A young man shares his devastating experience with finasteride, a popular hair loss drug linked to severe side effects, including suicidal thoughts

A 26-year-old man from Wakefield has shared his troubling experience with finasteride, highlighting the severe finasteride side effects he endured, including emotional, sexual, and physical health issues. Kyle, who took the drug on a friend’s recommendation, claims it has “turned his life upside down.”

Kyle, whose experience has drawn attention to the risky side effects of the medication, ordered finasteride from an online pharmacy last spring. “I just typed it in on Google and it came up with all these online pharmacies. It was everywhere,” Kyle recalled, explaining how easy it was to obtain the drug with no medical consultation. “No Zoom meeting, no pictures of my hair loss—I simply filled out a ‘tick-box’ form,” he added, reflecting on the lack of medical oversight in the process. The prescription arrived within a week, and he began taking the medication without fully understanding the risks.

The side effects, however, came swiftly. Kyle claims the drug led to emotional numbness, a loss of motivation, and physical changes including muscle loss and increased hair shedding. The most alarming issue, he says, was the onset of suicidal thoughts, which led him to stop taking finasteride after just six weeks. “Life just feels grey. It’s like it castrated my emotions,” he said, describing the emotional toll the drug took on him.

Finasteride, which works by blocking the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to prevent hair loss, is taken by tens of thousands of men across the UK. It is only available via private prescription, but online pharmacies have made the drug readily accessible. Since its introduction, however, concerns about its side effects have been mounting. In April 2024, UK regulators urged that safety warning cards be included in finasteride packaging, alerting users to the drug’s potential to cause sexual dysfunction and suicidal thoughts. These warnings came after a growing body of evidence raised alarm over the drug’s serious and sometimes long-lasting effects.

Despite the new warnings, the BBC’s investigation found that online pharmacies are still dispensing finasteride without proper safeguards. After purchasing the drug from three leading online providers, it was revealed that none of the packages included the required alert card. Instead, users were directed to read patient leaflets that contained detailed warnings, though some pharmacies had not fully implemented the safety protocols. Superdrug and Boots offered consultations, but Hims, another provider, merely mentioned the potential side effects without offering a detailed discussion.

Experts are now calling for a more rigorous approach to prescribing finasteride. James Davies, Director of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, emphasised the importance of thorough checks, including obtaining a full medical history and offering opportunities for consultations, even when prescriptions are made online. The British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS) also echoed the concern, with Vice President Greg Williams highlighting the need for proper counselling, especially considering the drug’s small but serious risks. “Patients need to be appropriately monitored,” Williams warned, stressing that finasteride is not suitable for everyone.

Kyle, nearly a year after taking the pill, regrets his decision and wishes he had known about the risks involved. “I beat myself up every day, thinking, ‘You had a perfect life, you didn’t have to risk something over hair.’ It was vain of me,” he admitted. His experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of informed decision-making when it comes to health, particularly when accessing treatments online without medical oversight.

The European Medicines Agency is currently reviewing finasteride’s safety, which could include a potential ban, adding further uncertainty to the future of the drug. In the meantime, Kyle urges others to consider the consequences before seeking quick fixes for hair loss.