Propecia

Tell me more about Propecia

There are many products on the market designed to alleviate or slow male-pattern baldness. Propecia is one of the most successful brands available and is the foremost product containing the drug Finasteride.

Propecia is usually taken in tablet form and works to prevent the conversion of testosterone to DHT. By helping the body to keep DHT at a low level, Propecia stops the DHT from attacking the hair follicles and causing them to fall out. Therefore, it helps to prevent further baldness and, in some cases, even allows existing follicles to thicken.

Obviously, one of the key factors with a product like Propecia is that its primary purpose is to help you retain and strengthen your existing hair. Therefore, it is recommended that you begin taking the product as soon as you notice any signs of male-pattern baldness.

Is Propecia a proven treatment?

Propecia is proven in clinical trials to be a safe and effective product for treating male-pattern baldness. Clinical trials saw 90% of participants experiencing visible improvement to their condition. Of those 90%, nearly half experienced regrowth or hair and over 40% experienced no additional hair loss.

A very small number of participants experienced some slight side effects, which included reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction and a reduction in semen production. These side effects disappeared once the participants stopped taking Propecia.

Tell me more about Finasteride

Finasteride is one of only two drugs that have gained FDA approval as treatments for male-pattern baldness. It is an anti-androgen which blocks 5-alpha reductase. This is the chemical in the body that facilitates the conversion of testosterone into DHT.

Originally, Finasteride was produced for use against prostate cancer and its power to combat male-pattern baldness was only noticed as a side-effect. It was approved as a hair loss treatment initially under the brand name Proscar and then later as Propecia. Propecia contains around 1mg of Finasteride and is produced by the drug company Merck & Co. You can read more about Finasteride elsewhere on this site.

Where can I get Propecia?

Propecia is only available via private prescription. It is not available via the NHS or over the counter. You can normally expect to pay between £50 and £75 for a monthly supply of Propecia.

Are the any alternatives available?

A number of companies manufacture and market products that contain finasteride after the Merck & Co patent expired in 2006.

These include:
Ajanta Pharma who markets a product called Appecia
Aleppo Pharmaceutical  who market a product called Prosteride
Cipla who market products called Fincar and Finpecia
Dr. Reddy's who market products called Finax and Finast
Intas Pharmaceuticals who market a product called Finalo
Ranbaxy who market a product called Finara

Some of these other products may offer significant cost savings over a product such as Propecia. However, it is worth remembering that Propecia is the longest established and has the most clinical research to support its claims to success. Sometimes, the extra cost simply means you get a better quality product.