WHAT IS IN YOUR TABLETS?
The active ingredient in ‘Propecia’ Tablets is finasteride. ‘Propecia’ is available as tan, eight-sided, film-coated tablets, marked with a ‘P’ logo on one side and ‘PROPECIA’ on the other. Each tablet contains 1 mg finasteride.

Other ingredients
Lactose, microcrystalline cellulose E460, pregelatinised maize starch, sodium starch glycollate, docusate sodium, magnesium stearate E572, hypromellose E464, hydroxypropyl cellulose E463, titanium dioxide, talc, yellow iron oxide E172, red iron oxide E172.

‘Propecia’ Tablets are supplied in blister packs of 28 tablets or 84 tablets.

WHY HAS YOUR DOCTOR PRESCRIBED ‘PROPECIA’?
Your doctor has prescribed ‘Propecia’ because you have male pattern hair loss (also known as androgenetic alopecia). ‘Propecia’ increases hair growth on the scalp and prevents further hair loss in men. Men with mild to moderate, but not complete hair loss, can benefit from using ‘Propecia’.

‘Propecia’ is for use in men only.

HOW DOES ‘PROPECIA’ WORK?
‘Propecia’ blocks an important enzyme (Type II 5á-reductase) which is involved in the regulation of the hair follicle.

How does the hair on your head grow?
On average your hair grows about 1 centimetre (half an inch) each month. Hair grows from hair follicles, which are located beneath the skin.

A single scalp hair grows continuously for 2-4 years (growth phase) and then stops growing for 2-4-months (rest phase). After that time the hair falls out. In its place a new healthy hair begins to grow, and the cycle is repeated.

What is male pattern hair loss?
Male pattern hair loss is a common condition in which men experience thinning of the hair on the scalp, often resulting in a receding hairline and/or balding on the top of the head. This condition is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic factors and a particular hormone, DHT.

ARE THERE PATIENTS WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE THESE TABLETS?
Important: Women must not use ‘Propecia’, due to the risk in pregnancy. 

Do not take ‘Propecia’ if you think you are allergic to any of its ingredients or if you are already taking finasteride or any other 5á-reductase inhibitor. These drugs are also used to treat a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).‘Propecia’ has been found to be ineffective in the treatment of hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in women in clinical studies.

CAN YOU TAKE ‘PROPECIA’ WITH OTHER MEDICINES?
‘Propecia’ does not usually interfere with other medicines. However, you should always tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking or planning to take, including any obtained without a prescription.

HOW SHOULD YOU TAKE ‘PROPECIA’?
Take one tablet of ‘Propecia’ every day, with or without food. Follow your doctor’s advice.

Can you use ‘Propecia’ more than once a day?
‘Propecia’ will not work faster or better if you take it more than once a day. You should only take one tablet of ‘Propecia’ each day.

When can you expect to see results from using ‘Propecia’?
Male pattern hair loss is a condition that develops over a long period of time. In general, daily use for three to six months may be necessary before you notice any increase in the hair density or reduction in hair loss.

WHAT IF YOU FORGET TO TAKE A TABLET OR TAKE TOO MANY?
If you forget to take a tablet, just carry on with the next one as usual. Do not take an extra tablet to make up. If you take too many tablets by mistake, contact your doctor immediately.

WHAT UNWANTED EFFECTS COULD ‘PROPECIA’ HAVE?
Like any medicine, ‘Propecia’ may have unintended or unwanted effects so called side effects. These are uncommon and do not affect most men.

A small number of men may experience less desire to have sex and/or difficulty in achieving an erection. An even smaller number may have a decrease in the amount of semen released during sex (this does not appear to interfere with normal sexual function). In clinical studies, these side effects disappeared in men who stopped taking ‘Propecia’ and in many men who continued treatment.

A clinical trial was conducted in which almost 19,000 men were taking either finasteride 5 mg (which is 5 times higher than the 1 mg dosage recommended for male pattern hair loss) or placebo for 7 years to study the prevention of prostate cancer (finasteride 5 mg is not currently licensed for this treatment).

The results showed that the number of men who developed prostate cancer was lower in the group treated with finasteride 5 mg. However, the number of men with a high score in a tumour grading system was higher in those men treated with finasteride 5 mg than in men not treated with finasteride (6.4% compared to 5.1%). The relationship between long-term use of finasteride 5 mg and tumours of this kind is unknown.