Generic Name: finasteride
Brand Name: Propecia
Drug Class: 5-Alpha-Reductase Inhibitors
What is oral finasteride, and what is it used for?
Finasteride is a prescription oral hair growth medication used for the treatment of male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia in males only.
Propecia (1 mg finasteride) was approved by the FDA for the treatment of male pattern baldness in December 1997. Another finasteride oral dosage form, Proscar or 5 mg finasteride tablets are FDA approved only for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and should not be used for androgenetic alopecia. Do not confuse these finasteride tablets.
What are the side effects of oral finasteride?
The most common side effects associated with finasteride are:
- breast enlargement,
- decreased libido,
- erectile dysfunction, and
- ejaculation disorders.
Serious side effects include increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer, and increased risk for male breast cancer.
SLIDESHOW
Your Hair and Scalp Can Say a Lot About Your Health See SlideshowWhat is the dosage for oral finasteride?
- The recommended dose is one 1 mg tablet (Propecia) once daily.
- Generally, patients should use 1 mg of finasteride daily for three months or more before any benefits of treatment are observed.
- If hair loss improvement is not noticed after 12 months, additional finasteride treatments will likely not help.
Which drugs interact with oral finasteride?
- Carbamazepine, rifampin, and St. John's wort may reduce blood levels of finasteride by increasing its breakdown in the liver.
- Itraconazole, erythromycin, and similar drugs increase blood levels of finasteride.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Finasteride should not be used or handled by pregnant females. Finasteride prevents the conversion of testosterone to DHT, a hormone which is necessary for the development of male genitalia. Finasteride should not be used or handled by pregnant mothers due to the potential hazard to the male fetus.
- Finasteride should not be used by women. It is not known if finasteride is excreted in human milk.
What else should I know about oral finasteride?
What preparations of finasteride-oral (hair growth) are available?
- Tablets: 1 mg (Caution; do not confuse these tablets with the 5 mg finasteride tablets (Proscar)
How should I keep finasteride-oral (hair growth) stored?
- Tablets should be stored at room temperature, 15 C-30 C (59 F-86 F).
Summary
Finasteride tablets is a drug used to treat male pattern baldness. The most common side effects associated with finasteride are breast enlargement, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculation disorders. Serious side effects include increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer, and increased risk for male breast cancer. Finasteride should not be used or handled by pregnant females.
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