Is Proscar different from Propecia?

Yes. Propecia is different from Proscar. Propecia is a prescription drug that can be prescribed by your general physician, dermatologist or by Dr. Epstein or another hair doctor. It helps slow down the progression of hair loss in most patients, particularly in the back half of the head, the crown and the mid-scalp and for some patients in the frontal part of the scalp as well. Proscar is a generic form of a similar drug but it comes in a much larger form, 5 mg instead of 1 mg. Some patients, although not necessarily on the advice of Dr. Epstein or other hair doctors, have been known to cut Proscar into quarters and then take the pill one time per day. In other words, 1/4 of a Proscar pill per day instead of 1 pill of Propecia per day to save money. Dr. Epstein recommends Propecia to patients for hair loss, although some patients do use the generic form of Proscar, which may or may not be recommended by a particular physician.