Propecia

Finasteride, the active ingredient in Propecia, stops the conversion of the male hormone testosterone into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone in the hair follicles.

This helps to prevent hair loss because hair follicles – which is where hairs are made – can become sensitive to dihydrotestosterone. When this happens, an affected hair follicle becomes smaller and eventually fails to produce a hair that grows above the skin’s surface.

Take one Propecia tablet at around the same time every day.

Please read the printed information leaflet inside the pack for full details of how to take this treatment.

Propecia should not be taken by women or by men who are planning to have a child. Also, if any of the following applies to you, Propecia may not be suitable for you, or you may have to take extra care while taking it:

• You have an allergy or sensitivity to finasteride
• You have liver problems
• You have galactose intolerance
• You have glucose-galactose malabsorption problems
• You have Lapp lactase deficiency
• You are taking finasteride for another medical problems

For more information on whether or not you should take this medicine, please refer to the printed information leaflet inside the pack.

Hair loss caused by male-pattern baldness affects 6.5 million men in the UK. By the age of 50, around half of all men are affected. It usually starts with a receding hairline and progresses with thinning at the crown and temples.

There are, however, many misconceptions about male-pattern baldness. Here are just a few:

Cold water is a cure for baldness: Washing your hair in cold water won’t stop you going bald, despite the fact that it may boost blood circulation in your scalp.

Your hair grows if you stand upside down: Like cold water, standing on your head could boost your scalp circulation – but it won’t have any affect on thinning hair.

Scalp massage may prevent you going bald: As with cold water and standing on your head, massaging your scalp may boost the circulation – but there’s no link between increased blood circulation and hair growth.

Going bald comes from the mother’s side of the family: Baldness does run in families, but you can inherit the hair los gene from your mother or your father.

Having a bad diet can make your hair fall out: There’s no evidence that what you eat is linked to baldness, though diets that are very low in iron could cause general hair problems.

Want to remove unwanted hair? You can also buy hair removal cream prescription strength.

Not everyone experiences side effects when taking Propecia. Here are some that you should be aware of.

In more than one in 1,000 users:

• Depression/low mood
• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Ejaculation problems

For a full list of side effects associated with Propecia, please refer to the printed information leaflet inside the pack.

Please note: Some other medicines may interact with Propecia (read the printed information leaflet for more details).

Other considerations:

There are no known foods you should avoid while taking Propecia tablets. There are also no known interactions between Propecia tablets and alcohol.

You may have to take Propecia for up to a year to see the full benefit, though you may start to see improvements in your hair growth within a few months. If you stop taking Propecia, the benefits will start to wear off after around six months.

Since the active ingredient in Propecia may cause harm to an unborn baby, women must not take it. Women who are pregnant also must not handle Propecia tablets as the ingredient can be absorbed through the skin if the tablet coating is damaged.

If you wish to buy Propecia online, please note that we take our customers’ safety very seriously. All orders placed with Online Pharmacy in UK.com are reviewed by a fully qualified GMC-registered doctor.

This consultation process includes the following:

• When you proceed to checkout after placing your order, you will enter our online consultation facility, where you will be required to complete a medical questionnaire. This will be reviewed by one of our doctors.

• If your order is approved by our doctor, an electronic prescription will be sent to our dispensing pharmacy on your behalf.

Further help

If you would like to ask one of our medical professionals any questions about this medication, please log in to our Patients’ Portal after placing your order.

If you buy Propecia online from the UK or EU, we can offer free next-day delivery. We ship all orders via a trackable courier service (DPD, TNT or UPS) using discreet, plain packaging. Delivery also includes a text messaging service, which conveniently provides you with an estimated arrival time.

Please note: You will have to sign for your order.