What to discuss with your doctor

There are many possible reasons why men might lose some of their hair, and the treatments are specific. Hair loss due to a fungal infection is treated with the use of antifungal products. Hair lost because of the stress of surgery or other invasive treatments will often regrow naturally after some months have passed. It is important to ensure that you have male pattern baldness since you will only begin to see the benefits from propecia after at least three months of use. If you have an incorrect diagnosis, you will have wasted a significant amount of time in finding the best treatment. But, if you delay the start of treatment too long, propecia is less effective. A discussion with your doctor to confirm the diagnosis is therefore essential.

Safety information

Increasing the amount of propecia you take does not change the speed at which your hair loss will slow. Although there is no evidence of adverse reactions at a high dosage, it is better to take only one tablet per day. The technical name for male pattern baldness is androgenetic alopecia and clinical trials have shown that propecia is effective and safe for use in the age range of 18 to 40. It should not be necessary for children to take propecia and there have been no clinical trials to prove safety below the age of 18. This drug is for male use only and should not be taken by any man who has liver disease. It may produce birth defects if taken by a woman during pregnancy. Because, the active chemical ingredients used in the manufacture of this drug can be absorbed through the skin, pregnant women should not handle broken or crushed tablets.

There is no evidence that propecia interacts with any other drug or form of treatment. It can be safely taken by almost all men but, because almost all men suffer hair loss as they age, there is no evidence of any benefit from men older than 60 years taking this drug.

Are there any side effects?

Very few side effects have been reported and, in clinical trials, only 1.4% of participants were affected to any noticeable degree. But, unfortunately, the side effects are sex-related, producing low sex drive, erectile dysfunction and a loss in the volume of sperm. A very small number of men experienced an enlargement of the breast area of the chest, and swelling and pain in the testicles. In some men, sexual function returns to normal as tolerance for the drug builds up. Sexual performance did return to normal if propecia was discontinued.