Propecia contains a medicine called finasteride. This belongs to a group of medicinescalled Type II ‘5-alpha reductase inhibitors’.
Propecia is used for the treatment of male pattern hair loss (also known as androgeneticalopecia). Propecia increases hair growth on the scalp and prevents further hair loss inmen. Men with mild to moderate, but not complete hair loss, can benefit from usingPropecia.
How does the hair on your head grow?On average your hair grows about 1 centimetre (half an inch) each month. Hair growsfrom hair follicles, which are located under your skin.
A single scalp hair grows continuously for 2-4 years (growth phase) and then stopsgrowing for 2-4 months (rest phase). After this the hair falls out. In its place a newhealthy hair begins to grow, and the cycle is repeated. The hairs on your scalp arealways in different stages of this cycle so it is normal to lose scalp hair every day.
What is male pattern hair loss?
Male pattern hair loss is a common condition in which men experience thinning of thehair on the scalp, often resulting in a receding hairline and/or balding on the top of thehead. This condition is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic factors and aparticular hormone, DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
DHT causes a decrease in the growth phase and thinning of the hair (see picture). Thisleads to male pattern hair loss. These changes can start to occur in some men in their20s and become more common with age. Once hair loss has occurred over a longperiod of time, the hair may be permanently lost.
Images are for illustration purposes only and may be substituted by an equivalent alternative.
Hair grows continuously for 2-4 years (growth phase) and then stopsgrowing2-4 months (rest phase)Hair stopsgrowing after 2 months (growth phase) and then stopsgrowing again
Hair grows continuously for 2 months (rest phase) and then stopsgrowingThere is no permanent solution to male pattern hair loss. However, temporary hair loss may be achieved with androgen-based treatment.
The most common treatment for male pattern hair loss isPropecia. Other hair-loss treatments includeMinoxidil (as retinoic acid) and Dutasteride (asdutasteride).
Minoxidil is an oral medication used to improve blood flow to the scalp (booster for hair-loss). It is prescribed for men who are unable to take finasteride, and for men with diabetes who cannot take oral finasteride.
Dutasteride is used for men with severe hereditary hair loss (heredity), and also for men with hereditary angulation, and for men with alopecia areata (hardening of the hair on the scalp).
When used it can help improve hair growth on the scalp. It also works better than Minoxidil. This may be because both of these medications contain a different combination of ingredients that may be causing hair loss, or because both ingredients may block DHT.
This medication is not recommended for use in women. It is also not recommended for use in children.
Hair grows continuously with and without finasterideHow much time is it?Propecia is usually taken once a day. The course of treatment usually takes between 6 and 12 weeks. In which words may be taken into account the time it takes to see results.
The treatment will depend on the individual and the severity of the hair loss.
There are, of course, individual patient factors such as the:
Individuals with type 2 (affective) or type 3 (hair-loss) hair loss will be treated with a combination of the two medications.
Some men with type 3 (hair-loss) hair loss have more than 1 hair loss per week. Others will experience 2-3 weeks of continuing type 3 hair loss.
The course of treatment is usually lasting between 6 and 12 weeks. In which words is best taken into consideration the individual’s hair loss.
The hair growth phase is continuous. The hair follicles are located in the scalp and surrounds your scalp. Inside the follicles are cells called mini- hairs. mini hairs produce hairs that are finer and shorter (see picture). Your mini hairs gradually grow until you have an androgenetic hair (see picture).
Last updated 18 January 2022
The UK patent forPropecia, a hair loss treatment for men, expired on the 11th Oct 2014. A few days later ‘generic Propecia’ or more accurately ‘generic finasteride’ became available from UK pharmacies. A generic medicine is a medicine which is the same as a branded original, but is prescribed and supplied by its medical name, rather than its brand name.
Propecia is a brand name. The active ingredient of Propecia tablets isfinasteride 1mg. Propecia tablets and finasteride 1mg tablets are medically the same.
Dr Fox supplies both from the drug companyMerck(MSD), which held the original patent, and lower cost, which other drug companies have made available since Merck’s UK patent expired.
When a medicine comes off patent price can fall dramatically. Men, who previously paid very high prices for Propecia, may be able to buy medically identical finasteride 1mg at lower prices.
When a medicine is under patent it can only be sold legally by the patent holder. This means the patent holder, which is normally the drug company which paid to develop the medicine in the first place, is free to market the medicine without competition from other pharmaceutical companies. The result is usually very high prices. When a patent expires other drug companies usually start to produce the same medicine, known as a generic copy, and start to compete on price. As a result the cost to patients tends to fall.
The cost to patients of a medicine depends on various factors; how much it costs to produce, how much demand there is, how many drug companies supply the same medicine, and how flexible the market is. Even when the wholesale supply price of a medicine falls, the price patients pay does not always fall by the same amount. Retail pharmacies may try not to pass on reduced supply costs to patients, and instead use falling wholesale prices to boost profits. If there is price competition between retailers, as there tends to be between online pharmacies and online clinics, price to patients usually fall in line with falls in wholesale supply costs, but not always.
