What is Propecia?

Propecia is the brand name of the drug finasteride, also sold as
proscar. It’s the first pill approved by the FDA to treat male pattern
baldness or hair loss on the top of the head and mid-scalp areas.
Finasteride is pronounced: fin AS ter ide.

Propecia
was originally developed to treat an enlarged prostate condition called
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The FDA approved it in December 22,
1997. It’s manufactured by Merck and Company, Inc.

How does Propecia work?

Male pattern baldness is
medically called androgenetic alopecia. It accounts for 95% of all hair
loss. In women, it appears as a diffuse thinning over most of the
scalp. In men, it starts with a receding hairline that gradually
develops over the top of the head. This hair loss is called
androgenetic alopecia because the male hormones (androgens) and
hereditary factors (genetic) that determine the loss of hair.

Specifically, the enzyme 5 alpha reductase converts the male
hormone testosterone into a male hormone called Dihydrotestosterone
(DHT). The DHT is believed to cause hair loss in those who are
genetically disposed. DHT shrinks the hair follicle until it no longer
grows visible hair.

Propecia works by blocking the enzyme 5 alpha reductase that
lowers the levels of DHT in the body. This normalizes hair growth and
reverses hair loss. The advantage of Propecia is that it selectively
targets the appropriate hormone without causing undesirable changes in
other hormones.

What side effects do users of Propecia report?

98% of
men taking Propecia had no side effects. Clinical tests show PROPECIA
is very well tolerated. A small number of men (1.8%) experience some
sexual side effects. 1.3% reported erectile dysfunction.

Although not listed as a “known” side effect, some users have
reported small blackheads on forehead and increased skin oil across
face. Two report suffering from acne 6 months after stopping their
Propecia intake. One reported that acne was still present after 3
years. This is probably not a big problem but still a potential risk.

Tell your doctor if you experience
Decreased libido (1.8%)
Decreased volume of ejaculate (0.8%)
Impotence (less than one percent)
Breast tenderness or enlargement (less than one percent)

Caution: May cause birth defects in male baby’s sex organs if taken by women.

In all cases of men who reported side effects, stopping the
medication resolves the problem. In those who stopped taking it, the
benefits gradually declined and hair loss resumed.

What are the symptoms of overdose or something gone wrong?

No reports of overdose were found, but if you experience any of the following, you may be having an allergic reaction and should seek immediate medical attention.

Difficulty breathing
Closing of your throat
Swelling of your lips, tongue, or face
Hives

Storing Propecia

Store Propecia in a tightly closed
container at room temperature ( 59 - 86 degrees F or 15 - 30 degrees C
) away from heat, moisture and children.

Conditions to tell your Doctor about before taking Propecia:

If you’re going to get a blood test for PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen), the Propecia will alter the results.

Liver disease - you may need a lower dose or special monitoring during therapy.

Tell Your Doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

Although
no known conflicts have been reported, you should still tell your
doctor about any prescription drugs you are taking in case something
new is discovered.

General Notes on Propecia

If you miss a day, do NOT take an extra tablet. Taking more than one a day is

NOT recommended.

You may use it for 3 months or more before you notice an
increase in hair growth and/or prevention of hair loss. If you haven’t
seen results within 12 months, you probably won’t.

You have to use it continuously for maximum benefit. If you
stop taking it, you will likely lose the hair you have gained within 12
months.

Take each dose with a full glass of water (8 ounces).

Propecia has been studied in men with mild to moderate hair loss, aged 18 to 41.

Not to be used or given to anyone under the age of 18.

Not to be used by women - causes birth defects.

Women should not handle crushed or broken Propecia tablets.
It can be absorbed through the skin. Whole tablets are coated to
prevent this.

Propecia can be taken with or without food.

According to Merck Pharmaceuticals, Propecia stops the
progression of hair loss in the majority of patients (83%), and results
in hair regrowth in over 65%.

Tests were performed for semen levels in 35 men taking
PROPECIA® daily for 6 months. PROPECIA® levels were undetectable in 60%
of the samples. The highest level measured was 1.52 ng/mL and the mean
was 0.26 ng/mL. Using the highest semen level measured, a woman’s
exposure through vaginal absorption would be 750 times lower than the
exposure from the no-effect dose in Rhesus monkeys tests.

PROPECIA® helps grow natural hair not just “peach fuzz” and it’s as convenient as taking a vitamin: one pill a day.

Some studies shown Propecia to be about 80% effective in
preventing future hair loss and about 40% - 50% effective in restoring
hair growth.

Common Misspellings for Propecia

Propecia is often
misspelled, as many people hear the word verbally, write it down and
spell it incorrectly. Here are a few of the most common misspellings
for Propecia: Propesha, Propesa, Propicia, and Propeaca.

Propecia Feedback

If you’ve used Propecia, please help
others by adding your feedback. What would you tell someone considering
using this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice.
That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your
medical history. You can use the form below to add your comments,
feedback or Propecia review.

Subj: Propecia

Is there a side effect noted in Propecia of mood swings,
irritability, loss of anger control? My husband is taking Propecia and
shortly after he started he started exhibiting these “symptoms”. He is
now going to a psychiatrist for this. However, I work for a
dermatologist and have noted two patients who have complained of the
same “side effects”, i.e. irritability, short tempers, moos swings.
None of these have been clinically attributed to Propecia, but I feel
there might be a link.

