Dutasteride vs Finasteride – Which Medication is more Effective for treating Hair Loss?

Dutasteride vs Finasteride

Around 50% of men or women will eventually experience hair loss. Hair loss medication can encourage hair growth and make the hair feel thicker and fuller.

Dutasteride and finasteride are both popular oral and, in some cases, topical treatments for hair loss. Dutasteride is a medication that doctors prescribe for people with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The FDA has not approved it as a treatment for hair loss, but a doctor may prescribe it for this purpose.

Finasteride and minoxidil are two FDA-approved medications for the treatment of male hair loss. Finasteride works by binding to the 5-alpha reductase enzyme and stopping it from converting testosterone into DHT. This can slow hair loss but will not completely stop it.

Dutasteride is more potent than finasteride for hair loss because it inhibits both types of 5-alpha-reductase (5AR), the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This results in a more significant reduction in DHT serum levels, and studies show that dutasteride regrows more hair than finasteride.

In a 2017 study, researchers reviewed the effects of dutasteride and finasteride in men with androgenetic alopecia. They found that dutasteride was more effective, but its adverse effects were like finasteride.

In 2019, a larger study compared dutasteride with finasteride to treat male-pattern hair loss. The study found that dutasteride significantly increased hair counts had increased efficacy compared to finasteride, and produced similar side effects.

Side effects

Both medications can cause sexual side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, gynecomastia, decreased ejaculation volume, and reduced sexual desire.

Finasteride may also increase the risk of depression.

Dutasteride may cause a range of sexual-related side effects that may increase a person’s risk of prostate cancer, and the FDA has not approved dutasteride for use in hair loss.

Safety

Both medications are generally safe, with rare side effects that are usually reversible and not permanent. However, pregnant women should not take or handle either medicine because it can cause birth defects in male fetuses.

At AlviArmani, our physicians work side by side with our in-house Research and Development lab to provide our patients with the latest combination therapies that have proven most effective. During your hair loss consultation, we will discuss surgical and medical therapy options and customize a treatment appropriate for you.