What is dutasteride?

One treatment option for hair loss and male pattern baldness is dutasteride, a drug that can also be used to treat enlarged prostate glands in men (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia).

Hair loss is a very common condition and, although it is normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, any more than this can be a cause for concern. If you’re worried about hair loss and thinning, it can be beneficial to seek further medical advice as there is treatment and medication available that can help.

Dutasteride is one such treatment option, available here at MENS once you’ve completed a confidential medical questionnaire with our UK-based certified prescriber.

How does dutasteride work?

Dutasteride works to block the conversion of testosterone (the male sex hormone) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This forms mainly in the prostate gland, testes, adrenal glands and hair follicles, leading to the enlargement of the prostate and the shrinking of hair follicles. This has been linked to hair loss in men.

The medication is a dual 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, which means that it reduces DHT production to help slow the rate of hair loss and encourage regrowth in those with male pattern baldness.

It works in a similar way to finasteride (which is the active ingredient in Propecia), another hair loss treatment. They are both in tablet form and should be taken orally, but it’s possible that dutasteride is slightly stronger than finasteride, as it inhibits an additional 5 alpha-reductase enzyme, as well.

How to take dutasteride

Take one tablet regularly each day, swallowing it whole with a glass of water. Do not chew or crush the tablet. If you miss a dose, do not take two doses the following day to make up for it. A missed tablet will not have an impact on the effectiveness of the treatment.

It’s important to take this medication as prescribed. Do not increase the dosage yourself. If you believe the treatment isn’t as effective as you expected, seek further medical advice.

It typically takes dutasteride between three and six months to start showing results and it’s important to remember that an immediate effect will not be seen. It’s also possible that you may not see results for 12 months, which is why it’s important to take the medication consistently over time.

If you stop taking the tablets, you will most likely see that hair loss will resume at its previous rate before you started taking dutasteride.

Are there any side-effects to taking dutasteride?

As with any medication, there is a risk of developing side-effects when taking dutasteride. These include:

– Breast enlargement or tenderness
– Low sex drive
– Erectile dysfunction
– Problems with ejaculation

You are able to string dutasteride online here at MENS following a confidential online consultation with our UK-based certified prescriber.