A student took his own life after the rare side effects of a common hair loss supplement made him suicidal, an inquest heard. 

Oliver Fawkes was found dead aged 21 by a neighbour in a woodland near his family home in West Bilney, Norfolk, on November 25, 2025.

An inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court this week ruled Mr Fawkes's death a suicide by hanging after he suffered the side effects of prescribed medication. 

Mr Fawkes had been suffering from seborrhoeic dermatitis in the years prior to his death - a condition which causes dry skin and eventually hair loss - and used supplements to help. 

After being left 'dissatisfied' with the results of topical medication prescribed by GPs, he sought alternatives and turned to a website called Manual, a digital healthcare provider operated by parent company Menwell.

It was on there, after completing screenings, that Mr Fawkes ordered his first set of oral minoxidil pills in July 2024 and, by October, he started taking finasteride.

While considered rare, the side effects of the drug include suicidal ideations and depression. Menwell urges patients to stop taking the medication if they experience such symptoms. 

Mr Fawkes however continued to take the supplement - and ordered his final six-month supply on October 6, 2025, less than two months before he died. 

His mother described him as a 'unique person' who achieved good grades in science throughout school and college. 

He started an integrated master's degree in computer science at the University of East Anglia and had been set to undertake a PhD this year. 

His heartbroken mother told the inquest: 'It was obvious to all that Ollie enjoyed and excelled at his studies, and we looked forward to supporting him on his journey in any way we could.

'It is with great sadness that we will collect on his behalf a first-class degree in summer 2026.'

Mr Fawkes' mother had been away visiting her daughter at the University of York the day before he died, and her husband was away with work, leaving the 21-year-old and his brother at home. 

She described their communication as normal, with them texting back and forth.  

Mr Fawkes told his brother at around 3pm that he was heading out for a walk to watch the sunset. That would, however, be the last time he saw him.  

Both his brother and mother became increasingly worried as it was unlike him to be out in the dark. The evening was spent searching the area and asking neighbours if they had seen him, but he was nowhere to be found.

His mother, who was still in Yorkshire, was unable to drive home due to thick fog, which made it unsafe to make the journey back to Norfolk.

'I was feeling sick and unwell by now,' she said.

The next morning, a neighbour went for a dog walk to see if she could find him - and later called Mr Fawkes' brother at 7.30am in tears to say she had discovered his body in a nearby woodland.

Police and paramedics arrived at the scene at 8.15am, and he was pronounced dead.

During the inquest, the chief medical officer of Menwell said that Mr Fawkes did not report any side effects or list any mental health issues while taking the medication.

The news comes just a week after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned that finasteride has been linked to serious sexual and psychological side-effects. 

After reviewing extensive evidence for the popular hair-loss drug, the watchdog ruled that further measures need to be put in place to minimise the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours. 

In 2024, the MHRA ordered suppliers of the drug to include a patient alert card in packs of the drug to raise awareness of the risks, which remain in place. 

These cards highlight the potential risk of erectile dysfunction, depression and suicidal thoughts, and advise patients to stop taking the drug immediately if they develop symptoms. 

Following an additional review of the evidence the watchdog has now strengthened product information to provide clearer guidance on the risks. 

Finasteride has long been linked to mood disorders and sexual dysfunction, but now the MHRA has revised all available evidence to ensure patient safety.

The regulator said its Yellow Card scheme, designed to allow patients to report adverse effects of medicines, had received 170 suicidal ideation and related terms for finasteride. Of these, 19 were fatal.

Sadly, stopping the drugs does not necessarily dissipate its side-effects, with hair-loss patients urged to seriously consider whether taking the drug is really necessary. 

The agency has stated that there will be updates to product information and warnings.

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