Dr Fox is one of the lowest cost suppliers of most medicines for both branded and generic medicines.
At the moment (10 Dec 2014) only three pharmaceutical companies, apart from Merck, are supplying finasteride 1mg tablets. These companies areTrent,Actavis, andMylanAt the time of writing, all are offering their generic equivalent of Propecia at the same price; about 10% less than branded Propecia. Prices will hopefully tumble further in the days and weeks to come (as happened when last year).UPDATE JANUARY 2022Generic finasteride is now less than 30% of the price of Propecia from Dr Fox.
The original patent holder, Merck (MSD) may reduce the price of Propecia, or start to market its own generic finasteride 1mg alongside branded Propecia.
Not all men who previously took Propecia will switch to generic finasteride 1mg, even if the price of Propecia remains high and generic finasteride is a lot cheaper. If a patient is happy with a particular brand of tablet, they often will not switch to a lower cost equivalent, even if they are reliably advised that one tablet is medically the same as the other. Whether or not they switch depends on how much they wish to economise, and all the other factors which keep people buying certain products at high prices when they do not have to.
Finasteride 1mg tablets are taken daily to reduce hair loss in men, and can promote hair regrowth. See Dr Fox for details.
Cheap Propecia may be on its way which would be welcome news to the many men suffering distress as a result of male pattern hair loss.
A prescription forA man takes a Propecia tablet daily to help promote hair regrowth.Propecia is a prescription drug. The information in this leaflet islegislativeand contains the information in aninformation leaflet).
The popular over-the-counter medicationPropecia(finasteride) can help improve male pattern baldness and slow hair loss.
A small amount of time may be needed forto take effect, and it is designed to be takenwithin 30 minutes of ingestion.
has been studied in over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications for male pattern baldness.
What is finasteride?
It is a type of medicine called a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. This medicine prevents a male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from testosterone from being converted into DHT. DHT is a form of testosterone that is converted into DHT by the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. This conversion stops the medication from working to stop hair loss. It may also help stop new hair from falling out.
Finasteride has been shown to be effective in some men with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss). Men with hair loss on the top of the head may also benefit from.
Finasteride has been studied in some men with androgenetic alopecia and has been shown to be effective in some of those with male pattern hair loss.
What is Propecia?
Propecia is an oral medication used to treat male pattern baldness. It works by reducing the amount of DHT in the body, which can help prevent hair loss and slow down the growth of new hair. The medication may be taken with or without food, but it is recommended to take it regularly and to allow at least 30 minutes before sexual activity.
For more information about finasteride and Propecia, including how to use them safely, visit.
How does finasteride work?
Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that prevents testosterone from being converted into DHT by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. By inhibiting the enzyme, finasteride reduces the amount of DHT that is produced by the body, which stops the body from producing more DHT.
How do I take finasteride?
Finasteride is taken orally as a tablet or capsule. It is usually taken once a day. The dosage is determined by your doctor based on your medical condition, age, and response to treatment.
You should take the medication as your doctor has told you. It can take up to 30 minutes for the medicine to take effect. Finasteride may take longer to show results if you take it with a heavy meal. Talk to your doctor about the best way to take finasteride if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Finasteride is not recommended for use in children.
What are the potential side effects of finasteride?
Like all medicines, finasteride can cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them. Common side effects include:
If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking finasteride and contact your doctor immediately.
Does finasteride interact with other medications?
Finasteride can interact with other medicines, foods, and other drugs. Some medications that can affect finasteride include:
How should I use finasteride?
You should take finasteride tablets once a day, with or without food, for 5 days. Finasteride tablets are usually taken once a day. The tablets are then taken daily.
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Thai men who had been taking finasteride for years have now been cleared of a dangerous side effect caused by the drug, a new study suggests.
Thai's government says more than 100,000 men are on the drug and that about half of those men will be given finasteride to treat enlarged prostates, or enlarged prostates in the hands or feet. Doctors say finasteride is a potential new treatment for those who are suffering from enlarged prostates.
"The problem is that a lot of men don't like this pill," said Dr. Nenad A. Mohammadi, a urologist at The University of Hong Kong. "We hope that the new study will help prevent these men from getting the side effects that they've been suffering from."
Propecia is a prescription-only medicine for men who have enlarged prostates. The drug is approved for use in adults who have one or more enlarged prostates, or the "prostatic."
BANGKOK - Thailand's government says more than 100,000 men are on the drug and that half of those men will be given finasteride to treat enlarged prostates, or enlarged prostates in the hands or feet.
Doctors say finasteride is a potential new treatment for those who are suffering from enlarged prostates, or the "prostatic."
BANGKOK - Thai men who have been taking finasteride for years are now cleared of a dangerous side effect that has been linked to the drug.
BANGKOK - Thai men who have been taking finasteride for years have now been cleared of a dangerous side effect caused by the drug.
BANGKOK - Thai men who have been taking finasteride for years are now cleared of a dangerous side effect caused by the drug.
Stade de France Pharmacy