Propecia and Proscar drugs appeared on the market at the end of the last century and have much in common.They were approved by the FDA in 1997 and 1992, respectively. Both drugs are manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Merck.
Propecia and Proscar tablets contain the active substance Finasteride. This substance prevents the conversion of testosterone into a more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). As a result of Finasterideaction, a low level of DHT in the blood plasma and soft tissues persists for about 24 hours.
Propecia vs Proscar: Indications and duration of use
Propecia and Proscar pills are intended only for men. They should not be taken by women, adolescents, children, or patients with hypersensitivity to Finasteride.
Propecia 1 mg tablets are used to treat androgenic alopecia (baldness). The use of this drug allows to:
- First prevent hair loss, and then accelerate hair growth.
- Increase the amount of hair at the crown and middle of the scalp, and not on other parts of the body.
To make the hair growth noticeable, men should take one Propecia 1mg tablet every day for 3-6 months. The maximum increase in the amount of hair is seen after 24 months of treatment.
Proscar tablets contain 5 times more active substance Finasteride, than Propecia tablets do. They relax the muscles in the bladder and are used to control and treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
The use of one Proscar 5 mg tablet every 24 hours reduces the symptoms of BPH, like increased frequency of urination, urinary retention, pain during urination, and urge to urinate shortly after previous urination.
The maximum improvement in BPH symptoms occurs approximately in 6 months of continuous use of Proscar 5 mg tablets. Further use of the drug will prevent the emergence of unpleasant symptoms of the prostatedisease. Exceeding the recommended dose does not reduce the treatment time and can cause a negative response to the drug.
Propecia vs Proscar: Side Effects
Propecia and Proscar can cause side effects even if these drugs are used as recommended. In most cases, however, these drugs help to reduce the DHT level in soft tissues and blood plasma without any noticeable side effects.
Proscar pills contain more active ingredient Finasteride, than Propecia pills do, which increases the chance of side effects. These drugs have similar side effects, although they occur with different frequencies.
During the clinical trials on Finasteride, a complete list of side effects was compiled. These include problems with achieving and maintaining an erection, reduced sexual desire and ejaculation problems (reduced volume of ejaculate).
If you have any of the listed or any other adverse reactions, tell your doctor, yet do not stop usingFinasteride-containing medication. If you have a skin rash, swelling, or other allergic reaction, discontinue treatment immediately and consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Propecia vs Proscar: Cost
The dose of the active ingredient Finasteride in one Proscar tablet is 5 times higher, than that in one Propecia tablet. Therefore, the production of Proscar tablets requires more financial and material resources, and their cost in pharmacies is higher than that of Propecia tablets.
BPH treatment can be covered by medical insurance and the federal health insurance program. Therefore, before you buy Proscar 5 mg tablets,you can reimburse the costs of BPH controlpartially or completely.
Propecia tablets are relatively inexpensive. Unfortunately, health insurance does not cover the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (as a rule). Therefore, men often have to pay full cost of alopecia treatment.
