Finasteride 1 mg (Propecia) is the most widely recommended medicine to stop and prevent hair loss pattern in men. However, as with any medicine, if you are shedding hair and plan to see a doctor, you should know a few facts beforehand.
Dosage Form: Available in the form of tablets, generally 1 mg dose. There are no clinically significant advantages of taking more than 1 mg, with regard to treating male pattern baldness.
Prescription and Precautions: You are strongly recommended to consult a physician before taking this medicine. For example, there are cases when it is not recommended such as:
- You may not be prescribed Finasteride by the doctor if you have a dysfunctional liver.
- Typically, it is prescribed only for men. Particularly, nursing or pregnant women are not to take it. It is also discouraged for men who are in a physical relationship with women for pregnancy.
- Sometimes, it leads to reduced libido and/or decreased seminal fluid in men.
Storage: Store it at room temperature, and away from moisture and direct sun.
Side Effects: Research shows that sometimes, Finasteride leads to reduced sex drive. Otherwise, Finasteride is generally well tolerated.
Administration: Can be taken with or without meals.
Treatment Time: Varies from six to 12 months depending on how you respond to the treatment. As such, many men take it long-term. Note that, upon discontinuation of treatment, all hair retained due to the treatment will be lost within 6-12 months.
Others: Do not take double-dose if you miss one. Consult your doctor about the minimum interval between two successful doses.
