Dutasteride (Oral)

Dutasteride is a prescription medication approved by the FDA to treat an enlarged prostate (BPH); it is not FDA-approved for hair loss, and its use for hair loss is off-label at a licensed provider’s discretion. Not for use by women who are or may become pregnant; pregnant women should not handle the capsules, because the drug can be absorbed through the skin.

Side effects may include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation problems and breast tenderness or enlargement; tell your provider about any mood changes. Dutasteride stays in the body for months — do not donate blood until at least 6 months after your last dose. It lowers PSA test results, so tell any doctor who orders a PSA test that you take it.

Results typically take 3 to 6 months, vary by person, and are maintained only with continued use. Sudden or patchy hair loss can signal an underlying medical condition and should be evaluated.

Finasteride blocks one form of the enzyme that turns testosterone into DHT. Dutasteride blocks both, lowering DHT more thoroughly. For men whose hair loss has kept progressing on finasteride, a provider may recommend it as the next step. Its use for hair loss is off-label, which is exactly why it starts with a real medical review rather than a checkout button.

• Tell us about your hair loss — a 2-minute intake with photos and what you’ve tried before.
• A licensed provider reviews — and prescribes dutasteride only if it is appropriate for you.
• It arrives monthly — discreetly, on schedule, so you never break the routine.