Propecia (finasteride) tips from pharmacists

• Propecia only works while you stay on the medicine. You may notice hair loss again if you stop Propecia.

• If there is a pregnant woman or a woman of childbearing age in your household, ensure they do not come in contact with Propecia tablets because they can be absorbed through the skin and cause birth defects.

• Propecia contains the same active ingredient (finasteride) present in Proscar, a medication used to treat benign enlargement of the prostate gland in men. However, Propecia has a lower dose of finasteride (1 mg) compared to Proscar (5 mg) and is, therefore, Propecia is less likely to cause side effects.

• Premenopausal women can use Propecia at the dose of 2.5 mg daily to treat hair loss, as long as a reliable method of birth control is used.You cannot donate blood while on Propecia (finasteride). You must wait at least 1 month from your last Propecia dose before donating blood.

• Be sure to keep all your doctor’s appointments while on Propecia treatment. Your doctor may order blood tests while you’re on this medicine.

• Trying to save money, a lot of people use pill cutters to divide the 5 mg tablet in 4 quarters with the dose of 1.25 mg per each quarter, so they end up taking 1.25 mg instead of 1 mg. If you plan to do this, please let your doctor know. The good news is that you can use the free BuzzRx coupon to get a discount on Propecia.