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• Dalacin T

• Duac

Oral antibiotics prescribed for the treatment of acne- Lymecycline 408mg once daily for three to six months.

Do not use topical and oral antibiotics together (increases resistance).

Treatment should start with low dose topical preparations, before considering stronger topical preparations or
antibiotic tablets. Patients should speak with a GP to decide on what treatment or combination will work best.

Severe acne with scarring needs to be treated immediately by consultation with a GP or dermatologist.

Patients can book in for an online consultation through MyClinic.ie for acne consultation if any escalation with
treatment is required. The patient may be advised of this.
5) Hair Loss

Alopecia (hair loss) affects up to 60% of men, with around 25% starting to lose their hair before the age of 30.
The most common form of hair loss in men is known as male pattern baldness, and results from the natural
effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. Finasteride is the first drug in history to effectively treat male
pattern baldness in most men who use it.
Finasteride is an oral medication that works by slowing the breakdown of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone
(DHT) – a key chemical in the process of male pattern baldness. A 1 mg dose of finasteride can effectively lower
DHT levels in the scalp by as much as 60% when taken daily.
While Finasteride is available on prescription in the UK and US to treat hair loss, it is not licensed in Ireland for
this use. In Ireland, Finasteride is licensed to treat prostate problems in some men and is prescribed in a much
higher dose than is required for the treatment of hair loss. When doctors here decide to prescribe Finasteride
for the treatment of hair loss, it is what is known as an ‘off-licence’ use of the medication.

Finasteride

While Finasteride will not significantly recover any hair lost previously, it will slow down or stop any further hair
loss in most users, for the duration of treatment. On withdrawal of finasteride, your hair loss returns.

The safety questionnaire completed by the patient should be reviewed by the prescribing doctor to ensure there
is no contraindication to using this medication.

If medically appropriate, prescribe up to 46 tablets of Finasteride 5mg. These tablets are then cut into quarters
using a tablet cutter, and one quarter tablet is taken each day. A basic tablet cutter can be purchased at a local
pharmacy.

Finasteride needs to be taken for at least 3 months, and up to one year, before adequate results can be achieved.
If the treatment is not working after a year, discuss alternative treatments with the patient.
This is a useful guideline on male pattern baldness assessment and management.

https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2016/april/male-baldness/

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