Can Women Use Propecia to Treat Hair Loss and Does Their Age Matter?
Q: I have early thinning on the top of my scalp and I was told to use Propecia, but I heard that is was only for men. What do you think? — T.G., Staten Island, NY
A: Women can’t take Propecia during the child-bearing years because, if ingested, it can cause birth defects in male offspring.
In post-menopausal women, where we see the greatest frequency of hair loss, it doesn’t seem to be effective.
In pre-menopausal women who do not plan to become pregnant or who already have children, we are still cautious about using the medication, since there effectiveness has not been proven and its long-term safety in this population has not been tested.
Posted by Updated 2017-12-11
Julie Chen: Dr. Bernstein, I want to go through all the options that are available for women, but what is the difference between female and male hair loss option-wise. What can we do to treat it?
