Propecia (finasteride) is prescribed to treat male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate. It works by lowering levels of a hormone (DHT) that causes hair loss and prostate growth. Taken daily, it may take several months to show results. Pregnant women should avoid handling crushed tablets due to potential birth defect risks.
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Many times when men experience hair loss, it happens because of a hereditary trait that causes them to lose their hair. Hair loss can be embarrassing, and it will start to look like thinning, patchiness, or baldness.
Luckily, you can use a prescription drug known as Propecia to treat male hair loss. Propecia can help to slow down the process of hair loss and even regrow some of the hair that you lost.
Important to note how the FDA has only approved the oral tablet for stopping male pattern hair loss. Studies have shown how Propecia works for 90% of men who are losing their hair in the last 5 years.
Many times, you will see the effects of Propecia in 3 to 6 months. Research shows the drug to be safe and effective, but side effects have caused a few issues for a small portion of men.
Listen to the guidance of your doctor on the dosage, but you will normally take a 1 mg tablet of Propecia daily. You can take this tablet either with food or without it.
Generally speaking, you will need to take this drug for at least 3 months before you start to see results with it, such as increased hair growth and prevention of hair loss.
When you use Propecia ongoingly, you will get the best results especially at the 12-month mark. Failure to continue taking this drug will lead to a reverse in the effects.
Clinical studies showed how doses of up to 400 mg or multiple doses of 80 mg daily didn’t lead to side effects when taken over a 3-month period.
Propecia does come with its share of negative side effects, which could explain why some men choose to avoid it. Some of the side effects that you can encounter:
In many cases, once these side effects take hold, they do not go away even after you stop taking the drug. Part of the reason for this happening could have to do with Propecia suppressing the hormone known as DHT.
This plays a big role in sexual development and sexuality. Lowering the DHT levels may correct the hair loss, but in some cases, it also causes issues with erectile dysfunction.
Propecia won’t always cause permanent issues with sexual function, but there are enough men who reported it to be aware of it as a possible side effect of the medication.
Women and children shouldn’t take this medication, and women who are pregnant shouldn’t even handle the crushed or broken tablets because Propecia can get absorbed right through the skin and cause birth defects.
They did not approve this drug for the treatment of prostate cancer, and in some cases, it can even cause an extremely serious form of prostate cancer.
Before you decide to start taking Propecia, speak with your doctor about the risks and benefits to learn if this drug would make sense for you.
An estimated 90% of men who took the drug Propecia reported how it stopped hair loss, and a further 66% of all men reported that they even saw some new hair growth. Normally, this all happens in 6 to 12 months of taking the drug.
Propecia classifies as a drug known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. You can only get this drug with a doctor’s prescription.
Propecia works and some men see it as a great solution, but it may not be the right one for you due to the potential for negative effects. Many men have used it, however, and seen great success while using it.
The best candidate for this drug is a male who suffers from male pattern hair loss and wants to reverse it. In most cases, this treatment will only target the follicles on the scalp and crown.
Is Propecia Bad for Sperm?
Before you start taking Propecia, you should understand how this drug can lower your sperm count. Luckily, studies show that this only happens temporarily with most men. After a period of taking it, your sperm count should return to normal. It also only seems to impact a small segment of those taking Propecia.
Can Propecia Cause Kidney Damage?
Some studies have shown that taking Propecia could potentially cause renal damage. Speak with your doctor to further learn if this treatment would make sense for you. Especially for those who already suffered kidney damage, they may not want to take the risk.
Is Propecia Better Than Minoxidil?
More men who have taken Propecia reported better results than when they took Minoxidil. This may happen because of how Propecia blocks DHT, the cause of the hair loss. At the same time, it stops hair loss and helps you to regrow your hair follicles faster and thicker than before.
Is Propecia Bad for Your Liver?
For those with impaired liver function, you may want to either avoid using Propecia or use it with extreme caution. When they tested it on rats, they found how it could potentially cause issues with them and their liver.
