Army vet says genitals shrank, changed shape after taking finasteride hair loss drug

In recent years, telehealth companies like Hims and Keeps have revolutionized access to hair loss treatments by offering online consultations and direct-to-door deliveries. 

Their nearly ubiquitous marketing campaigns — particularly on social media — have attracted a younger audience eager for quick solutions to thinning hair.

But, for some customers, the convenience and relative affordability come at a hefty price. 

Former US Army Sgt. Mark Millich, 26, received a bottle of finasteride pills just days after completing a short questionnaire on Hims.com, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Soon after, he began experiencing anxiety, dizziness and slurred speech — and then things got even worse. 

His sex drive plummeted — and his genitals shrank and changed shape. His doctor said it was due to the medication. 

Finasteride, known by its brand name Propecia, has been widely prescribed for male-pattern baldness since 1997. 

While it’s been found to be an effective treatment for hair regrowth, it is also known to have side effects, such as sexual dysfunction and depression. 

The FDA has updated the drug’s label over the years to include warnings about these risks, including the potential for suicidal thoughts. 

Unlike traditional drug companies, telehealth service providers aren’t obligated to disclose side effects and other risks in their advertising — although they claim to do so on their websites. 

Dr. Justin Houman, a urologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, has seen a spike in the number of young men coming into his office over sexual dysfunction due to finasteride. 

“This is not something young men should take,” he told the Journal.

Meanwhile, a Hims spokeswoman told the outlet their customers “go through a comprehensive intake that is reviewed by a licensed provider who makes a clinical determination about the patient’s eligibility for medication” and that they communicate “about all essential details and safety information.”

Neither Millich nor Sawyer Hart — one of the 17 men the WSJ spoke to who had severe side effects from getting the drug through a telehealth company — believe they were adequately informed of the risks. 

While telehealth companies have arguably democratized the prescription drug process, medical experts have raised concerns over their potentially insufficient patient evaluation and posited that they may prioritize prescription volume over the health and safety of their customers.  

Dr. Jonathan Daly, an internal medicine physician who worked for Hims for two years, told the Journal that he “felt like as a platform, it was more of the let’s go ahead and prescribe, get as many patients as we can to use medications from us.”