Does cutting Proscar a month’s in advance really reduce its effectiveness?

Cutting a month of Proscar pills (5mg finasteride) in advance could reduce the effectiveness like any pill would if exposed to air and humidity for a prolonged period of time. I don’t know what the exact point is that the medication starts to degrade, but that’s why I suggest splitting one pill at a time. The protective coating on the outside is what extends the life of the medication, and a cut pill obviously loses some of that.

Hello Doctors,

I would like to comment on a response from a doctor to a previous post, which stated:

“If you cannot afford Propecia (1mg finasteride), there is generic 5mg finasteride for sale at a cost of around $60 a year. Yes, a year. Any pharmacy will have this 5mg generic. You just need a doctor that will prescribe this higher dose to treat hair loss (it’s a prostate medication otherwise), and you’ll need to cut the pill into 4 pieces (easier than cutting into 5 parts).”

I would like to know if Dr. Rassman or Dr. Pak prescribe a generic of finasteride? Also, can you provide more information about the generic that costs $60 a year (sound too good to be true).

Thanks

We do prescribe the generic 5mg finasteride to patients that request it. The pills are quite low cost and since they need to be cut into 4 pieces, it makes a 90 day supply turn into a 1-year supply.

The 1mg finasteride (Propecia) is not available legally in the US due to patent laws, but I read that the patent is expiring in late 2013. In the meantime, the 5mg dose is available in a generic at any US pharmacy… you just need your doctor to prescribe it to you with the knowledge that you’ll cut the pill before taking it. The 5mg is available because it is a prostate medication… 1mg is for treating hair loss.

Hi,
I’m a 22 year old male and I have noticed my hairline receding and thinning out for about 2 years now. About a year ago I started using 5% rogaine on my temples and vertex and it seemed to slow down my receding hairline and I experienced some regrowth on the vertex but they were very thin hairs.

On April 20th, 2010 I was prescribed propecia and have been on it ever since (about 3 months into treatment I was running low on $ and pills so I took a pill about every other day for 1 1/2 week, but have been taking propecia religiously ever since), I also stopped taking applying rogaine the same day.

I am writing because today marks month 5 and I am still consistently shedding 200+ hairs a day. I wake up with hairs all over my pillow. I wash my hair with shampoo/conditioner and my hands are covered in hair. I dry my hair after the shower and hair is on the towel. I’m at the point to where I don’t know what to do. I would currently classify myself as a norwood III, with thinning on my vertex and I have a weird thin patch that shows scalp at the midpoint on top of my head.

From reading this site and others, I know that shedding like this in month 5 is not normal. I know there is not much you can say w/o pictures but I was curious as to your opinion, or if you have seen any cases like this.

Thank you

Perhaps you’re not a good responder to Propecia. I don’t know what you’re seeing, so it’s difficult to offer much about that. You’re right about severe thinning not being normal 5 months after starting the medication. You should follow up with your prescribing doctor about it.

One thing I am sure of, Propecia doesn’t keep any growth you saw from the Rogaine, so you’re likely seeing the Rogaine-grown hair fall out since you stopped using it. You might consider getting back on Rogaine if that worked for you in the past.

In general though, you need to understand that there is no cure for hair loss and that even medications such as Propecia or Rogaine have limitations.

Hi dr,
I know you cannot endorse using Avodart, but I wonder if you can answer this question….

I’ve been using Avodart for several years along with Propecia. I take Avodart once a week because of the long half life. I’m curious to know since you probably hear from many people using Avodart, how often do they take it? I’m mostly curious about the ones who report seeing good results with it.

thanks

No one really knows how to take Avodart (dutasteride) for treating hair loss, but most doctors (for reasons I do not understand) recommend daily doses. The long half life is reason enough to take it less often than daily, but I am not an expert on it and the proper dose hasn’t been published yet. I must remind the casual readers that I’m not suggesting anyone should take Avodart to treat their hair loss at this point as it is not FDA approved for such use.

Off the top of my head, I know of one other patient that reported taking Avodart just once a week with good results, but the emails I get from patients that take Avodart don’t usually say how often they take it. For those that do take Avodart, feel free to post your dosing in the comments.

I am a 36 year old female who has been using Rogaine 5% for about 4 months. About a week ago I noticed dark fine hair on my forehead and even a bit under my eyes. I’m fairly certain this is as a result of Rogaine. Will this facial hair growth go away or get worse with the use or Rogaine?

If you are growing unwanted hair from Rogaine (minoxidil) use, the easiest solution would be to stop using the medication, as it is known that hair on the forehead can be produced. I don’t think the hair growth will go away on its own.

Otherwise, you should take care in washing your hands after using Rogaine and not rubbing your eyes or face or forehead, which you may be doing. I’ve even seen a patient with increased hair on the back of the hand he used to apply the minoxidil. This shows how powerful Rogaine can be in some people.

Hello.. My question is regarding Propecia, the cost, and comparison.. I came across a website while I searched for Propecia prices [link removed] and I was wondering if this would be a site I can trust?

Also, there is a Generic- Finasteride for a more affordable price.. What is the difference between the two and do they provide the SAME amount of benefits…

Thanks alot!! Please provide any additional information….

I think that’s yet another site based in Canada that sells prescription drugs to US residents without a doctor’s prescription required. That is against the law. As such, I can’t vouch for any site that sells medication online illegally. There are many sites that do this, and I don’t even know how this stuff gets through US Customs without more scrutiny.

So can you trust a site that sells these drugs illegally and without any way to tell if it’s even the real deal? I guess that’s up to you. If you get ripped off (fake medication, incomplete order, etc), who are you going to complain to if the company doesn’t offer you any restitution? These are things I’d consider, but ultimately it’s your choice to make.

Generic finasteride in 5mg size is available at any pharmacy in the US, but the 1mg generic isn’t sold here yet due to patent protection. I believe the patent is set to expire in late 2013, at which time I’d have to assume the generic Propecia will be available in the US. Until then, you just need to cut the generic 5mg pill into pieces. The costs are incredibly cheap that way… and legal.

Something went wrong at my pharmacy and I’m going to miss almost a week’s worth of doses of Avodart. It’s 0.5 mg/day. I’ve been taking it for 5 years now–every day. Will the drug still be in my body enough to suffice or should I be concerned that it will cause my hair loss to be more aggressive?

Thanks!

I don’t know what you will notice by missing Avodart (dutasteride) for one week. I do know missing Propecia (finasteride) for one week will be almost no issue. Perhaps your physician might know better, since he/she prescribed it.

You’ve been on the medication for half a decade so I’m sure the following isn’t news to you, but I have to point this out for the rest of the readers out there: As it is still not FDA approved to treat hair loss, we do not recommend Avodart. There is no solid study on what is the recommend or effective dose for treating hair loss. In addition, the drug lasts months in your body after stopping it.