Propecia 1mg Tablets

Propecia is a branded medicine that contains the active ingredient Finasteride. These tablets are available in 1mg and 5mg strengths. The stronger 5mg tablets are used for a different condition known as BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or an enlarged prostate.

Propecia treats male androgenic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness or male hair loss.

Several factors control hair loss in men, including genetic factors and a hormone called DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). Increased levels of DHT can cause the shrinking of hair follicles in the scalp, eventually leading to hair loss.

Propecia lowers the levels of DHT in the body and, thus reducing hair loss and helping to reverse the hair loss process. It helps to produce thick hair and not fluffy, thin hair.

It is important to tell your doctor you are taking Propecia tablets if you are going for a prostate test. Propecia can lower PSA levels, the unit of measurement for prostate tests, and give a false reading.

Take one tablet daily, at the same time each day. Swallow the tablets whole. It can be taken with food or on an empty stomach.

The tablet formulation is easy, quick and convenient to take. Unlike shampoos or applications to the scalp, which can be messy or time-consuming. Propecia can also be taken after a hair transplant to aid established hair growth further.

It is best to start as soon as possible when you notice hair loss; results are seen sooner if treatment is started within the first year of noticeable hair loss.

Only take one tablet a day. Propecia does not work faster if you take more than the recommended dose.

This varies from one man to another. The reduction in DHT levels happens very quickly, but the hair regeneration and reduction in hair loss can take months before you see a noticeable difference. It is important to start as soon as possible and continue treatment every day for at least 6-9 months before assessing to continue further.

We recommend you take photos of the area to compare in the following months to ensure you can accurately decide if the medication has the desired effect.

It is also not uncommon to shed hair in the initial stages; this is normal and to be expected. As the finer hair is shed, thicker hair replaces it.

You need to take the tablets continuously to see an effect. This usually happens within 3-6 months of taking Propecia tablets. Discontinuation of the treatment would mean the DHT levels would rise to their previous levels, and you would lose the hair you gained over the next 9 to 12 months.

As with all medication, there is a chance of side effects, however, there is no guarantee you will experience any of the following (they usually only affect around 1 in 100 men):

• Some men may find they have difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection.
• A decrease in sexual desire
• A decrease in seminal fluid; however, this does not affect sexual function.

For a full list of side effects, view our Finasteride Side Effects blog.

When a medicine is produced, the manufacturers are granted a licence so only they can produce it for a set number of years. This is usually to recoup research and development costs, as some medications may take years and hundreds of thousands of pounds to produce.

When the licence expires, other manufacturers can produce it too, and the price falls as the supply increases. They are often called generic or unbranded medicines.

The active ingredients in these and the branded versions are the same, and they undergo the same testing and quality control as branded medicines, and there is little to separate them other than the price.

When the patent on the branded Propecia tablets expired, other drug companies were free to make their own unbranded Finasteride 1mg tablets.

The levels and effects of Propecia are increased with Diltiazem, Fluconazole and Itraconazole.

There is a small chance that other medications may also interact, and we advise you to tell us all your medication history so we may accurately advise you on the best course of treatment.

You should not take Propecia to treat male hair loss if you already take Finasteride or Dutasteride for your prostate.

If your medication changes or you want to take over-the-counter remedies, please check with your doctor or pharmacist first.

Alcohol has no effect on Propecia.

No, Propecia doesn’t make you drowsy and it will not affect your ability to drive.

You can combine Propecia tablets with Regaine (minoxidil) hair treatments to boost your hair loss. They work in different ways and can be used together successfully. Regaine does not affect DHT, but it is thought that it widens blood vessels, allowing more oxygen, blood and nutrients to the follicle. The best results are seen in younger men with hair loss in the centre of the head with hair loss of less than 5 years.

Propecia is for hair loss in men only.

Women of childbearing age or who are already pregnant should not come in contact with broken or crushed tablets, and contact is best avoided completely. If contact or ingestion occurs, speak to a doctor without delay. The active ingredient in Propecia can interfere with the normal development of a baby's sexual organs. You should use a condom or another form of contraception while taking this medication, as it may have an adverse effect on the unborn child.

If you want to donate blood, then you need to ensure you have waited at least 1 month after you have stopped the treatment.

Conclusive long-term studies into men taking Propecia over a long period of time have not been conducted. Some men who have had low fertility risk factors and have been taking Propecia for a long time have reported infertility. However, men have been taking Propecia for a long time without affecting their ability to have children.

One of the potential side effects that may affect 1 in 100 men is a lowering of the volume of seminal fluid ejaculated during sexual intercourse. The seminal quality and volume increase when the medication is discontinued.

No, the effects of Propecia are limited to the head only. It does not cause hair growth on other parts of the body.

Almost every type of hair loss treatment out there can cause some initial shedding – and Propecia is no exception. This initial shedding phase is very normal in the first few months of taking Propecia tablets. It doesn't mean your body isn't responding to treatment or that it's making the hair loss worse – this phase simply makes way for new hair to be produced by the follicles. Usually, the shedding phase clears up within a few months, and you will start seeing results.

Propecia sometimes receives negative reviews due to its side effects, including dizziness, nausea, headaches and insomnia. Of course, side effects can differ from person to person. It takes some time to work before seeing significant improvement, so if you start experiencing serious side effects, you may want to weigh whether the results are worth it. Others experience no side effects whatsoever and achieve much thicker, fuller hair after taking Propecia.

Proscar and Propecia contain the same drug at different strengths, which can sometimes cause confusion about the best pill for hair loss. Both contain the same active ingredient (Finasteride) and are made by the same company. But while Propecia is designed primarily to treat hair loss, Proscar contains a higher dose of the active ingredient and is usually given to men with enlarged prostates. However, there's no evidence to suggest that a higher dose is more effective at preventing hair loss. Therefore, Propecia is likely to be just as effective as Proscar for hair loss, and the lower dose means it has fewer side effects.

Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor – not an anabolic steroid. It is sometimes taken by anabolic steroid users to combat some of their unpleasant side effects.

Propecia is proven to be effective at regrowing lost hair over time, but localising its growth to the crown and hairline area is not always possible. Because it also thickens the existing hairs, you may find the appearance of your hairline improves, but it is not guaranteed.

Propecia costs about £51.99 a month, but you can save by buying multiple months of treatment at once.

It can be up to 70% cheaper to buy generic Propecia tablets. You can buy generic Finasteride 1mg tablets for less than £15 per month.

Finasteride is the active ingredient Propecia is the name of the drug brand. You can also buy generic Propecia which is sold as Finasteride tablets and shares the same active ingredient: finasteride.

It's available on prescription from your doctor or regulated UK online pharmacies, but there are some over-the-counter hair loss remedies like Regaine you may also want to explore.

Propecia is one of the most effective hair loss treatments out there and one of the only ones with a clinical track record to prove that it works.

Propecia can treat overall hair thinning and hair loss, including addressing specific areas such as a receding hairline or thinning crown.