Finasteride
(generic Propecia)
A once-daily tablet medically proven to treat male pattern hair loss. The same active ingredient as Propecia, it helps stop hair loss and regrow hair.
LICENSED PHARMACY & UK-LICENSED DOCTORS · FREE DISCREET DELIVERY
FINASTERIDE 1 MG · HAIR LOSS TABLET · ONCE DAILY
PROPECIATABLETS
11MG TABLET DAILY
28/
3–
90%IMPROVED OR UNCHANGED, 5 YRS
Free discreet delivery
Results vary from person to person, and hair regrows slowly, so patience is important.
Propecia is the brand name for finasteride 1 mg, a once-daily prescription tablet used to treat male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in men. It is licensed to increase hair growth on the scalp and to prevent further hair loss.
ABOUT THE MEDICATION
WHAT IS PROPECIA?
Propecia is the brand name for finasteride 1 mg, a once-daily prescription tablet used to treat male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in men. It is licensed to increase hair growth on the scalp and to prevent further hair loss. Finasteride belongs to a group of medicines called type II 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
Male pattern hair loss is a common condition that usually shows as a receding hairline, thinning on the crown, or both. It is caused by a combination of genetics and a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Propecia works best in men with mild to moderate hair loss, rather than complete baldness, because hair that has been lost over a long period may not come back.
KEY FACTS
ONCE DAILY 1MG TABLET
Propecia is a tablet taken once a day, every day, with or without food.
LICENSED FOR HAIR LOSS IN MEN
Propecia (finasteride 1 mg) is licensed in the UK to treat male pattern hair loss in men.
MEN ONLY, 18 AND OVER
Propecia is for men aged 18 and over with male pattern hair loss.
3 TO 6 MONTHS
It usually takes 3 to 6 months of daily treatment before your hair loss starts to stabilise, so keep taking Propecia every day even if you do not see a difference straight away.
ONE STRENGTH, TWO PACK SIZES
Propecia comes in one strength: 1 mg of finasteride per tablet, in packs of 28 or 84 tablets.
How it works
01
FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION
For your health and safety, all prescription drugs available for purchase require approval from our licensed doctors through a free online consultation.
02
DISCREET NEXT-DAY DELIVERY
If your prescription treatment is approved, your order will be delivered to you with discreet packaging the next business day.
03
ONGOING CARE & SUPPORT
As a FROM MARS customer, you will receive ongoing care and support from UK Doctors.
01
FREE ONLINE CONSULTATION
For your health and safety, all prescription drugs available for purchase require approval from our licensed doctors through a free online consultation.
02
DISCREET NEXT-DAY DELIVERY
If your prescription treatment is approved, your order will be delivered to you with discreet packaging the next business day.
03
ONGOING CARE & SUPPORT
As a FROM MARS customer, you will receive ongoing care and support from UK Doctors.
PROPECIA
- One 1mg tablet once a day
- Licensed in the UK for hair loss in men
- Lowers DHT levels in the scalp
- Taken with or without food
One 1mg tablet once a day
Licensed in the UK for hair loss in men
Lowers DHT levels in the scalp
Taken with or without food
How Propecia Works
HOW DOES PROPECIA WORK?
In men who are genetically prone to hair loss, DHT gradually shrinks (miniaturises) the hair follicles on the scalp. Each hair then spends less time growing, becomes thinner and shorter, and eventually may stop growing altogether.
Finasteride blocks the enzyme type II 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone into DHT. This lowers DHT levels in the scalp and the blood, which slows or stops the shrinking of the hair follicles and helps more hairs move back into their active growing phase.
How Long Does Propecia Take to Work?
It usually takes 3 to 6 months before hair loss stabilises. In clinical studies, the increase in hair count was greatest after about 2 years of treatment.
In Practice
The Practical Consequences
It only works while you take it
Propecia needs to be taken every day for as long as you want to keep the benefit.
One tablet a day is the maximum
Taking more than 1 mg a day does not make Propecia work any better.
It only acts on scalp hair
Propecia does not affect hair on other parts of the body.
Dosing & How to Take
HOW DO YOU TAKE PROPECIA?
01
Dose
Take one 1 mg tablet once a day, with or without food, preferably at about the same time each day so it becomes part of your routine.
