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Using Minoxidil For Hair Fall. Will It Cause Erectile Dysfunction?
Question: Hi doctor,
I am 25 yr old male taking treatment for my hair fall problem from past 8 months (No one in my family is suffering from baldness problem), my doctor suggested me with minoxidil topical solution 10%. My concern is that i read many articles stating this will cause erectile dysfunction in male.
I observed my erections are not hard as it is used to be. So now i stopped the meditation.
Does this medication is the cause for my problem (erectile dysfunction)?
Can i get back my erection after stoping the medication?
If so how long(months) it will take to get back to normal?
I am 25 yr old male taking treatment for my hair fall problem from past 8 months (No one in my family is suffering from baldness problem), my doctor suggested me with minoxidil topical solution 10%. My concern is that i read many articles stating this will cause erectile dysfunction in male.
I observed my erections are not hard as it is used to be. So now i stopped the meditation.
Does this medication is the cause for my problem (erectile dysfunction)?
Can i get back my erection after stoping the medication?
If so how long(months) it will take to get back to normal?
Hi,
There is a very minor probability that Minoxidil is the cause of erectile dysfunction in your case. Theoretically yes- it along with other medications which dilate the blood vessels can cause softer erections but the quantity that needs to be absorbed for it to cause difficulty in erections is likely to produce significant other side effects such as sudden drop of Blood pressure, especially when you stand up and also it can cause pounding severe headache. Usually such high quantities do not get absorbed into your body when you apply it topically over the scalp.
However, if you are worried about this issue, there would be no harm in seeing if erections return to their previous levels once you have temporarily discontinued the medication. i doubt if the effect lasts more than two weeks at the maximum, and thus if your erections are not good even 2 weeks after the medications have been stopped, then you have to search for some other reason for erectile dysfunction.
One of the commonest reasons for erectile dysfunction in young males is anxiety,and worrying about the problem too much which only makes it worse. So please do not worry about this. Reduction of anxiety also will help bring your erections back to normal.
Hope I have been of help.
Regards.
There is a very minor probability that Minoxidil is the cause of erectile dysfunction in your case. Theoretically yes- it along with other medications which dilate the blood vessels can cause softer erections but the quantity that needs to be absorbed for it to cause difficulty in erections is likely to produce significant other side effects such as sudden drop of Blood pressure, especially when you stand up and also it can cause pounding severe headache. Usually such high quantities do not get absorbed into your body when you apply it topically over the scalp.
However, if you are worried about this issue, there would be no harm in seeing if erections return to their previous levels once you have temporarily discontinued the medication. i doubt if the effect lasts more than two weeks at the maximum, and thus if your erections are not good even 2 weeks after the medications have been stopped, then you have to search for some other reason for erectile dysfunction.
One of the commonest reasons for erectile dysfunction in young males is anxiety,and worrying about the problem too much which only makes it worse. So please do not worry about this. Reduction of anxiety also will help bring your erections back to normal.
Hope I have been of help.
Regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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