Model Giorgos Tsetis has a head of thick hair, but he's paid a high price for his luscious locks.
The 30-year-old sacrificed a fulfilling sex life for six years when drugs he took for hair loss caused him to experience sexual dysfunction.
Tsetis, from Amsterdam, started taking the drug Propecia at the age of 21 after clumps of his hair began to fall out.
At the time, the model was working with top brands such as Armani and Versace, but feared all this could change if he went bald.
"There isn't even a handful of models whose hair is receding, so to have a full set of hair is a prerequisite in landing any job," he told Mashable.
According to the NHS, Propecia is a drug commonly used to treat male pattern baldness and other scalp conditions and works by "blocking the action of a chemical in the body which affects hair loss in men".
While the drug, which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, caused Tsetis' hair to thicken rapidly, he also believes it was the reason he experienced erectile dysfunction and low libido for six years.
He says his interest in sex became so low that his girlfriend at the time almost broke up with him.
"My confidence as a man went down the drain and it was at such a young age. I'm a positive person in general but not being able to perform takes a toll on you," he said.
With his relationship at breaking point, Tsetis stopped using Propecia three years ago. Around the same time, he met his current business partner Roland Peralta, who had previously worked in the shampoo industry, creating products for hair-loss.
The pair have since created a vitamin supplement called Nutrafol, which contains compounds extracted from foods, botanicals and herbal ingredients. The company claims this mix of compounds naturally promotes hair growth.
"Nutrafol contains key patented nutraceuticalingredients that have been clinically proven in human clinical trials to combat the leading underlying causes that contribute to hair loss," the Nutrafol website states.
"The efficacy of these ingredients rely on years of scientific research and millions of dollars in investments by our ingredients partners to make available bioactive constituents that are proven to be effective in combatting the leading underlying causes of hair loss and poor hair health including thinning hair, brittle, wiry, dry hair."
But Jo Travers from The London Nutritionist is not convinced by Nutrafol.
"I can't see good quality, peer reviewed research studies backing up their claims or even a list of ingredients on their website, so I'd be very wary of recommending this to anyone," she tells HuffPost UK Lifestyle.
Tsetis isn't the first person to suggest Propecia can have an impact on sexual function.
In a 2013 study published in the Sexual Medicine Reviews, Dr Michael S. Irwig found the ingredient finasteride, which is found in Propecia, can cause persistent sexual dysfunction, including "low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction and problems with orgasms".
11 Ways To Prevent Hair Loss
(01 of12)
Open Image Modal (credit:Alamy)
HRT(02 of12)
Open Image ModalIt is worth noting that HRT, which uses the same hormones, can have the same effect, but are only given to women who haven’t had a hysterectomy. This type of hair thinning can be partially reversed with the correct treatment, and taking the right type of contraceptive pill is very important to the prognosis. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Scalp Health(03 of12)
Open Image ModalEnsure that the scalp is healthy. Recent research indicates that dandruff or flaky scalps increases rate of hair shedding. To counteract an unhealthy scalp use a scalp mask such as Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask (£5.25 (30ml) philipkingsley.com) once a week. Also, use a shampoo for flaky/itchy scalps every day for a week to clear the scalp, then occasionally for adequate control. (credit:Philip Kingsley)
Stress(04 of12)
Open Image ModalExtreme stress can cause hair loss in the form of alopecia areata. It is important to identify what it is that is causing the stress, perhaps it is a difficult relationship, money worries, or a miserable job. Once the cause is identified, it makes it much easier to treat the stress, I also highly recommend yoga. It is brilliant for lowering stress levels. Any hobby that you find interesting or that takes your mind of things that make you stressed are beneficial, walking, reading, going to the cinema are all very good stress relievers. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Exercise(05 of12)
Open Image ModalExercising regularly would tend to have a positive effect on hair: The fitter you are, the more hair should benefit. As far as sweating and more frequent shampooing is concerned, it is good, not bad, to shampoo hair frequently. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Iron Storage(06 of12)
Open Image ModalOne of the most important factors in preventing hair loss is adequate iron storage, which is called Ferritin. This helps to maximise hair growth, low levels will cause hair shedding. It may also be necessary to buy a vitamin B12 supplement and/or iron, but iron should be taken only if necessary after a blood test. It is surprising how many young women have low iron levels. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Hair Styles(07 of12)
Open Image ModalTight hair styles, ponytails, hard brushing, hair extensions can all lead to traction hair loss – that is hair loss due to constant pulling on the hair follicles. (credit:Philip Kingsley)
Dieting(08 of12)
Open Image ModalExcessive weight-loss can cause hair to thin. If a slim person loses 2 kg for example, they may find that their hair begins to thin. Your hair is not a vital tissue, like bone marrow, nor is it a vital organ, like your heart, liver or kidneys. What little nutrition you are getting through a restrictive diet will go to those parts of you first. Even though your hair is very important to you psychologically, your body is much more concerned with keeping its internal organs healthy. If your body is feeling deprived and hungry on a crash diet or restrictive diet, you can only imagine how your hair follicles are feeling! This starvation of the follicles causes your hair go into the telogen (resting/falling) phase prematurely, and many hairs at the same time. You can experience mass hair loss depending on how bad your diet was and for how long the diet went on for. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Contraceptive Pills(09 of12)
Open Image ModalIt is not just stress that can have a detrimental effect on our hair, we now know The Pill can thin hair too. Several widely prescribed contraceptive pills, for example Logynon, Microgynon, Ovranette and Loestrin, all contain the highest levels of two particular male hormone derivatives, or progestins, that are linked with hair thinning – caused by the hair follicles getting smaller (and each hair growing thinner) rather than hair actually falling out. This thinning only affects women sensitive to hormonal change, but that accounts for 40% of women. The Pill is made up of both female and male hormones, ‘but look out for those containing levonorgestel and norethisterone, the two male hormone progestins that are the main culprits, they’re the most prescribed, though that’s more down to ignorance on the GP’s part. If you feel that your hair is thinning, your GP should be happy to change your prescription; ask for a Pill that has a low or no ‘androgenic’ action, like drospirenone found in Yasmin, norgestimate found in Cilest and desogestral found in Marvelon. Dianette, which works as an oral contraceptive, contains cyproterone acetate, and this can be helpful in treating thinning hair, along with acne and facial hair growth. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Supplements(10 of12)
Open Image ModalSupplements can help, too. Try PK4Hair, a protein supplement and also a multi vitamin and mineral supplement. (credit:Philip Kingsley)
Snacking(11 of12)
Open Image ModalIt is important not to leave it too long between meals. By eating every 3-4 hours can help prevent hair loss. The energy to form hair cells diminishes four hours after eating a meal, so snacking between meals will help boost energy levels. The best energy boosting snacks are complex carbohydrates such as fruit. (credit:Glenn Lyons)
Protein(12 of12)
Open Image ModalHair is made of 85% protein and is the second most prolific growing cell in the body; therefore, its demand for energy is high. It is important to eat proteins for hair strength as part of a moderately balanced diet. (credit:Glenn Lyons)