Dutasteride

Also known as: Avodart (brand), dual 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor

Hair Restore

In plain English

Dutasteride is a close relative of finasteride used for hereditary hair loss. It blocks two forms of the enzyme that makes DHT (finasteride blocks one), so it lowers DHT more completely. It is FDA-approved for an enlarged prostate, not for hair loss, so its use for hair — and all the compounded scalp and injectable forms in this catalog — is off-label. As with finasteride, benefits depend on continued use.

The science

Dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II 5-alpha-reductase, reducing serum DHT by roughly 90% versus about 70% with finasteride. In a randomized, placebo-controlled phase II study of 416 men, dutasteride increased scalp hair count in a dose-dependent manner, and the 2.5 mg dose was superior to finasteride 5 mg at 12 and 24 weeks. Its long half-life (weeks) means effects and any side effects can persist after stopping.

References

• Olsen EA et al., J Am Acad Dermatol 2006
• Gray SL & Semla TP, BMJ 2019 (5-alpha-reductase inhibitor class safety)