What are the Risks of taking Propecia? | Hair Loss & Hair Transplant Surgery Guide


There are a couple of very rare risks of using Propecia and it has been potentially linked with certain cancers such as prostate cancer and breast cancer. These have been found not so much in the use of Propecia but in the use of the drug Proscar therefore further research is needed in order to attain if there is an association between these two cancers and Propecia. Also, it has been found that if you have liver disease then if you take Propecia, you will get inflammation of the liver- a condition called liver hepatitis.

Propecia and prostate cancer

This area is a very conflicting field of research as there was the hope that the medication could actually delay or prevent the onset of prostate cancer. This has found to be true in some incidences because the drug Finasteride has an effect on testosterone in the body. The medication stops some of the effects of testosterone on the body and as testosterone is associated with developing prostate cancer, any drug that inhibits its conversion to an active form, may be beneficial. However, Propecia is not recommended as a treatment for prostate cancer as there is a small chance that if a cancer occurs, it will be more aggressive than usual.

Propecia and breast cancer

To date, there have been no reported cases of breast cancer that has been associated with Propecia in the United Kingdom and any incidences that have occurred are not significant. However, it is determined as a risk because there have been some associations with the higher dosage drug Proscar. Therefore this issue is being constantly watched to ensure that it does not increase the risk of breast cancer in long-term users. Therefore, if you develop any symptoms in your breasts such as tenderness, lumps or nipple discharge, you must report these to your doctor immediately.

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