Talk to a Pharmacist About Your Hair Loss

It varies from person to person, and not everyone responds. Treatments for pattern hair loss usually need several months of daily use before you can tell whether they are working. Your pharmacist will explain what to expect for any option that suits you.

Some hair loss treatments are prescription-only medicines. You do not need to bring a prescription: our pharmacist can supply a prescription-only treatment after a face-to-face consultation, for men aged 18 and over, and only if it is suitable for you. Other options can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription, and we still recommend talking to our pharmacist first.

Like all medicines, the prescription tablet for male pattern hair loss can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Sexual side effects. These include lower sex drive, difficulty getting or keeping an erection, and problems with ejaculation, such as less semen. The patient leaflet says these affect up to 1 in 100 men. They may go away with time or when you stop the tablet, but in some men they have carried on after stopping. Please talk to us or your GP if you notice any of these.

Mood, depression and suicidal thoughts. The tablet has been linked to low mood, depression and, less often, suicidal thoughts. Before you start, tell our pharmacist if you have ever had depression or suicidal thoughts. If you notice low mood, depression or suicidal thoughts while taking it, stop taking it straight away and contact your doctor or our pharmacist as soon as possible. If you have seriously harmed yourself or feel at risk of serious harm, call 999 straight away. Changes in mood can be hard to spot in yourself, so it helps to tell family or friends that you are taking it.

Other things to know. Tell your doctor promptly about any breast changes, such as lumps, pain, swelling or nipple discharge. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not handle crushed or broken tablets. The tablet can lower the result of a PSA blood test, so tell your doctor you take it if you have this test.

Patient card. Each pack contains a patient card about these side effects. Please read it, keep it with you, and read the leaflet in the pack. You can report side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

Scalp lotion or foam (sold without a prescription). Scalp irritation, itching or dryness, headache, and unwanted hair growth on the face or body. Hair shedding can increase for a short time when you start. Stop using it and see a doctor if you get chest pain, a fast heartbeat, faintness or dizziness, sudden weight gain, or swollen hands or feet.

We'll go through all of this at your consultation.

The benefit of treatments for pattern hair loss lasts only while you keep using them. If you stop, any benefit is usually lost again over the following months. Your pharmacist will explain this before you start.

Sometimes. Whether a combination is suitable depends on you, and our pharmacist will advise at your consultation.

You can talk face to face with a pharmacist who can see your hair loss for themselves, ask about your health and answer your questions there and then. You also get ongoing local support, and if treatment is suitable you can usually take it home the same day.