A Serious Side Effect of a Potentially Widely Used Cosmetic Product
January 2015
in “
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
”
TLDR A man developed a serious muscle breakdown condition after using a hair loss medication not known to cause this side effect.
A 33-year-old man experienced rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition involving muscle breakdown, after taking finasteride (Propecia) for male pattern hair loss, which he had purchased online. Initially presenting with leg and back pain after gym exertion, his creatine kinase (CK) levels were significantly elevated. Despite rest and cessation of exercise, his CK levels only normalized after he stopped taking finasteride, which he had not initially disclosed to his doctors. This case is notable because rhabdomyolysis as a side effect of finasteride is not listed in the drug information by the FDA or MHRA and has not been previously reported in medical literature, despite being mentioned on health websites. The authors emphasize the importance of thorough patient drug history assessment, including non-prescribed medications, and suggest that the use of finasteride may be widespread and its side effects under-reported.
