Finpecia is a common medication, promoted on multiple online pharmacies, supplying the generic alternatives of popular original drugs. People with male pattern baldness may find this word sound very familiar to them. Indeed, Finpecia is nothing but a trade name of an Indian copy of Propecia – the first oral drug approved for the treatment of hair loss in men.

Finpecia is a product of Cipla, India. The medication was named after its prototype drug Propecia by combining parts of two words: FINasteride, which is the active ingredient of both drugs, and proPECIA. In fact, this seems to be a common practice for Indian pharmaceutical companies to name their products similarly to western brands, obviously, with the intention to make their products more familiar to western customers.

After all, the name is not of crucial importance here. What is really important is what Finpecia has in common with Propecia from the point of its therapeutic value, effectiveness in treating hair loss, and safety.

Prior to describing the medicinal values of Finpecia, it is worth mentioning that in the USA the original drug Propecia is protected by patent, expiring in 2013. However, unlike in the USA, pharmaceutical companies in India are allowed to make copies of the medications, developed and patented abroad, because Indian law does not accept patents on drugs or food products.

Consequently, all the generic alternatives to Propecia are mostly supplied from India, and are promoted over the internet. That explains a significant price discount, which is the first vivid difference between Propecia and its Indian equivalent Finpecia. While one month supply of original Propecia costs around $60, Finpecia can be grabbed for 18-25 bucks in the web pharmacies. Taking into account the fact that one should stick to Propecia forever in order to stop hair loss and regenerate its growing, the total amount of money saved with Finpecia is more than substantial.

From chemical point of view Finpecia is exactly the same as Propecia – both medications contain 1 mg dose of finasteride – substance, which is able of inhibiting or suppressing the action of specific enzymes, called type II 5 alpha-reductase, which convert androgenic testosterone into 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Too much of DHT in the scalp skin is believed to be the reason of male pattern baldness. 

Just like Propecia, Finpecia should be taken once daily with or without meals. The first visible improvements usually appear in about 3 months of taking the pills. The manufacturers also warn the patients that withdrawal of treatment leads to a reversal of effect within 12 months. The strong warning about the use of Finpecia in women and children also exists here.

Safety profiles of Propecia and Finpecia also seem to be pretty similar. Finpeciais said to be generally well tolerated with only mild and temporary side effects, such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips and face. Since Finpecia deals with male hormone testosterone, the most unpleasant adverse reactions are decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculation problems. So, it may be a case of personal choice: what is better: to lose some hair or to lose erection…

So, chemically both medications are practically the same – same mode of action, same dosage, similar side effects and precautions with the only difference in price, stemming from the fact that Finpecia is manufactured in India, while Propecia is made by a world-known pharmaceutical giant Merck.

However, it should not be left behind that copies are still not the originals. While chemical substance used in Finpecia is the same as in Propecia, the process of drugs manufacturing is different. This may, though not necessary of course, lead to some differences, like minor impurities, contaminations or inactive ingredients. After all, there is no need to explain the difference between the original paintings by Salvador Dali and their cheaper copies: pictures may look absolutely the same, but the processes of their creation are absolutely different.