Propecia or generic Finasteride

[longjonsilver]

Hi all. Apologies if this question has appeared before. I hear some say Propecia and Finasteride work the same with just the brand name being the difference. Others say Propecia works better than the generic version. What is the reality and has anyone  tried both and had different results? Thanks in advance.

[LaserCap]

Let's look at this from a historical perspective.  Proscar, the parent medication, is used to help with prostate issues.  Patients were returning back to their doctors with more hair.  So, Merck started doing tests and found, out of the 5mg tab, 1 mg would allow for the retention of native hair.  So, Finasteride as a 1 mg tab came into the market.  Once the patent expired, Merck suggested quartering the 5mg tab.  Cost wise this is great - the issue however, since the tab is not pre-scored, some days you get more of the medication and some less.  (Back then we also discussed side effects, less than 1%. By taking the 5mg tab, you are now running the risk of experiencing the side effect by 5.  Recently, however, this number seems to be increasing and many of the members here can jump in and give you their opinion on the subject).

Finasteride is now available as 1mg.  

Caution....The issue I've always had with patients is the fact we are all very visual.  A visual improvement typically means we grew more hair.  Less hair, we lost.  This is not so.

There are two types of loss.  The type you see and the type you don't.  Hair you see on the floor, tub, sink and pillow case is normal. The follicle goes into a resting phase and sheds the hair.  After a dormant/resting period the hair will return.  This will happen to every hair on your head at different intervals. Hair loss is different. 

For patients experiencing loss, the easiest way to understand hair loss is to inspect their front hairline, particularly the temporal areas, (corners).  You'll note some very robust hair and others just a bit finer.  Some are so thin you can hardly see them.  This miniaturization process continues until the hair dissipates and withers away.  Once gone, the hair will not return. 

To complicate matters, since there is no more patents, the medication is readily available in the US and abroad. Unfortunately we just don't know how much of the active medication is being used.  I have seen cases where there was non and it had a huge effect on the patient. So I think staying consistent and purchasing from a reliable source plays into this.

Lastly, there are patients the medication will do nothing for.  If after a number of weeks you are still losing hair, get off of it because it is not working.

With millions and millions of people in this Earth, it is likely you'll come across different results, different types of side effects...Just too many variables at play..keep an open mind. The global idea however is, if it works for you, it will work for as long as you take the medication. And, if you did not experience a side effect, you never will.  The reverse is also true. Visit with your doctor, discuss and decide if it is for you.  This is a long term med.  Getting on and off is just a waste of time and money.  Advise from someone that's been on the med for 30+ years, (that's me). 

[LonelyGraft]

19 hours ago, LaserCap said:

Let's look at this from a historical perspective.  Proscar, the parent medication, is used to help with prostate issues.  Patients were returning back to their doctors with more hair.  So, Merck started doing tests and found, out of the 5mg tab, 1 mg would allow for the retention of native hair.  So, Finasteride as a 1 mg tab came into the market.  Once the patent expired, Merck suggested quartering the 5mg tab.  Cost wise this is great - the issue however, since the tab is not pre-scored, some days you get more of the medication and some less.  (Back then we also discussed side effects, less than 1%. By taking the 5mg tab, you are now running the risk of experiencing the side effect by 5.  Recently, however, this number seems to be increasing and many of the members here can jump in and give you their opinion on the subject).

Finasteride is now available as 1mg.  

Caution....The issue I've always had with patients is the fact we are all very visual.  A visual improvement typically means we grew more hair.  Less hair, we lost.  This is not so.

There are two types of loss.  The type you see and the type you don't.  Hair you see on the floor, tub, sink and pillow case is normal. The follicle goes into a resting phase and sheds the hair.  After a dormant/resting period the hair will return.  This will happen to every hair on your head at different intervals. Hair loss is different. 

For patients experiencing loss, the easiest way to understand hair loss is to inspect their front hairline, particularly the temporal areas, (corners).  You'll note some very robust hair and others just a bit finer.  Some are so thin you can hardly see them.  This miniaturization process continues until the hair dissipates and withers away.  Once gone, the hair will not return. 

To complicate matters, since there is no more patents, the medication is readily available in the US and abroad. Unfortunately we just don't know how much of the active medication is being used.  I have seen cases where there was non and it had a huge effect on the patient. So I think staying consistent and purchasing from a reliable source plays into this.

Lastly, there are patients the medication will do nothing for.  If after a number of weeks you are still losing hair, get off of it because it is not working.

With millions and millions of people in this Earth, it is likely you'll come across different results, different types of side effects...Just too many variables at play..keep an open mind. The global idea however is, if it works for you, it will work for as long as you take the medication. And, if you did not experience a side effect, you never will.  The reverse is also true. Visit with your doctor, discuss and decide if it is for you.  This is a long term med.  Getting on and off is just a waste of time and money.  Advise from someone that's been on the med for 30+ years, (that's me). 

Wrong!

 

scientists at Merck knew damn well that finasteride helped with prostate as well as male pattern baldness. They sent their doctors and scientists to the Dominican Republic to study a group of men know as “psuedohermaphrodites” who had a 5ar deficiency. The scientists noted these men had virtually no mpb and no prostate issues while remaining otherwise healthy. They developed finasteride to mimick these people’s hormonal profile as best possible.

 

they released proscar first in 1992 and juiced the profits for a good 6-7 years while the fda studies for propecia were process. Hair loss treatment was not an accidental outcome of treating prostate issues with finasteride

Edited April 16, 2020 by LonelyGraft

[LaserCap]

13 hours ago, LonelyGraft said:

Wrong!

 

scientists at Merck knew damn well that finasteride helped with propecia as well as male pattern baldness. They sent their doctors and scientists to the Dominican Republic to study a group of men know as “psuedohermaphrodites” who had a 5ar deficiency. The scientists noted these men had virtually no mpb and no prostate issues while remaining otherwise healthy. They developed finasteride to mimick these people’s hormonal profile as best possible.

 

they released proscar first in 1992 and juiced the profits for a good 6-7 years while the fda studies for propecia were process. Hair loss treatment was not an accidental outcome of treating prostate issues with finasteride

"Finasteride helped with Propecia".....you seem to be well informed.

[LonelyGraft]

2 hours ago, LaserCap said:

"Finasteride helped with Propecia".....you seem to be well informed.

Edited just for u ❤️

[83mjs]

Can anyone answer his question? Is there any justification for buying Propecia vs generic fin?

I note from someone’s thread which popped up the other day Dr Koray prefers ppl take proscar (in 1/4s) rather than fin 1mg

[Curious]

If you buy generic finasteride there is a chance it is not of the same quality as Propecia, which means it will not be effective or it will be less effective than the brand name product.  If you can afford it, better to start with Propecia and see how effective it is for you.