The Effect of Finasteride, a 5 Alpha-Reductase Inhibitor, on Scalp Skin Testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone Concentrations in Patients with Male Pattern Baldness

    September 1994 in “ The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism ”
    Aimee Dallob, Neil S. Sadick, W Unger, S Lipert, Lori A. Geissler, S L Gregoire, Hung T. Nguyen, E C Moore, W Tanaka
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    TLDR Finasteride reduces scalp DHT levels, potentially treating male pattern baldness.
    The study investigated the effect of finasteride, a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, on scalp skin testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations in patients with male pattern baldness. The results showed that finasteride significantly reduced DHT levels in the scalp skin, which is believed to be a key factor in the development of male pattern baldness. The study suggests that finasteride may be an effective treatment for male pattern baldness.
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      community Is this broscience? From More Plates, More Dates

      in Research/Science  22 upvotes 8 months ago
      The conversation discusses whether finasteride's reduction of DHT and increase in scalp testosterone contribute to hair follicle miniaturization. Some participants argue testosterone does not cause miniaturization, while others suggest that even with reduced DHT, other androgens like testosterone may still contribute to hair loss.

      community Proof that finasteride messes with neurosteroids

      in Research/Science  230 upvotes 4 months ago
      Finasteride can impact neurosteroids, potentially causing depression and other side effects in some users. Despite these concerns, many continue using it for hair loss, with some switching to topical applications to mitigate side effects.
      Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      community Diffuse hair loss and scalp biopsies

      in Research  692 upvotes 3 months ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

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