Question for the Medical Gurus...

Coopie · Jan 19, 2005

I've been taking Propecia for about 5 years now - 1 pill at bedtime. I take it year round regardless of whatever anabolics may be in the mix. Never had any problems - NEVER.

About 2 months ago my doctor switched me to Proscar. It was to save me from shelling out the monthly cost of Propecia b/c my insurance covers the Proscar in full. The Proscar are 4mg. I break each pill into 4 doses to equal the same dosage as the 1mg Propecia. But, since Proscar is a weird shape - they're hard to break into equal parts. I do my best.

Here's the ??? About 1 week after switching from Propecia to Proscar I started getting acne. Face, Back, Shoulders, even the scalp. Nothing else in my life has changed - NOT diet, NOT anabolics, NOT stress, NOTHING!

Can the Proscar be the culprit??? I am not sure how it works to shield hair from DHT, but it seems a longshot...

Any thoughts are appreciated...

jerrywear · Jan 19, 2005

i am not a doctor,but in your place i would call yor doctor and tell him whats going on.

PHIL HERNON · Jan 19, 2005

Hmmm

What else has changed in your life?

drgoodbody · Jan 19, 2005

Are you sure the proscar are 4mg? That is a strange dose - normally proscar tabs are 5mg, the recommended dose for prostate treatment. If they are 5 instead of 4 and you are using 1/4 of a pill you are getting 1.25mg per dose (approximately). I have been using proscar this way for 4-5 years myself and have never had any issues. I don't think the slight change in dose (if there is one) would have a negative effect on acne, actually reducing DHT should help acne (well at least in theory). Personally my acne was never affected.

I think the acne may just be coincidental or driven by something else, I don't think it is the proscar (it is chemically identical to propecia, just a bigger dose). Look elsewhere for the cause.

DrG

Coopie · Jan 19, 2005

You're right - they're 5mg, not 4mg... MY BAD!

Other than that there's absolutely no change in anything!

And, I would ask my doc, but everytime I ask him a question during an acne "flare-up", his answer is always "Well, what are you taking that you're not telling me about???" With a silly grin on his face...

So I was hoping there would be some kind of Proscar-Acne connection...

bigbaldbulldog · Jan 19, 2005

i think it is just bad timing...stress can have this effect...school,work,girl anything...wait a week then call Dr.

Reload · Jan 19, 2005

Your tabs look like this or are they the generics? Reason I ask is the generic
drug market has problems with fake medications just like our beloved "underground" AAS market. Propecia/Proscar should have a drying effect on the skin. You on the other hand seem to be developing more acne...as if the medication was not having it's expected effect and the AAS were.
Another way to determine if your medication is real is through a PSA blood test. If elevated then your medication is not doing it's job in blocking conversion of testosterone to DHT.
I would contact my Doctor and see what he can do to get me back on the 1mg Propecia that worked for you.
You wanted to know how finasteride works to shield hair from DHT...

http://www.propecia.com/finasteride/propecia/consumer/learn_about_hair_loss/causes.jsp