I can’t afford Propecia, will minoxidil work as well. I am 28 years old.
Minoxidil may work for you, but if you are a male under the age of 35 and you have hair loss from genetic causes, Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is absolutely the best medication to treat your loss.
To save money, you could try Proscar and cut the pills into quarters and reduce your cost almost to the level of minoxidil. Proscar is 5mg finasteride (for treating the prostate), Propecia is 1mg finasteride. Your doctor will need to be willing to prescribe Proscar to you, though. You just need to cut the 5mg pill into 4 pieces (it’s easier than cutting into 5 equal parts), and enjoy the cost savings. The Propecia pill has a protective coating on it and the exact 1mg dosage without dealing with pill cutters or storing cut pills, so there are advantages to having the genuine Propecia. On the flip side, there is a generic Proscar available (see image for one brand), which drops the costs even further. There is no generic Propecia at this time.
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There is a generic propecia by cipla, finpecia.