02
Missed dose
If you forget a dose, just take your next dose as normal. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten one. If you take too many tablets by mistake, contact your doctor straight away.
03
Duration
It usually takes 3 to 6 months of daily treatment before your hair loss starts to stabilise, so keep taking Propecia every day even if you do not see a difference straight away.
04
Handling
Women who are pregnant, or who could become pregnant, must not handle crushed or broken Propecia tablets.
Side Effects
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
OF PROPECIA
Most men who take Propecia do not get side effects, and when they do happen they are usually mild. In 12-month clinical studies, only 1.7% of men taking Propecia stopped treatment because of side effects, compared with 2.1% of men taking placebo.
FREQUENCY
SIDE EFFECTS
WHAT TO DO
UP TO 1 IN 100 MEN
A lower sex drive
Difficulty getting an erection
Problems with ejaculation, such as a smaller amount of semen
In most men they went away after stopping treatment, and in many men they went away even while continuing treatment. However, in some men sexual side effects have continued after Propecia was stopped. If you have problems with sexual function, contact your clinician for advice, as this can sometimes affect mood. Your clinician may recommend stopping treatment.
FREQUENCY NOT KNOWN
Breast tenderness or enlargement, pain in the testicles, blood in the semen, palpitations, anxiety, changes in liver blood tests, and male infertility or poor semen quality
Tell your doctor promptly about any changes in your breast tissue, such as lumps, pain, enlargement or nipple discharge, as these can be signs of a serious condition, including breast cancer.
STOP TAKING PROPECIA
Low mood or depression (feelings of severe sadness or worthlessness)
Thoughts of harming yourself or suicidal thoughts
Signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or hives (itchy lumps under the skin)
Stop taking Propecia and contact your doctor as soon as possible.
In studies, these sexual side effects affected 3.8% of men taking Propecia in the first year, compared with 2.1% on placebo, and became less common the longer men took it. These are not all of the possible side effects. Speak to your healthcare provider about any side effects that trouble you, get worse or do not go away.
Effectiveness
HOW EFFECTIVE IS PROPECIA?
Early results
3
months: earliest improvement vs placebo
Results vary from person to person, and hair regrows slowly, so patience is important. In clinical studies of 1,879 men aged 18 to 41 with mild to moderate hair loss, men taking Propecia saw improvements compared with placebo from as early as 3 months, based on their own and their doctors' assessments.
Hair count over 5 years
+88
more hairs in 5.1 cm² of scalp after 2 years
In two 5-year studies of men with hair loss on the crown, men taking Propecia had an average of 88 more hairs in a small measured area of scalp (5.1 cm²) after 2 years, and still had 38 more hairs than at the start after 5 years. Over the same period, men taking placebo continued to lose hair, with 239 fewer hairs in the same area by year 5.
Rated on photographs
On standardised photographs, 48% of men treated with Propecia for 5 years were rated as improved and a further 42% as unchanged, compared with 25% of men on placebo who were rated as improved or unchanged.
In other words, for most men Propecia either regrows some hair or stops the hair loss getting worse.
Dosage Forms
& Strength
Propecia comes in one strength: 1 mg of finasteride per tablet, in packs of 28 or 84 tablets.
STRENGTH
LICENSED FOR
NOTES
1mg tablet (Propecia)
Male pattern hair loss in men
Taking more than 1 mg a day does not make Propecia work any better.
5mg tablet (Proscar)
An enlarged prostate, not hair loss
Proscar (finasteride 5 mg) and dutasteride are licensed for an enlarged prostate, not for hair loss.
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Price includes medication only, if prescribed. An active FromMars membership is required and billed separately. Membership does not include or guarantee a prescription; medication is not available without a membership.
Drug Interactions
PROPECIA INTERACTIONS
Other 5-alpha reductase inhibitors
Do not take Propecia with finasteride 5 mg (Proscar), dutasteride or any similar medicine.
Minoxidil
No information is available on using Propecia with minoxidil applied to the scalp. Speak to your clinician before using them together.
Other medicines
Propecia does not usually affect other medicines, and other medicines are unlikely to affect Propecia to a clinically important degree.
