Sam Applegarth: Dubai PE teacher took own life after taking unlicensed hair loss drug dutasteride, inquest hears
A PE teacher who had no prior history of mental illness died by suicide weeks after taking an unlicensed hair loss drug he had purchased online, an inquest heard.
Sam Applegarth, 31, had recently begun using dutasteride, a drug not licensed for hair loss treatment in the UK, before taking his own life in Dubai, where he had moved to begin a new teaching job.
Although dutasteride shares similar side effects with finasteride, another hair loss drug, the former has not been officially linked to suicidal ideation due to underreporting, the inquest was told.
Dr Bessam Farjo, who treated Sam at his Manchester-based hair restoration clinic, told Wakefield Coroner’s Court: “Dutasteride is not licensed for hair loss in this country and it is not commonly prescribed. The reason the BNF (British National Formulary) suicide ideation is not mentioned for dutasteride is because it has not been reported, whereas it has been reported for finasteride.”
He added: “He was a young man with an exaggerated view about how big an issue his hair loss was. I had no concerns he was having any side effects from the drugs.”
Dr Farjo said he was unaware Sam had started taking dutasteride and described the drug as “more powerful” than finasteride.
Sam’s partner, Anya Guy, has now urged others taking dutasteride to speak up about any adverse mental health effects. “People feeling (impacted) by side effects with dutasteride should report them, especially if they are feeling suicidal. People need to be aware that they may be having suicidal ideation because of the drug,” she said.
Sam had struggled with self-esteem issues related to his hair loss since 2015. He had previously undergone a successful hair transplant and other treatments such as platelet-rich plasma therapy and scalp tattooing. According to Anya, his hair loss “was not as bad as he believed.”
Although he took minoxidil and finasteride in the past without problems, Sam turned to dutasteride shortly before his death. He had moved to Dubai in August 2024 to start a new job, with Anya planning to join him later. Just five weeks after his arrival, he was found dead in his apartment on 19 September by a colleague. No suicide note was left, and toxicology results found no alcohol or drugs in his system.
Coroner Oliver Longstaff recorded a verdict of suicide and acknowledged concerns raised over the lack of reporting on potential mental health effects of dutasteride.
What is dutasteride?
According to the NHS, dutasteride is a medication commonly prescribed by the NHS for the treatment of an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, it is not for hair loss, as it is not officially licensed or available on the NHS for this purpose although some doctors may prescribe dutasteride off-label for hair loss. Dutasteride can cause side effects like impotence and reduced libido, though these are usually reversible when the medication is stopped.
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