• Propecia prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. DHT is involved in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and hair loss.
• Proscar is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate). Propecia is also used to reduce hair loss due to male pattern baldness.
• Propecia may also be used for purposes other than those listed here.
• Take Propecia exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water.
• Propecia can be taken with or without food.
• It is important to take Propecia regularly to get the most benefit.
• Your doctor may perform blood tests or other forms of monitoring during treatment with Propecia. One of the tests that may be performed is called PSA (prostate-specific antigen). This test is used to help detect prostate cancer. Propecia will reduce the amount of PSA measured in the blood. Your doctor is aware of this effect and can still use PSA to help detect prostate cancer.
• Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• Stop taking Propecia and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives).
• Other, less serious side effects have been reported but usually resolve with continued treatment. Continue to take Propecia and notify your doctor if you experience
· decreased libido (sex drive);
· decreased volume of ejaculate;
· impotence (trouble getting or keeping an erection); or
· breast tenderness or enlargement.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
Vertex (Top of the Head) Study
PROPECIA was demonstrated to be effective in the longest controlled study of male pattern hair loss ever conducted. In this 5-year study of men with mild to moderate hair loss:
9 of 10 men on PROPECIA had visible results (either regrowth of hair, 48% [134 of 279], or no further hair loss, 42% [117 of 279]) vs 25% (4 of 16) on placebo (sugar pill), according to an assessment of photographs by an independent panel of dermatologists.
2 out of 3 men on PROPECIA regrew hair, as measured by hair count. All the men in the study who were not taking PROPECIA lost hair.
A majority of men on PROPECIA were rated as improved by doctors: 77% (210 out of 271) vs 15% (2 out of 13) with placebo.
A majority of men on PROPECIA reported their bald spot getting smaller, their hair loss slowing down, and the appearance of their hair improving.
What’s more, in the first year of the study, 86% (587 out of 679) of men on PROPECIA maintained hair or increased the number of visible hairs vs 42% (282 out of 672) on placebo.
PROPECIA is for MEN ONLY.
Further treatment is unlikely to help if the drug has not worked within 12 months. If you stop taking PROPECIA, you will likely lose the hair you have gained within 12 months of stopping treatment.
Anterior Mid-Scalp (Middle-Front of the Head) Study
PROPECIA also was shown to be effective in a study of men with hair loss on the middle front of the head.