Everything you take
Always tell your healthcare provider about everything you take, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, vitamins and herbal supplements.
WHO IT'S FOR
WHO CAN TAKE PROPECIA?
Propecia is for men aged 18 and over with male pattern hair loss. Before prescribing, a FromMars clinician will review your hair loss, your medical history, your mental health and any other medicines you take. It is not the right medicine for everyone.
NOT FOR WOMEN
You must not take Propecia if you are a woman, as Propecia is for men only and has been shown not to work in women with hair loss.
NOT FOR MEN UNDER 18
You must not take Propecia if you are under 18.
NOT WITH OTHER 5-ALPHA REDUCTASE INHIBITORS
You must not take Propecia if you already take finasteride 5 mg (Proscar), dutasteride or any other 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, for example for an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
NOT IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO IT
You must not take Propecia if you are allergic to finasteride or any of the other ingredients.
CONTAINS LACTOSE
Propecia contains lactose, so tell your clinician if you have been told you have an intolerance to some sugars.
Warnings
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Propecia must not be taken by women, by children or adolescents under 18, or by men who are taking finasteride 5 mg (Proscar), dutasteride or any other 5-alpha reductase inhibitor for an enlarged prostate or any other condition. It must also be avoided by anyone who is allergic to finasteride or to any of the ingredients in Propecia.
- 01
Mood changes and depression
Low mood, depression and, less often, suicidal thoughts have been reported in men taking finasteride 1 mg. If you notice any of these, stop taking Propecia and seek medical advice as soon as possible. A patient card explaining these risks is provided in every pack of Propecia.
- 02
Sexual side effects
Reduced sex drive, erection problems and ejaculation problems can occur, and have continued after stopping treatment in some men. Sexual problems may also contribute to changes in mood. Seek medical advice if you experience them, as your clinician may recommend stopping treatment.
- 03
Breast changes
Breast cancer has been reported in men taking finasteride 1 mg. Report any changes in your breast tissue, such as lumps, pain, enlargement or nipple discharge, to your doctor promptly.
- 04
PSA blood test
Propecia lowers the result of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which is used to check for prostate cancer. If you are due to have a PSA test, tell the doctor that you take Propecia so they can interpret the result correctly.
- 05
Fertility
Infertility and poor semen quality have been reported in men taking finasteride long term, some of whom had other risk factors. Semen quality has been reported to improve or return to normal after stopping. If you are planning to start a family, talk to your clinician.
- 06
Pregnancy
Finasteride can affect the development of a male baby's genitals. Women who are or may be pregnant must not take Propecia or handle crushed or broken tablets. A very small amount of finasteride has been found in the semen of men taking Propecia; studies suggest this is unlikely to pose a risk to a developing male baby.
- 07
Liver problems
The effect of liver problems on how the body handles finasteride has not been studied, so tell your clinician if you have a liver condition.
- 08
Lactose
Propecia contains lactose. If you have a rare hereditary problem of galactose intolerance, Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption, you should not take it.
Propecia is not likely to affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Duration of treatment
HOW LONG WILL I NEED TO TAKE PROPECIA?
Propecia needs to be taken every day for as long as you want to keep the benefit. It usually takes 3 to 6 months before hair loss stabilises. In clinical studies, the increase in hair count was greatest after about 2 years of treatment.
If you stop taking Propecia, the benefits start to reverse within about 6 months, and your hair is likely to return to how it was before treatment within 9 to 12 months. Your clinician will review with you how well it is working and whether you should continue.
How often will I check in with a clinician?
Before your first prescription, a FromMars clinician reviews your consultation, including your mental health and any other medicines you take. Each time you reorder, you will be asked to confirm whether anything has changed, including any changes to your mood or sexual function. If you need extra support at any point, whether about side effects, how well the treatment is working or anything else, you can message one of our clinicians.
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What's Included
Propecia is licensed in the UK by the MHRA and is available on prescription. Treatments for male pattern hair loss are not available on NHS prescription, so they are only available privately.
- Free online doctor consultation
- Licensed Pharmacy & UK-licensed Doctors
- Treatment plan from our doctors within 2 hours
- Free discreet delivery, shipped the next day
- Unlimited secure messages to your doctor
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