“Bald Is Beautiful”?

New York, NYThis month’s GQ magazine suggests that Prince William and other hairline-challenged men take Propecia because it blocks the hormone that thins hair. Unfortunately, GQ doesn’t say what can also happen to men when that hormone is blocked.

More than 1,550 men, including a few women who have joined their partners in Propecia lawsuits, will likely tell you that it’s better to be bald than suffer Propecia side effects. According to Merck & Co., the Propecia manufacturer, by the end of June 2014, about 1,280 lawsuits allege Propecia causes persistent sexual side effects. About 45 of those plaintiffs also claim that Propecia or Proscar has caused or can cause prostate cancer or male breast cancer.

Here are two of those plaintiffs: In September of 2014, Albert Daniels and his wife Christine filed a lawsuit against Merck & Co., alleging sexual dysfunction as the result of use of the hair loss treatment drug Propecia. The lawsuit alleges that Merck fraudulently concealed the side effects from the purchasing public. Christine is also named plaintiff in the Propecia lawsuit because of emotional distress and loss of consortium. The case is Daniels v. Merck & Co., No. 14-5618.

Guys, keep in mind that GQ’s suggestions are given tongue-in-cheek. Rather, ponder these comments from Jamie (not his real name) before you consider Propecia:

“Since taking Propecia I have been prescribed Viagra for erectile dysfunction and I’m in therapy for depression. My prescribing doctor said it is temporary but I’ve suffered these side effects for more than five years! My penis and testicles got smaller; I have zero desire for sex and almost no erections; and if there is, it’s going away in seconds. Because of Propecia I have problems with the love of my life. I don't know what to do because there is no medication or any solution for that…”

And you might remember the story of William McKee, who didn’t believe that bald is beautiful. Back in 2012, the New York Post reported that McKee, who now goes by the name Mandi, said that after nine months on finasteride (Propecia’s generic version), breasts started to develop. McKee told the Post that his “rock-hard chest from the gym began to soften… reaching the point where I had noticeable ‘breasts’ even under my clothing.” The former Silicon Valley entrepreneur said he had no desire to be a cross-dresser before taking the hair loss drug. Mandi went on to say he is “also transgender. I wasn’t always this way. I am early on my path of transitioning to live full-time as a woman, although for 9 months I did take 1 of the 2 most popular drugs that doctors prescribe to men who wish to become a woman.”

While you may take Mandi’s rather sensationalized testimony with a grain of salt, finasteride is prescribed in hormone replacement therapy for male-to-female transsexuals in combination with a form of estrogen (“Medical management of adult transsexual persons.” Pharmacotherapy, January 2012).

Men, deciding bald or breasts should be a no-brainer. Unless of course, you are considering McKee’s camp.

GQ has a few more suggestions for Prince William:

• Get the Power Donut haircut. “The cut has been out of style roughly forever, but Churchill pulled it off. As king-in-waiting, you could make it cool in a normcore kind of way. Or just execute anyone who laughs.”

• Or get a hair replacement: “A doctor plucks strands from the back of your head, where they’re programmed to grow forever, and replants them northward. It's pricey: around $30,000 in all. Maybe sell the Crown Jewels?”

• Lastly, the magazine dishes out some commonsense advice. “Follow the lead of handsome ass-kickers like fellow Brits Jason Statham and Mark Strong and cut it tight. A University of Pennsylvania study found that guys with a barely-there buzz are seen as having more leadership ability than hairier brethren. This is a cut fit for a king.”