5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors
Finasteride
Finasteride is a once-daily tablet that blocks the conversion of testosterone to DHT. The 1 mg strength (generic Propecia) treats male pattern hair loss and the 5 mg strength (generic Proscar) treats an enlarged prostate. Both are inexpensive generics.
This page is general information about a medication and how cash prices for it are set. It is not medical advice and does not replace the label, your prescriber or your pharmacist. How we handle medical information
Both tablet strengths are generic from many manufacturers.
About Finasteride
Finasteride inhibits 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Lower DHT shrinks the prostate over months and slows or partially reverses hair follicle miniaturisation on the scalp. The two strengths are approved for different uses and are labelled as separate products, although the molecule is identical.
For hair loss it is taken daily and takes several months to show an effect; hair regrowth is lost again if it is stopped. For prostate symptoms it takes up to six months to reduce prostate size and is often combined with an alpha-blocker. It lowers PSA levels, so prostate cancer screening results need to be interpreted with that in mind.
Reduced libido, erectile difficulty and reduced semen volume affect a minority of men, and there are reports of these persisting after stopping in some individuals; prescribers discuss this before starting. Women who are or may become pregnant should not handle crushed or broken tablets because of the risk to a male fetus.
Why the cash price for Finasteride differs from pharmacy to pharmacy
Finasteride tablets cost pharmacies very little, but the 1 mg hair-loss strength is a cash-pay market driven by telehealth subscriptions, and some pharmacies price it accordingly. The 5 mg strength competes in the prostate market and is often priced lower per tablet than the 1 mg strength, even though it contains five times the drug.
Some prescribers write 5 mg tablets to be quartered for hair loss to reduce cost. That is a prescriber decision, splitting is imprecise, and the handling warning for pregnant women applies to broken tablets, so it is not appropriate for everyone.
Ways to pay less for Finasteride without insurance
- Compare cash prices at at least two pharmacies, including an independent; the 1 mg strength in particular is often marked up heavily.
- Ask for a ninety-day prescription once you have decided to continue.
- Compare any telehealth hair-loss subscription on a per-tablet basis against a pharmacy fill.
- Ask the prescriber whether the 5 mg tablet split is appropriate for you, and understand its limitations before choosing it.
- Upload your prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price. You pay the pharmacy directly.
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for Finasteride
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your Finasteride prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Questions to ask your pharmacist about Finasteride
- 1.How long before I should expect to see a result?
- 2.What side effects should I report, and do they go away after stopping?
- 3.Does this affect my PSA test?
- 4.Can I take it with my other medicines?
- 5.What handling precautions apply if there is a pregnant woman in my household?
Related medications
Sources
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.