Does Minoxidil Cause ED?

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Maybe you’re seeing more of your forehead when you look in the mirror these days. Or perhaps your kid asked for a ride on your shoulders only to drop a truth bomb while up there: you’re starting to get a bald spot. (Cue frantically taking 100 blurry selfies of the top of your head as soon as you’re alone).

A receding hairline or bald patch could be a sign you’re experiencing male pattern baldness (also known as androgenetic alopecia) — which affects up to half of men by age fifty. If you currently use minoxidil for hair loss or are thinking of starting, you may have questions about its effects — and not just on your hairline. (Learn more about Alopecia Areata: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments.)

Finasteride and minoxidil (or high-strength minoxidil) are the stars of the show when it comes to hair loss treatments. They’re also the only two drugs for hair loss approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).

Finasteride is known to cause some side effects in rare cases, but does minoxidil have side effects as well? More to the point, does minoxidil cause ED?

Read on to learn about the common side effects of minoxidil and whether minoxidil causes ED and other reactions.

Does Minoxidil Cause ED?

Minoxidil (generic for brand-name Rogaine) is FDA-approved as a hair loss and regrowth treatment. While the exact mechanism of how minoxidil works isn’t totally understood, we know a few critical things about the medication.

Think of minoxidil as a pre-work cup of coffee for your hair follicles — it wakes them up and gets them to work by moving the hair into active growth (known as the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle).

So, minoxidil works to help treat hair loss, but at what cost? We know you’re still wondering if minoxidil causes ED — because who wants to choose between great hair and a great intimate life?

Good news: While some drugs — like antidepressants, blood pressure medications and medications for prostate cancer therapy — may cause ED, minoxidil isn’t typically considered one of them.

However, a 2016 study reviewed reports submitted to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). It found eight reports of side effects out of 92 cases of male minoxidil-exposed patients. These effects included diminished libido, loss of libido, ED, discharge disorder and decreased discharge volume.

That may sound like a lot. It would be easy to conclude that eight out of 92 minoxidil users experience ED as a side effect, which seems at odds with the fact that seconds ago, we told you minoxidil doesn’t cause ED.

Let’s break down the data.

First, the complaints aren’t from a random sample of minoxidil users — the study looked at only those who had filed anonymous reports. So, missing from the data set is everyone who had no minoxidil side effects, intimately or otherwise.

It’s also unclear whether the reports were made by people who had taken oral minoxidil or used minoxidil foam or liquid minoxidil solution topically.

The sample is also incredibly small. We know 92 people may sound like a lot, but that’s nowhere near the typical standard for establishing clinical significance.

Can Minoxidil Cause Any Side Effects?

If you’ve heard through the grapevine that minoxidil causes ED or other side effects, it’s possible your game of telephone got jumbled and minoxidil was mistaken for another hair loss medication.

Finasteride (also called Propecia) is more likely to cause side effects, but it’s still pretty rare. In clinical trials, about 1.3 percent of men who took finasteride experienced ED, compared to 0.7 percent of those who used a placebo.

2012 study on finasteride and side effects showed that adverse effects occurred in 2.1 to 3.8 percent of those studied. ED was the most commonly reported issue, followed by discharge dysfunction and loss of libido.

While it sounds intense, the side effects of finasteride seem to be pretty manageable — only 1.2 percent of men who participated in finasteride clinical trials stopped using their medication because of the side effects.

Minoxidil doesn’t alter your hormones in any way. It’s a vasodilator, meaning it widens blood vessels so more blood flow, oxygen and nutrients come to the scalp.

For hair loss, minoxidil is a topical treatment applied directly to the scalp. Oral minoxidil for hair loss, while promising, is still considered an off-label use — it’s typically prescribed to lower blood pressure.

You can use finasteride topically as well. And — humble brag — our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray makes it easy to use the two together. This potent combo is known to increase the effectiveness of each while being just as safe as using either on its own. (Learn more about How Long Before Minoxidil Starts Working for Men?.)

Common Side Effects of Minoxidil

As mentioned, minoxidil is a vasodilator. The medication was originally used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), and it’s still used for this purpose in a pill called Loniten®. But minoxidil also had an unexpected good side effect for hypertension patients — it caused hair growth.

Like many medications, minoxidil comes with not-so-great side effects, but it’s generally considered a safe drug, even for use in children. We’ll go over some of the more common side effects below.

Dermatitis

The most common adverse effect of topical minoxidil is dermatitis at the site of application, which causes itchy, scaly skin.

In some people, dermatitis is the result of simple irritation, but for others, it could signal an allergic reaction. This particular side effect is more common with the 5% concentration of the drug.

In cases where the reaction is allergic, minoxidil itself is rarely the culprit. In fact, allergic reactions to propylene glycol (a medication additive) are so common that there are now versions of minoxidil that don’t contain this ingredient — like our minoxidil foam. If you’ve experienced a reaction to other types of minoxidil, the foam might be a better option.

Hypertrichosis

Hypertrichosis (a fancy word for excessive hair growth) is another common adverse reaction of minoxidil. This is good for your scalp but not so great for your other body parts.

