Propecia Factfinder

Presenting all you need to know about Propecia as a hair loss treatment.

Finasteride was first marketed to treat the prostate under the brand name Proscar in 5 mg pills. The drug was shown to inhibit the formation of DHT, one of the major contributors to the development of both prostate cancer and androgenetic hair loss.

The manufacturers, Merck Pharmaceuticals, conducted clinical trials on 1500 men aged between 18 and 41 who exhibited mild to moderate thinning of hair. The aim of this research was to establish the smallest effective dose of finasteride needed to reduce hair loss with minimal side effects. Based on this research it was shown that a 1mg daily dose of the drug was sufficient to control hair loss for 83% of the men after two years of treatment.

In 1998 the 1mg version of finasteride was marketed under the brand name Propecia, thus becoming the first drug approved by the FDA specifically to treat hair loss. It should be noted that this approval extends only to men's hair loss due to the dangers it presents to women who are pregnant or who become pregnant while on the drug.

The main purpose of Propecia is to stop hair loss from progressing and maintain what hair is left. It is therefore popular amongst younger men wishing to control premature hair loss at an early stage. It is also frequently used by men of all ages in combination with minoxidil to achieve a comprehensive treatment regime that stops further hair loss and encourages new growth.

In order to understand how Propecia interferes with the process of androgenetic hair loss, we need to remind ourselves of what that process involves.

All normal men and women produce what are known as male hormones, the most common ones being testosterone, androsteinedione and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). These hormones have a useful role to play in both sexes but occur in different concentrations. The fact that androgens occur in much higher concentrations in men explains why this form of hair loss is much more common in men than in women.

The effect of these hormones on hair follicles is as follows:

1) High levels of an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase occur in certain cells of the hair follicle and sebaceous glands.

2) 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone into DHT.

3) DHT causes a process of miniaturization of the robust terminal hairs.

4) This leaves fine, short, less pigmented vellus hairs that provide inadequate scalp coverage.

5) The growth phase becomes progressively shorter until these hairs are lost for good.

Propecia works to inhibit the formation of DHT in the system. After several months of usage DHT levels remain sufficiently low to minimize the adverse effects of DHT on the hair follicle. This results in a cessation of hair loss.

As with any drug, finasteride can cause side effects to a minority of users. The FDA trials reported a 2% level of varying side effects, the most common one being a slight loss of interest in sex. In practice many users find that this side effect lessens as the body adjusts to the drug over a period of months. You can find out more about the safety of this drug by visiting the Propecia.com website.

Propecia is a highly effective treatment for hair loss but many potential beneficiaries are put off by the comparatively high monthly costs. So, are there readily available alternatives that lessen the financial burden attached to undertaking this treatment?

The first thing to note is that many online pharmacies take advantage of customers by charging unacceptable amounts for Propecia. Whatever their reasons, many people are prepared to pay unreasonable fees to get the hold of Propecia.

Don't fall into that trap! Shop around for a reliable, honest supplier and you can make big savings in return for a little effort. Many pharmacies offer genuine, US manufactured brand name Propecia, but usually at a high price.

The second option is to buy a generic form of finasteride that pretty much does the same job as the original, only for a lot less money. Many sellers try to justify their crazy prices by inferring that brand name Propecia is infinitely superior to the generic form sold elsewhere, but feedback from users of the latter tends not to wholly support this view.

At the end of the day it's up to each individual to make up their own mind, based on their knowledge and individual preference. To help you decide, check out this guidance from the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation

The third option is to use Proscar instead. As mentioned earlier, Propecia is simply a 1mg version of Proscar, the 5mg pill used to treat prostate conditions - both contain finasteride.

Proscar costs about the same as Propecia but you can maximize your value for money by cutting the pill into five and taking one fifth each day. Some people simply cut the pill into four due to the difficulty in achieving five equal parts but BE WARNED, you are effectively increasing the dosage by 25% thus enhancing the likelihood of side effects.

Using Proscar sensibly certainly offers a low cost way to obtain effective dosages of finasteride but please follow the recommendation that applies to all prescription drugs, CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN FIRST.

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