Valerie

Subj: propecia side affects
Date: 1/17/2003
My
name is Lynda and I have a lot to say about Propecia. My husband was
taking Propecia for 3 years. It did fill in the crown area of his head
and didn’t seem to make him sick in any way. All seemed good. The
problem started about 4 months ago when we wanted to conceive our
second child. We have a 2 year old and conceived on the first try. This
time I knew something was wrong when we wern’t getting pregnant. We
both got checked out and it was my husbands sperm count. It was lowered
to 1 million no motility at all. The doc says he is perfectly healthy,
all test came back normal. Whats differant Propecia for over 3 years.

When we had our daughter he had only been on the drug for a
couple of months. He is going for a 3 month sa in another month. We are
really worried, is this going to go back to normal? We have been in
touch with other people across the US that are going through the same
thing. I think more testing needs to be done on men taking this drug
for a long time and on men who are trying to become fathers. Do you
know anything that could help us? Have you heard about this before?
This is a very serious subject, people are spending so much money on
this drug and now are spending tons of money trying to become parents!

Lynda

Subj: Propecia alternative
Date: 2/16/2003
I
am not asking for medical advice, but I did have a question. I took
propecia for over a year, and at first I seemed to notice a stop in
hair loss, and the appearance of regrowth and was ecstatic. Then about
a year and 2 months or so after starting the treatment, I seemed to be
losing hair again.

My question is, is it possible to develop a tolerance to propecia,
or was it just in my head (over analysis etc)? Since I’ve stopped
taking it I’ve developed more rapid hair loss, but I don’t want to
spend a lot of money just to grow hair and then develop a tolerance
again.

Ian

AskDocWeb: Yes, it is possible to develop a tolerance.

Subj: Propecia feedback
Date: 4/6/2003
Propecia
was presribed to me prior to hair transplantation. I was quoted the
same comforting statistics shared by the manufacturer.

From the first week on the medication the sexual side effects
were, in a word, drastic. I literally felt as if I had lost all
sensation below my waist. This condition only improved after I refused
to take any more of the medication.

At first I believed my doctor when he suggested that I fell in
to that rare 1.8% that had a reaction - but I then found numerous
web-sites where other men had complained of the same side-effects I had
but never seemed to show up in any studies.

Speaking for myself, I would rather be as bald as Yul Brenner for life before I ever take this medication again.

Steve

AskDocWeb: You might want to try an inexpensive alternative to Propecia like finasteride

Subj: Shen Min
Date: 4/21/2003
What is you
opinion on Shen Min and it’s ability to stop hair loss. Are there any
studies on Shen Min and hair loss that the general public would have
access to? Thanks.

AskDocWeb: Part 1: We have not looked at this closely but my personal opinion is that taking vitamins will result in hair growth only when the hair loss was caused by a vitamin deficiency. At present, we don’t know what percentage of people are losing hair because of a vitamin deficiency.

Part 2: There was a study but it looks like it is no longer available to the public.

Subj: No problems (propecia)
Date: 5/5/2003
I’ve
been taking Propecia for about 2 years now. The hair has regrown on the
crown area and the hair loss/thinning has all but stopped but is still
thin. This is exactly what I expected.

I have not experienced a decrease in sex drive or any of the
potential side effects. The regrown hair has actually increased my
confidence and therefore increased my sex drive. I see a lot of
negative comments about Propecia but I feel that the issue there is
that people are apt to complain when something does not work but do not
bother to contribute when something is working great for them (I work
in customer support, so I know!). Propecia doesn’t work for everybody
and all the studies show this to be true; 80% stop hair loss and 40%
regrow hair. There’s really no way to tell unless you give it a shot.

Steve (another one)

Subj: Online Rx sites
Date: 6/18/2003
I have
heard that many of the sites that do not require a medical referral or
exam are actually just selling placebo, fake or otherwise “watered
down” versions of the drug. How do I know for sure that the Propecia I
buy on line is the real thing?

Kraig

AskDocWeb: Good question! You can start by making sure
you are dealing with a pharmacy in the United States. Then see if they
have a real address and phone number by doing .
You could also call directory assistance and ask for the phone listing
of their company name. If there is no listing, I wouldn’t do business
with them.

Subj: question about propecia
Date: 7/25/2003
Hello.
Since propecia is covered with just a thin film, does cutting the
finasteride into pieces interfere with the absorption of the drug, and
could the absorption be quicker and more efficient if the tab is placed
under the tongue. Thank you for you answer to this matter.

R

AskDocWeb: This sounds like you are trying to get
results in minutes rather than months. It just does not happen that
fast. You are just wasting your time.

Subj: sexual dysfunction after 7 months on propecia
Date: 7/30/2003
I
have recently began to experience some erectile dysfunction while
having sex. I’ll get an erection and then lose it. I have been taking
propecia for 7 months and recently began having sex with my girlfriend.
For several weeks my erections were fine, but I noticed not as hard as
they had been before taking the medicine. I also seem to have lost my
libido. Is this a common side effect after 7 months? I have been to my
family doctor and urologist and both assure me the problem is not
physical. They have suggested that I may be experiencing some
performance anxiety, but I have backed away form having sex with my
girlfriend and I do have firm erections when I kissing her and stuff,
but I still feel like something is not right. can anyone help?

Bryan

Subj: Propecia
Date: 9/10/2003
A few years ago
I had been using Rogaine and decided to try Propecia. I stopped using
Propecia after a couple of months because I noticed more hair loss in
that 2 month period than ever before. When I went back to Rogaine, it
seamed to help. I still use Rogaine, but in my opinion it only slows
hair loss and does not stop it, or re-grow hair.

Subj: Propecia
Date: 9/8/2003
Someone says taking Propecia can get cancer. Is this true?

Tim

AskDocWeb: We found nothing relating cancer with this product.