When hypertrichosis occurs, it’s typically seen with body hair — on the face, arms and legs. The issue usually resolves within one to five months after stopping minoxidil.

This side effect is most common with the 5% application of topical minoxidil, and it’s more common in women than men. When applying minoxidil solution, make sure it only touches your scalp and doesn’t drip onto your face, neck or shoulders.

See our detailed guide to learn exactly how to apply minoxidil.

Hair Shedding

It seems weird, but minoxidil can sometimes cause a surprising side effect: increased hair shedding.

This is due to the drug’s shortening of the resting phase of the hair growth cycle. Known as the telogen phase, this is when a strand of hair completes its growth and falls out.

If minoxidil has this effect on a large portion of your individual hairs, you may notice a lot of shedding at once. The good news is it should resolve on its own in a few months. And remember, it’s actually normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day.

Other Potential Side Effects of Minoxidil

The oral version of this medication may have different side effects.

Side effects of low-dose oral minoxidil include:

  • Hypertrichosis

  • Lightheadedness

  • Fluid retention

  • Tachycardia

  • Headache

  • Periorbital edema

  • Insomnia

Hypertrichosis is the most commonly reported side effect of oral minoxidil. A few rare effects may occur in men treated with oral minoxidil. This includes headaches and generalized scalp and skin irritation, such as itchy skin or dryness.

To learn more about the potential side effects of minoxidil and minoxidil interactions, check out our guides.

The Bottom Line on Minoxidil Side Effects

Wondering if minoxidil causes side effects, intimately speaking? Read on for the TLDR on minoxidil and side effects.

  • If you’re experiencing ED and trying to figure out its root cause, you’re definitely not alone. Though it’s very unlikely minoxidil is the reason you’re experiencing the condition, ED treatments are available to help.

  • On the other hand, if you’re on the fence about using the topical solution because you’re wondering if minoxidil really does cause ED, don’t fret. Minoxidil is very unlikely to cause side effects.

  • Like most medications, minoxidil does have side effects, but they’re uncommon, not typically severe and most often resolve on their own.

  • Minoxidil has been studied for many years and is considered safe. But it comes with a risk of potential side effects, like hair shedding, irritation, redness and headaches.

Have questions about how treatment options for hair regrowth or hair thinning affect intimate function? Reach out to a dermatologist or healthcare provider to discuss your options for hair loss prescriptions, supplements and other over-the-counter solutions.

To learn more about using finasteride and minoxidil together (and their side effects), check out our guide.

This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

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Dermatologists are experts in matters beyond the skin — they’re also trained to diagnose and treat conditions relating to your hair and nails. When it comes to dealing with male pattern baldness, avoiding damaged hair and getting the most reliable forms of treatment for hair loss, you’ll want to consult a dermatologist, or at least stick to the products they recommend.

Below, we’ve shared five dermatologist-recommended hair products for treating and preventing hair thinning, stimulating healthy hair growth, avoiding vitamin deficiencies that may affect your hair, improving damaged hair and maintaining fuller-looking hair in general.

What do dermatologists recommend for hair loss? Read on to find out.

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Dealing with hair loss (also called alopecia) can be stressful. Luckily, there are plenty of products on the market that can help bring the problem under control.

Many of the best hair growth products — that is, the ones that are backed up by real clinical trials and recommended by dermatologists — are both easy-to-use and affordably priced. The best hair health product are the ones that can help manage breakage, keratin production, dandruff and more.

Below, we’ve shared five reputable hair care products, from FDA-approved hair growth treatments and prescription medications to hair growth shampoos and hair supplements.

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Minoxidil (Rogaine) is considered by many to be the number one treatment for hair loss. It’s safe and effective and it’s available over-the-counter as a topical medication. You might find minoxidil as a liquid solution and as a foam, both of which can be applied to the areas of your scalp with thinning hair.

Currently, minoxidil is one of two FDA-approved hair regrowth treatments (we’ll touch on the other, finasteride, below). As such, it’s one of several dermatologist-recommended hair growth products you’ll likely hear about if you talk to a healthcare provider about thinning hair.

“Minoxidil is one of the cornerstones when it comes to treating hair loss,” says dermatologist Knox Beasley. “And I try to include it in my patients’ treatment regimens whenever possible.”

Like many other medications, minoxidil was originally developed for a different issue — treating high blood pressure. Once it was realized that using minoxidil caused hypertrichosis — in more simple terms, excessive hair growth — it was repurposed as a hair growth medication.

Although experts aren’t exactly aware of minoxidil’s mechanism of action, research suggests it works by stimulating blood flow to your scalp and accelerating the growth phase of your natural hair growth cycle.

Research also shows that minoxidil works well to prevent hair shedding and stimulate new hair growth.

For example, in one study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, a total of more than 900 men with hereditary hair loss were treated with minoxidil over a period of 12 months.

Of the men who took part in the study, 84.3 percent described minoxidil as either “very effective,” “effective” or “moderately effective” as a dedicated hair loss treatment in terms of producing hair growth.

Research also suggests that minoxidil is effective as a treatment for female pattern hair loss — a form of hair loss that can occur in women.

