Health & Lifestyle

Man breaks out in pustules in never-before-seen reaction to £5 erectile dysfunction drug sold on high street

  • The unidentified 40-year-old only sought help five days after suffering the rash
  • He initially denied taking any medication before admitting to using tadalafil

A Brazilian man suffered a never-before-seen reaction to an erection drug sold on Britain’s high streets. 

The 40-year-old developed pustules — small bumps on the skin containing fluid or pus — covering his chest, face and thighs after taking tadalafil, sold as Cialis in the UK. 

Doctors say medics should be aware of the ‘potential adverse reaction, considering the growing use of tadalafil’.

The unidentified man, who now lives in Portugal, denied taking any drugs when he originally visited his doctor complaining of the rash.

Five days later, when his condition worsened, he confessed to taking tadalafil.

The 40-year-old developed pustules — small bumps on the skin containing fluid or pus — covering his chest, face and thighs after taking tadalafil, sold as Cialis in the UK. Pictured, pustules on his thigh

The 40-year-old developed pustules — small bumps on the skin containing fluid or pus — covering his chest, face and thighs after taking tadalafil, sold as Cialis in the UK. Pictured, pustules on his thigh

Doctors say medics should be aware of the 'potential adverse reaction, considering the growing use of tadalafil'. The unidentified man, who now lives in Portugal, denied taking any drugs when he originally visited his doctor complaining of the rash. Pictured, pustules on his chest

Doctors say medics should be aware of the ‘potential adverse reaction, considering the growing use of tadalafil’. The unidentified man, who now lives in Portugal, denied taking any drugs when he originally visited his doctor complaining of the rash. Pictured, pustules on his chest 

Under UK regulations, Cialis can be sold over-the-counter but only in pharmacies for as little as £22, so that men are questioned about their health before they are sold the pills. This also means men cannot buy the drugs at corner shops, supermarkets or petrol stations — as is possible with aspirin and other drugs

Under UK regulations, Cialis can be sold over-the-counter but only in pharmacies for as little as £22, so that men are questioned about their health before they are sold the pills. This also means men cannot buy the drugs at corner shops, supermarkets or petrol stations — as is possible with aspirin and other drugs 

He told medics his symptoms began a few days after taking the drug to treat his ED.

The man stopped taking tadalafil and steroids eventually helped clear his skin. 

Manufacturers of the drug claim Cialis, sold for as little as £5 per pill, is superior to Viagra, made with sildenafil, because it works quicker, in just 30 minutes. 

Its effects can also last for up to 36 hours — six times longer than the little blue pill. 

Under UK regulations, Cialis can be sold over-the-counter but only in pharmacies, so men are questioned about their health before they are handed the pills. 

This means men cannot buy the drugs at corner shops, supermarkets or petrol stations — as is possible with aspirin and other drugs.

Sales are limited to a box of 10mg pills — known as the ‘standard dose’.

The team who treated the man at Hospital de Santa Maria in Lisbon did not disclose his dosage. 

After taking a skin biopsy — where a small sample of skin is removed to be examined under a microscope — doctors diagnosed him with acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). 

Typically, AGEP starts on the face or in the armpits and groin before spreading. 

Research suggests more than nine in 10 cases are provoked by medications, often antibiotics like penicillin. 

Writing in the journal Urology Case Reports, medics said it was vital health professionals recognised AGEP as a potential side effect of tadalafil, ‘especially given the escalating demand for erectile dysfunction medications’.  

Further research is also needed to understand why the drug triggers AGEP, they added.

Drugs like Viagra and Cialis are used to manage erectile dysfunction in at least two thirds of cases, according to the NHS.

Erectile dysfunction is more common in the over-40s but affects men of all ages. 

It impacts around 4.3million men in the UK and 30million in the US. 

But experts say up to 70 per cent men are too embarrassed to seek advice over the problem, stopping them from seeking help.

More seriously, many men turn to the internet to buy supplies of the drug, often buying illegal or counterfeit versions from overseas, putting them at risk of taking dangerous fakes.

What is erectile dysfunction? 

Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is when a man is unable to get or maintain an erection.

It is more common in the over-40s but affects men of all ages and often acts as a marker of a man’s overall health.

Failure to stay erect is usually due to tiredness, stress, anxiety or alcohol, and is not a cause for concern.

However, it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition, such as undiagnosed high cholesterol, blood pressure or even a warning sign of cardiovascular disease.

This is because blood vessels need to dilate for blood to flow to the penis and allow a man to get erect. 

But cardiovascular disease can narrow the arteries meaning less blood can flow through — making it difficult to get or maintain an erection.

It is most often spotted among older men due age-related changes the body undergoes, such as naturally declining testosterone levels, weakened pelvic muscles and a loss of the nerve function that helps the brain communicate with other systems in the body that leads to an erection. 

In younger men, the source of the problem is often psychological. 

Performance anxiety and high levels of stress can affect the delicate balance of hormones in the body and functioning of the nervous system.


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