Propecia and placebo group showed a slight difference (1.3% in Propecia group vs. 0.7% in placebo group).

You can stop Propecia for 2 weeks to test it. If you don’t feel any improvements in 2 weeks, Propecia cannot be the cause of your problem. If your erectile dysfunction improves by stopping Propecia, then you can reduce the dose of Propecia to half and you may not experience the problem with the new dose. This method is effective in most patients who experience erectile dysfunction with Propecia.

You have to understand that erectile dysfunction may be the sign of some other medical problems and you need to discuss it with your primary physician to rule out more serious causes.