Propecia along with many prescription medications can, along with their beneficial effects, have some unwanted side effects. In clinical studies, side effects in men were uncommon and did not affect all those taking Propecia.

Propecia was developed to control and to help reverse hair loss in men. It is a medication that is intended for use by men only and should not be taken by women. Women who are, or may be potentially pregnant should not handle broken or crushed Propecia tablets because of the active ingredient contained, which can cause abnormalities of a male baby’s sex organs. Any woman who is pregnant and has handled a damaged Propecia tablet should consult a doctor. Propecia tablets are specially coated and this will prevent contact with the active ingredient during normal handling.

In general use a small number of men (less than 2%) experienced some side effects from taking Propecia. It was noted that these side effects went away in men who stopped taking Propecia, but the side effects decreased to affect less than 0.3% of men who continued to take Propecia for five years.

Side effects that have been reported by people taking Propecia can be summarised as follows. Less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection, and a decrease in the amount of semen. Some men also reported that they suffered from testicular pain, breast tenderness, lip and face swelling, rash and itching.

Because the active ingredient in Propecia is Finasteride, which is a drug which is used to treat older men with prostate problems, should you be asked by your doctor to take a test for the screening of prostate cancer, called PSA, you should tell the doctor that you are taking Propecia.

It is worth remembering that the side effects associated with taking Propecia affect only a very small number of men and in the majority of those who are affected, the side effects went away after a period of time. In any case you should consult your doctor if you suffer any of these symptoms.