How to Get a Prescription for Propecia

As many of my regular Associated Content readers will know, I began to lose my hair at a very young age, but I've been able to keep my hair loss at bay by taking the prescription drug Propecia. The drug has been very effective for me, and these days it is hard to tell that I ever had a problem with hair loss. I see so many other guys my age who are facing the prospect of serious hair loss by time they reach the age of 30, and I wonder why more of them don't start taking Propecia in an attempt to halt their balding.

Recently, I've asked a few of my male friends who are balding why they are not taking Propecia, and indeed some of them did not even know the drug existed-now that they do, I suspect they will seriously consider starting treatment. A larger percentage, however, had heard of Propecia, but weren't sure of its effectiveness or how to even get a prescription for the drug. This honestly made me a little sad, because the drug has done so much for me personally (for more details about my success with Propecia, see my previous Associated Content article). In an attempt to get the information out there, I am writing this article about just how easy it is to get a prescription for this popular hair loss medication.

If you have a general practitioner or family doctor that you already see, that is probably the easiest place to start. Many men that I have spoken with feel embarrassed talking to their doctors about their hair loss, but this is just silly. Male pattern baldness is a medical condition with approved medical treatments. With more and more men caring more about their appearance these days, I am willing to bet that many, many men before you have asked your doctor the same questions.

If you do not have a doctor that you see on a regular basis, you may want to find a dermatologist who is accepting new patients, since they are doctors which specialize in the treatment of the skin and hair. A dermatologist is even more likely to be very familiar with Propecia than your family doctor. If you don't already have a doctor or dermatologist in mind, you can visit http://www.propecia.com and use the "Doctor Locator" to find a doctor in your area that regularly prescribes Propecia for the treatment of hair loss.

Once you are in the doctor's office, you should be as straight-forward as possible. Tell your doctor that you are uncomfortable with the amount of hair you have been losing lately and are interested in medical options that may be able to stop or reverse your hair loss. Your doctor will likely advise you of the 3 medical options available for treating baldness: a topical medication called minoxidil (Rogaine), an oral medication called Propecia, and hair transplantation surgery. Your doctor will be able to tell you which option is likely to work best for you based on the location and amount of your hair loss. If, after your discussion, you and your doctor decide that Propecia might be right for you, he will write you a prescription that you will be able to get filled at any pharmacy.

Since it commonly takes many months to see results with Propecia, your doctor will likely give you a six-month or 1-year prescription for the drug. Merck, the manufacturer of Propecia, sells special bottles containing 90 pills (3 months worth) of the drug, and offers consumers a discount when they purchase these bulk packs. Therefore, the most cost effective way to purchase Propecia is always to buy at least 90 pills at a time. Also, Propecia is not covered by health insurance, so be prepared to pay the full out of pocket costs for the drug.

Finally, if you are too embarrassed to buy the drug at your local pharmacy, check out drugstore.com or CVS.com. You can get your prescriptions filled through these websites without ever having to talk to a live person, and you may even find that they offer better prices on Propecia than you can find locally. Now, you know just what you need to do to get a prescription for Propecia...don't live with male pattern baldness one day longer. Call your family doctor or dermatologist today.