Study on the Clinical Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Dutasteride in Female-Pattern Hair Loss

The study, conducted 3 years ago, evaluated the clinical utility of dutasteride in 24 patients with Female-Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) and how it promotes hair growth. The mean vertex hair density increased significantly from 67±14 to 76±13/cm2 (p=0.001) and the mean occipital hair density increased from 89±11 to 94±13/cm2 (p=0.012) after dutasteride treatment, but the mean hair thickness did not increase. Dutasteride treatment led to an increase in β-catenin activity in primary cultures of human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) and the mRNA level of vascular endothelial growth factor, but it did not affect the mRNA levels of keratinocyte growth factor, insulin growth factor-1, and Noggin. The study concluded that dutasteride promotes hair growth through a novel mechanism and supports the potential clinical application of 5α-reductase inhibitors for the treatment of FPHL.