Propecia Tablets - Introduction

What is Propecia?

Propecia is a tablet taken daily to help promote hair re-growth and prevent hair loss in men with typical male pattern hair loss.

It is suitable for men only and should not be taken by women.

Each tablet contains 1mg of the active ingredient called finasteride. Finasteride is a drug that inhibits the action of a naturally occurring hormone. This hormone, know as DHT, is associated with male pattern hair loss.

Men who have male pattern hair loss can take Propecia to prevent the progression of the condition and reverse hair loss. See more information on male pattern hair loss.

How to take Propecia tablets

Propecia is a once daily tablet. Propecia is only effective if it is taken daily long-term (for at least 6 months). There is likely to be visible improvement after 3 months of treatment. When taken continuously Propecia is effective in combating hair loss over many years.

If a dose or two of Propecia is missed (if a person forgets to take their tablet occasionally) this will not alter significantly the effectiveness of the treatment. Missed doses should not be replaced by taking a double dose the next day, rather the once daily dose should be continued from the next day.

It does not matter what time of the day a person takes Propecia. It can be taken on a full or empty stomach. Propecia can be taken at the same time as other tablets.

Who benefits from Propecia?

Propecia is most effective in treating the typical male pattern hair loss. This is the type of hair loss seen most frequently. It tends to run in families where all or many of the men, generation after generation, have early hair loss.

Propecia is only effective in men and should not be used by women. Taking Propecia in pregnancy can damage the foetus.

The characteristic of this hair loss is that it starts and the front of the hairline in the region of the temporal regions (towards the sides at the front) and over the vertex (the top of the scalp). This hair loss is always symmetrical (same on both sides). It is painless, gradual and harmless.

Men with male pattern hair loss do not have any significant associated medical problems. The problem of male pattern hair loss, if there is one, is a problem of perception and self-image.

Who will NOT benefit from taking Propecia?

Some hair loss is due to illness and disease. Inflammation of the skin of the scalp from eczema, allergy, psoriasis or infection, particularly fungal infection, can rarely, when severe lead to hair loss. This hair loss is fairly unusual in western countries. Before the hair is lost there is usually redness and inflammation of the skin. This type of hair loss is usually patchy.

More generalised thinning of the hair can be the result of generalised serious illness, such as serious bowel disease, infections such as TB (which is fairly rare in the UK) and cancers and chemotherapy.