M25: Ketoconazole Side Effects

Mood Changes while on ketoconazole shampoo.

DISCLAIMER: NOT A DOCTOR

Just a heads up, I have done some experimentation with ketoconazole shampoo and received some very very nasty side effects.

At first I started applying it as a scalp mask once/twice per week as I’d heard the benefits of hair regrowth. This was in 2022. Similarly throughout that time I started to notice dissociative thoughts, suicidal thoughts, severe depression, weight gain, no libido, vertigo, migraines and lack of energy. I had been going to a psychologist, neurologist, GP and none of them could get to the bottom of it. However one thing was certain, whenever I spent enough time away from home (visiting family in another state, going overseas etc) I noticed a HUGE improvement in how I felt. After trying everything, in 2023 I had a lightbulb moment that it could be the shampoo, as each time I’d gone away from home, I’d left the shampoo there too.

I tried cutting it cold turkey, and within about 2-5 weeks I’d felt almost completely normal. My libido returned, no severe depression or random crying, no dissociation or suicidal thoughts. I was relieved and sort of just forgot about everything now that I was feeling better. HOWEVER in mid 2023 I had a patch of dandruff on my beard, and tried using ketoconazole as a mask, 5min a day a couple days a week. Guess what, almost after just a couple of days, the same symptoms began to return. I stopped it immediately after a week, and within 2 weeks began feeling better.

I booked an appointment with my GP and he dismissed me saying “I must be associating the smell of the ketoconazole shampoo with trauma and it’s causing anxiety.” I said no I’m CERTAIN something in the shampoo is making me not feel right. I did googling and found that some of the side effects I was experiencing were listed here : https://www.medicinenet.com/side_effects_of_ketoconazole/side-effects.htm#:~:text=Other%20important%20side%20effects%20of,hair%20loss%2C%20

I had also read a couple of studies about its high effectiveness for testosterone suppression. Supposedly it causes a rapid and sustained decrease in testosterone, which would explain the large amount of symptoms I was experiencing. https://academic.oup.com/ejendo/article-abstract/105/2/275/6798755# I tried again reintroducing it to see if the symptoms would return and each time, about 3 times when I reintroduced it the same symptoms returned. I will never use it again. The GP still doesn’t believe me, despite my bloods showing abnormalities in my liver enzymes and hormones while I was using it. So I highly encourage everyone to be careful when using it.

I also would be interested in how much of the current men’s mental health epidemic is related to anti-hair loss medication and treatments. Just something to think about.