What is Dutasteride (marketed as Avodart) and how does it work?
Dutasteride, like Propecia, is a pharmaceutical (a drug) in pill form that acts as a DHT-inhibitor by binding with the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, but unlike Propecia in that it has not completed the FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the USA) approval process for treating hair loss in the form of androgenetic alopecia.
It does not appear as though GlaxoSmithKline is planning on completing the Phase III trials for approval as a medication for hair loss. This is somewhat unfortunate because Dutasteride is a very potent DHT-inhibitor due to the fact that it binds with both types of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, thereby reducing the amount of circulating DHT even further than can be expected by Propecia. Early studies showed it to be very effective in fighting hair loss, especially in the crown area. It has been approved only for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia at this point, but many people are seeking off-label prescriptions for it for hair loss.
One speculation as to why GlaxoSmithKline didn't complete the FDA approval process for Dutasteride for the purpose of treating hair loss is that the cost of going through this process was prohibitive and did not justify the potential financial gain for doing so given that Propecia is already approved for treating hair loss. This is just speculation however as nobody is certain why they didn't complete the approval process.
HairLossFight.com recommends sticking with the approved alternative, Propecia. Should you wish to use Dutasteride for hair loss you should do a lot of research first and also visit the various hair loss forums to learn from people that have already used it for hair loss what you may expect. The potential for side-effects of a sexual nature are potentially greater than if you use Propecia. Also, it has a much longer half-life than Propecia does (meaning it stays in the body and continues to inhibit DHT for a much longer time period than Propecia, when taken in similar doses).
You should not use both Propecia and Dutasteride or Avodart at the same time. There is really no point.
Return to the Hair Loss FAQ
|
