Finasteride pour la calvitie masculine

About finasteride for male pattern baldness

La calvitie masculine est un type courant de perte de cheveux qui apparaît chez de nombreux hommes à un moment ou à un autre. Cette affection est parfois appelée alopécie androgénétique. Elle est causée par une combinaison de facteurs héréditaires (génétiques) et hormonaux.

Les cheveux sont fabriqués dans les follicules pileux. Chaque follicule pileux produit normalement un cheveu pendant environ trois ans. Il tombe ensuite et un nouveau cheveu pousse à partir du follicule. Au fur et à mesure que la calvitie se développe, les follicules pileux affectés deviennent progressivement plus petits que la normale. Chaque nouveau cheveu qui pousse est plus fin et tombe plus rapidement qu'auparavant. Cela conduit finalement à un follicule pileux beaucoup plus petit et à un cheveu mince qui ne pousse pas jusqu'à la surface de la peau.

Male hormones are involved in causing these changes. Hair follicles convert testosterone (the main male hormone) into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone. Affected hair follicles become more sensitive to dihydrotestosterone and this causes the hair follicles to shrink.

For some men, this normal ageing process can be distressing, particularly if it is excessive or occurs early in life. Treatment with finasteride can help prevent further hair loss. It works by stopping the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.

Finasteride is only available on a prescription from a doctor, but it is not available on the NHS. This means you will be asked to pay the full price of the tablets when you receive your supply.

Before taking finasteride

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking finasteride it is important that your doctor knows:

• Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament.

• Si vous prenez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments disponibles sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et les médicaments complémentaires.

How to take finasteride

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about finasteride and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take one (1 mg) tablet each day, exactly as your doctor tells you to. Try to take your doses at the same time of day, as this will help you to remember to take finasteride regularly.

• Swallow the tablet whole (without breaking or crushing it) with a drink of water. You can take the tablet either with or without food.

• If you forget to take a dose on time, take it when you remember. If you do not remember until the following day, leave out the missed dose. Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

Tirer le meilleur parti de votre traitement

• Each time you collect a new supply of tablets from your pharmacy, make sure they look to be the same as you have had before. This is because there is a high-dose brand of finasteride tablet available for the treatment of a different condition. If you are unsure that you have the correct tablets, ask your pharmacist to check for you.

• Your hair growth may start to improve within a few months, although it can take up to a year or so for you to notice the full benefit. You will need to continue treatment to maintain this effect, as the balding process returns when you stop.

• Finasteride may cause harm to an unborn baby. Because of this, women who are pregnant should not handle the tablets. Also, very small amounts of finasteride will be in your semen while you are taking this medicine. If you need further advice about this, speak with your pharmacist or doctor.

• If you are having an operation or any medical treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking finasteride. This is because finasteride can interfere with a blood test used to detect prostate cancer, so you must tell your doctor about taking finasteride if you need this test.

Can finasteride cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the ones associated with finasteride. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes qui pourraient être dus aux comprimés, demandez conseil à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien.

How to store finasteride

• Conservez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.

Informations importantes sur tous les médicaments