5α-Reductase inhibitors in androgenetic alopecia
December 2014
in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity”
TLDR Finasteride and dutasteride effectively treat hair loss in men and women, but may cause side effects like low libido and depression.
This document is a review of studies on the use of 5α-reductase inhibitors (5&RIs) in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The authors found that finasteride and dutasteride, two types of 5&RIs, were effective in treating AGA in both men and women. Studies showed that dutasteride was well-tolerated and effective in treating female pattern hair loss. The authors also noted that future clinical trials are needed to further evaluate the efficacy of 5&RIs in AGA treatment. The article also mentions potential adverse side effects of 5α-reductase inhibitors, such as persistent diminished libido and erectile dysfunction, depression, gynecomastia, and male breast cancer.
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