Take 1 tablet of Propecia each day. Can be taken with or without food.

You must continue to take Propecia for the treatment to work

The active ingredient in Propecia (finasteride) blocks the action of an enzyme that converts the male hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is the hormone that causes male hair loss.

By reducing the amount of DHT affecting follicles in the scalp, Propecia helps to halt hair loss and, in some cases, reverse it. Find out more about how Propecia works in our article. 

Propecia only stimulates hair growth on the head and will not cause hair to grow elsewhere on the body.

For most men, Propecia takes 3-6 months of daily use to show effects. The active ingredient (finasteride) has been shown to be effective in preventing hair loss in men in 90% of cases. In some cases, men experience hair regrowth.

If you stop taking Propecia, your hair loss will return. Propecia is most effective in men with mild to moderate hair loss on the top of their head caused by male pattern baldness. There is little evidence that it is effective in reversing a receding hairline.

Propecia will not work faster or better if you take more that 1 tablet a day.

Propecia side effects are uncommon and usually mild.

Sometimes Propecia can cause a rash, reduced sex drive, low mood, erection problems or tenderness on or around the nipples. Very rarely, sexual side effects can be permanent and remain after stopping the medication.

For full information on side effects and correct use, see the patient information leaflet. If any Propecia side effects concern you, contact us via your Patient Record.

It has been shown in studies that up to 66% of men who use Propecia will see some hair regrowth after 2 years of use.

Propecia works to halt hair loss and stimulate new hair growth. Your hair may appear thicker with regrowth. 

It may take 3-6 months for you to start to see the impacts of taking Propecia. It’s important to keep taking the medication for as long as your clinician says. If you stop taking Propecia hair loss will begin again. 

After 3-6 months of taking Propecia you might be able to see Propecia results, such as your hairline has not receded further. Other signs that Propecia is working are some regrowth in zones where you had previously lost hair. 

No, Propecia is a prescription-only medication, so you can only get it if you have a prescription from a clinician. 

 It is safe to continue taking Propecia over long periods of time. Taking Propecia may slightly increase your risk of erectile dysfunction. Around 1 in 100 men are affected, but Propecia and erectile dysfunction, like other significant side effects will be highlighted to you. 

All medications have an expiry date. Make sure you don’t use Propecia after the expiry date. 

Propecia and Regaine work in a different way to treat hair loss. Propecia is reportedly up to 90% effective at halting hair loss after 5 years of taking the treatment, Regaine has been shown to be 60% effective in a 48 week study. Despite this, lots of people use the treatments in combination to treat hair loss. This gives you a good chance of slowing hair loss and promoting regrowth. 

You should be able to take Propecia alongside other medicines. However, it is important that you let us know which prescription, over-the-counter medicines and recreational drugs you are taking so that we can prescribe Propecia safely.

If you forget to take Propecia, take the next dose as soon as you remember. Do not take more than 1 tablet in 24 hours. Do not take a double dose to make up for the forgotten tablet. Read our Propeica information guide for more advice. 

We also offer the cost-effective generic treatment Finasteride in our hair loss clinic. This contains the same dose of the same active ingredient (finasteride) as branded Propecia. This means they work in the same way.

Other hair loss treatments such as minoxidil (also sold branded as Regaine) are also available from our hair loss service. You can buy Regaine on its own, or you can request it as part of a bundle with Finasteride. We also offer an over-the-counter hair loss treatment bundle which contains Sons minoxidil 5% solution, a DHT blocking shampoo and biotin capsules.

Other options include hair transplants, skin camouflage and wigs or hairpieces.