Do erectile dysfunction drugs affect hair growth or loss? Not as far as their labels show — it is the other way round that matters. Hair loss is not among the side effects listed for ED medicines such as sildenafil and tadalafil, and none of them is approved to treat hair loss. But finasteride, a common hair-loss tablet, can cause sexual side effects, erectile dysfunction among them.
Can Viagra or Cialis make your hair fall out?
There is no sign of it on the label. healthdirect lists the common side effects of ED medicines as headache, facial flushing, a blocked nose and indigestion or reflux, and the rarer serious ones as changes in vision, an erection that will not go down, sudden hearing loss, dizziness or fainting and allergic reactions — hair loss is not among them (healthdirect). Other side effects and how long they last are covered in the long-term side effects of Viagra.
Can sildenafil make hair grow?
Not as a treatment. Sildenafil is approved for erectile dysfunction and, as Revatio, for high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs (EMA). Researchers have looked at sildenafil applied to the scalp, but that is experimental: no ED tablet is a hair-loss treatment, and taking one for your hair would expose you to its side effects for no proven gain.
Can hair-loss tablets cause erectile dysfunction?
Yes, in some men. Finasteride and dutasteride are daily tablets that lower the hormones behind male pattern baldness, and healthdirect notes that "finasteride may cause mental health problems or sexual dysfunction in some people" — so discuss the risks with your doctor before starting (healthdirect). Whether an ED medicine can be taken alongside it is answered in can Viagra be taken with finasteride?
Can the erection problems last after stopping finasteride?
For a small number of men, yes. In a study of 11,909 men who had taken finasteride or dutasteride, 167 (1.4%) developed persistent erectile dysfunction that continued for at least 90 days after they stopped (Kiguradze et al., 2017). The manufacturers' information states that sexual side effects resolve when men stop, so the evidence is not settled — but if problems start on finasteride, tell your doctor rather than waiting.
What are the other options for hair loss?
Minoxidil is a liquid solution or foam applied daily to the scalp where hair is thinning (healthdirect). Minoxidil tablets are a blood-pressure medicine; if you take them together with an ED medicine, see taking minoxidil with sildenafil. Your GP or a dermatologist can tell you which treatment suits your type of hair loss.
The short answer
ED medicines are not known to cause or cure hair loss. Some hair-loss tablets — finasteride above all — can cause erection problems, occasionally lasting after you stop. If you take both kinds of medicine, tell the doctor who prescribes each one. More on the side effects of ED medicines is in our guide to ED medicine side effects.