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Finasteride is the second hair loss medication that’s approved by the FDA, and it’s likely one of the first recommendations a dermatologist or other medical professional will make if you have a receding hairline or other signs of hair loss that you’d like to stop from getting worse.

Unlike minoxidil, which is designed for topical application to your scalp, finasteride is most popularly available in tablet form, and is taken orally. It works by stopping your body from making dihydrotestosterone (DHT) — an androgen hormone that causes hair loss.

Over time, DHT can attach to receptors in your scalp and cause your hair follicles to slowly stop producing new hairs, resulting in male pattern baldness.

In a way, you can think of DHT as the “baldness hormone,” as exposure to DHT is what causes your hair follicles to stop functioning effectively. Although DHT affects all hair types, not all men are equally sensitive to it, which is why baldness can vary in severity from person to person.

This guide to DHT and permanent hair loss goes into more detail about this process, as well as the damaging role that DHT plays in the health of your hair.

By preventing your body from producing DHT, finasteride effectively protects your hair follicles from this form of damage, allowing you to maintain healthy hair follicles that can grow hairs on an ongoing basis.

Used on a daily basis, finasteride can help to slow down, stop and even reverse hair loss that’s caused by male pattern baldness, which can help you maintain a fuller head of hair even if you’re prone to male pattern baldness.

In one study, researchers found that 80.5 percent of men with hair loss who used finasteride for 12 months showed improvements. Men who used both finasteride and minoxidil showed even better results, with 94.1 percent reporting improvements over the same time period.

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What shampoo do dermatologists recommend? Shampoo doesn’t just affect your hair’s scent and texture; it can also help prevent shedding and promote stronger hair.

If you talk to a dermatologist about preventing hair loss and maintaining good scalp health, they’ll likely recommend switching to a shampoo that contains active ingredients that nourish and protect your hair follicles.

Many DHT-blocking shampoos, for example, use active ingredients like ketoconazole and saw palmetto to limit DHT-related damage to your hair follicles.

These products aren’t necessarily hair loss stoppers on their own, but used alongside FDA-approved hair loss medications such as minoxidil and finasteride, they can help maximize your results and keep most types of hair loss at bay.

For example, hair thickening shampoo can contain saw palmetto to target DHT and promote thicker hair and a healthy scalp.

One of the biggest advantages of using a dermatologist-recommended shampoo is that it’s easy to incorporate into your hair care routine. Simply change from your regular shampoo to one that’s formulated to protect your hair cells and promote strong hair.

This guide to what to look for in a men’s hair loss shampoo goes into more detail about proven key ingredients to consider when choosing a shampoo and other products for hair growth.

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Much like your skin and nails, your hair depends on a complex and diverse variety of nutrients to grow to its full potential.

Many forms of hair loss can happen when your hair is deprived of these nutrients. Telogen effluvium — a form of temporary hair shedding — can develop when you aren’t getting enough protein or you’re experiencing an iron deficiency.

Certain vitamin deficiencies can affect your hair quality, causing issues such as brittle hair or damage to your hair shaft.

Biotin is a vitamin that plays a key role in the growth of your hair. While the precise link between biotin and hair growth isn’t fully understood, some research suggests that biotin deficiency may be involved in certain hair disorders and forms of hair damage.

For example, a study published in the International Journal of Trichology in 2016 found that 38 percent of women with hair loss were deficient in biotin.

This guide to biotin as a potential hair growth solution discusses research and other studies that look into the relationship between biotin levels and the hair growth process.

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If you’ve ever watched late-night TV, you’ve probably seen infomercials for laser-based devices that promise to strengthen your hair fibers and reverse the effects of male pattern hair loss.

While many of these devices look like something out of a bad 80’s sci-fi movie — seriously, do a quick image search — some laser devices have shown potential for stimulating hair growth.

The idea behind laser devices — or low-level light therapy (LLLT)— is to improve blood circulation and stimulate epidermal stem cells in your scalp, which could promote hair growth.

The exact mechanism of action behind this type of technology isn’t fully understood, meaning we don’t know precisely how it might function at the scalp level (or how it may assist with hair loss).

Popular laser hair growth devices include laser hats and helmet-like devices, several of which have shown promising results in increasing hair thickness and hair density in patients suffering from male pattern baldness.

It’s worth noting, however, that research in this field is currently lacking. As such, it’s best to think of most laser devices as a “maybe” when it comes to treating hair loss, or as a complementary treatment alongside options like minoxidil and finasteride.

Be sure to double-check with your healthcare provider for a reliable laser device, as — like with many other new technologies — there are countless copy-cat, sham hair laser light hair growth devices out there that aren’t backed up by any real research.

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Whether it’s male pattern baldness or a little temporary thinning, hair loss is a common problem that affects just about every man at some point in his life.

While there are lots of great hair growth products out there, many of the most widely-promoted products for making your hair stronger and thicker and promote general hair wellness aren’t fully supported by scientific evidence.

As such, talking to an expert in hair health can help you to learn more about what the best hair growth products really are, as well as which types of treatment and products should be avoided.

As specialists in hair, dermatologists can guide you down the correct path toward thicker, fuller hair while helping you avoid spending money on overhyped products and unreliable treatments.

This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

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