• Questions About Propecia/Proscar/Finasteride
THE HAIR LOSS DIRECTORY
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A:
Both medications contain finasteride and are made by the same company. They differ only in strength. Propecia has 1 mg of finasteride, while Proscar has 5 mg. Proscar has been around for awhile for the treatment of prostate enlargement, which, like pattern loss, has been linked to DHT. Because of the price disparity between the two medications, some people buy Proscar and divide the tablets into smaller dosages instead of buying Propecia.
A:
Some people section them with a pill splitter (available at any pharmacy), some crush and dissolve them in alcohol (such as Everclear, whiskey or others), and some crush and encapsulate them along with a filler such as corn starch to remove the air from the capsule.
A:
No. Subtle daily variations will not diminish finasteride's effectiveness. Some people even have good results by taking a larger dosage only once every few days.
A:
Proscar is a prescription medication in the US. Some doctors will write a prescription for Proscar for hair loss patients wishing to avoid the greater expense of Propecia; others won't. You can order Proscar from overseas from numerous sources without prescription. FDA regulations allow the importation of a 3-month supply of medication for personal use. The company selling the medication typically requires that you sign a form indicating that you are using the medication under the guidance of a physician.
A:
Early dose ranging studies showed that much smaller dosages, such as 0.5 mg and even less, inhibited DHT on average almost as well as much higher dosages, such as 5 mg. One 6-month study comparing a placebo group, which lost hair, to users taking differing dosages of finasteride found that 0.2 mg of finasteride increased hair counts about 81% as much as 1 mg when compared to the placebo. Similarly, 1 mg increased hair counts 82% as much as a full 5 mg compared to placebo. The tiny 0.2 mg dosage did about 66% as well at regrowth and retention as 5 mg. Accordingly, the 1 mg dosage was probably a compromise designed to be high enough to pick up those who may not respond as well to the lower dosages, but low enough to minimize side effects. Many of those who take less than 1 mg opt for either 0.5 mg or 0.625 mg (1/8th of a Proscar tablet). Some people also skip days periodically based on the fact that finasteride suppresses DHT for up to several days and also on the old pharmacological rationale that it may help preclude any possible tendencies toward tolerance, which sometimes happens with continuous long-term use of medications.
A:
No. Originally Merck decided to err on the side of caution and warned against the possible problem of finasteride transfer in semen. This warning has since been removed. At issue is the theoretical danger that there could be genital birth defects in the male fetus. However, women who are or could get pregnant should avoid finasteride ingestion and the handling of broken finasteride tablets.
A:
Finasteride is not a miracle treatment, but it works reasonably well for many people. Results tend to be slow, and it appears to be much better at retaining than regrowing hair. But as treatments go, it's fairly effective. Recent longer term results indicate that it continues to work well for responders (i.e., the majority of users) a few years into treatment. Like all treatments discussed here, it is typically best used as part of a multifaceted program.
A:
Finasteride is the best documented of the DHT inhibitors and most people notice no side effects from it. Some people do, however, experience a reduction in libido or notice more watery semen. Some get some noticeable hyperandrogenicity, as evidenced by increased facial oil, pimples or unusually high libido. Testicular ache is occasionally noted, probably due to increased testosterone output, and the body takes time to adjust to this. (Increased T levels--15% on average in finasteride users--are likely in large part a compensatory response to reduced DHT.) Most often any side effects dissipate within 2 or 3 months. If they do not, things should return to normal after discontinuing finasteride, although this may take a couple of weeks, as finasteride has a relatively long biological effect, although a short serum half-life.