Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia
Background Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss, often challenging to treat. While oral finasteride (1 mg/d) is an FDA-approved treatment for male AGA, oral minoxidil and oral dutasteride are not approved yet. However, clinicians have been increasingly using these two dr...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Dermatological Treatment |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2022.2109567 |
| _version_ | 1797683462442844160 |
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| author | Aditya K. Gupta Mesbah Talukder Greg Williams |
| author_facet | Aditya K. Gupta Mesbah Talukder Greg Williams |
| author_sort | Aditya K. Gupta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss, often challenging to treat. While oral finasteride (1 mg/d) is an FDA-approved treatment for male AGA, oral minoxidil and oral dutasteride are not approved yet. However, clinicians have been increasingly using these two drugs off-label for hair loss. Recently, Japan and South Korea have approved oral dutasteride (0.5 mg/d) for male AGA. Efficacy and safety A probable efficacy ranking, in decreasing order, is – dutasteride 0.5 mg/d, finasteride 5 mg/d, minoxidil 5 mg/d, finasteride 1 mg/d, followed by minoxidil 0.25 mg/d. Oral minoxidil predominantly causes hypertrichosis and cardiovascular system (CVS) symptoms/signs in a dose-dependent manner, whereas oral finasteride and dutasteride are associated with sexual dysfunction and neuropsychiatric side effects. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics The average plasma half-lives of minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride are ∼4 h, ∼4.5 h, and ∼5 weeks, respectively. Minoxidil acts through multiple pathways to promote hair growth. It has been shown as a vasodilator, an anti-inflammatory agent, a Wnt/β-catenin signaling inducer, and an antiandrogen. Finasteride inhibits 5α-reductase (5AR) type II isoenzyme, while dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II. Thus, dutasteride suppresses DHT levels more than finasteride in the serum and scalp. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:15:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4200798c5e5148f9ab03df2fe70bb02a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0954-6634 1471-1753 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:15:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Dermatological Treatment |
| spelling | doaj.art-4200798c5e5148f9ab03df2fe70bb02a2023-09-15T14:28:52ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Dermatological Treatment0954-66341471-17532022-10-013372946296210.1080/09546634.2022.21095672109567Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopeciaAditya K. Gupta0Mesbah Talukder1Greg Williams2Mediprobe Research Inc.Mediprobe Research Inc.Farjo Hair InstituteBackground Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss, often challenging to treat. While oral finasteride (1 mg/d) is an FDA-approved treatment for male AGA, oral minoxidil and oral dutasteride are not approved yet. However, clinicians have been increasingly using these two drugs off-label for hair loss. Recently, Japan and South Korea have approved oral dutasteride (0.5 mg/d) for male AGA. Efficacy and safety A probable efficacy ranking, in decreasing order, is – dutasteride 0.5 mg/d, finasteride 5 mg/d, minoxidil 5 mg/d, finasteride 1 mg/d, followed by minoxidil 0.25 mg/d. Oral minoxidil predominantly causes hypertrichosis and cardiovascular system (CVS) symptoms/signs in a dose-dependent manner, whereas oral finasteride and dutasteride are associated with sexual dysfunction and neuropsychiatric side effects. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics The average plasma half-lives of minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride are ∼4 h, ∼4.5 h, and ∼5 weeks, respectively. Minoxidil acts through multiple pathways to promote hair growth. It has been shown as a vasodilator, an anti-inflammatory agent, a Wnt/β-catenin signaling inducer, and an antiandrogen. Finasteride inhibits 5α-reductase (5AR) type II isoenzyme, while dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II. Thus, dutasteride suppresses DHT levels more than finasteride in the serum and scalp.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2022.2109567hair lossandrogenetic alopeciamale pattern hair lossfemale pattern hair lossoral minoxidiloral finasterideoral dutasteride |
| spellingShingle | Aditya K. Gupta Mesbah Talukder Greg Williams Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia Journal of Dermatological Treatment hair loss androgenetic alopecia male pattern hair loss female pattern hair loss oral minoxidil oral finasteride oral dutasteride |
| title | Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia |
| title_full | Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia |
| title_short | Comparison of oral minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia |
| title_sort | comparison of oral minoxidil finasteride and dutasteride for treating androgenetic alopecia |
| topic | hair loss androgenetic alopecia male pattern hair loss female pattern hair loss oral minoxidil oral finasteride oral dutasteride |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2022.2109567 |
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