THE i PAPER
Sexual dysfunction and suicidal thoughts - the dark side of anti-balding drugs

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Hair loss wasn’t something Ryan had ever particularly worried about. Even when a small patch on his scalp began to thin, he gave it little notice. But flicking through a newspaper in his early 30s, he came across an advert for a “wonder hair loss drug”, and he thought “why not?” He was often complimented on his hair.

A few weeks after starting the treatment, he was struck by crushing anxiety “like a bolt of lightning”. He couldn’t eat or sleep. He lost interest in sex, started losing strength in the gym, and developed suicidal thoughts. At work in the Civil Service, he suddenly struggled to meet colleagues’ eyes. Menial tasks became a battle. He recoiled from human contact.