Finasteride Online: Stop Hair Loss and Keep Your Hair

Looking for a finasteride coupon? Finasteride is the low-cost generic version of Propecia (1 mg, for male pattern hair loss) and Proscar (5 mg, for an enlarged prostate). Because it's available as a generic, the cash price is usually modest, but what you pay can vary a lot from one pharmacy to the next. Rx.com compares finasteride prices across more than 60,000 pharmacies so you don't overpay. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price near you and print or show a free coupon at the pharmacy counter.

What is finasteride and how does it work?

Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. It blocks the enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to both prostate growth and male pattern hair loss. By lowering DHT, finasteride can shrink an enlarged prostate and slow or partly reverse hair loss on the scalp.

The FDA has approved finasteride for two uses, and the dose depends on the condition. At 5 mg per day (sold as Proscar), it treats benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate), helping improve urinary symptoms and reducing the risk of acute urinary retention and the need for prostate surgery. At 1 mg per day (sold as Propecia), it treats male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) in men.

How much does finasteride cost without insurance?

Finasteride is a generic, so it's already one of the more affordable options in its class, and you often don't need insurance to get a good price. Still, the cash price isn't the same everywhere. Two pharmacies in the same town can charge very different amounts for the same tablet, which is exactly why comparing before you fill matters.

Rx.com checks finasteride prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies and shows you a free discount coupon you can use whether or not you have insurance. The brand-name versions, Propecia and Proscar, are typically far more expensive than the generic. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price at pharmacies near you.

Finasteride alternatives and related medicines

Finasteride isn't the only option for hair loss or an enlarged prostate, and the right choice depends on your condition and your provider's guidance.

• Propecia and Proscar are the brand-name versions of finasteride (1 mg and 5 mg).
• Dutasteride is another 5-alpha reductase inhibitor used for BPH.
• Minoxidil is a topical (and oral, off-label) hair-loss treatment that works by a different mechanism and is sometimes used alongside finasteride.
• Tamsulosin is an alpha-blocker that relaxes the prostate and bladder muscles to ease urinary symptoms of BPH.

Ask your provider or pharmacist which option fits your needs. You can compare cash prices for any of these on Rx.com.

Finasteride safety and side effects

Finasteride has no FDA boxed warning, but there are important safety points to know. The most common side effects are sexual: decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculation problems such as reduced ejaculate volume. Some men report sexual side effects that persist after stopping the drug (sometimes called post-finasteride syndrome), and there have been reports of depression, mood changes, and suicidal thoughts, as well as breast tenderness or enlargement (with rare reports of male breast cancer) and allergic reactions.

Finasteride is Pregnancy Category X and must not be used or handled by women who are or may become pregnant, because it can cause abnormalities in the genitals of a male fetus. Pregnant or potentially pregnant women should not handle crushed or broken tablets, and the drug is present in semen. Finasteride also lowers PSA levels by about half, which your doctor needs to factor in when screening for prostate cancer. This is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether finasteride is right for you and report any side effects.