Dual Effects of 5α-Reductase Inhibitor Dutasteride on Androgenetic Alopecia and Acne Vulgaris

    January 2019 in “ Dermatologica Sinica ”
    Toshimitsu Ito, Yukiko Kito, Yurika Masuda, Reiko Kageyama, Yoshiki Tokura
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    Studysummary This study observed that dutasteride treatment led to improvement in acne vulgaris among two male patients with androgenetic alopecia, suggesting its potential as a treatment option for concurrent conditions. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    The study reported dual effects of the 5α-reductase inhibitor dutasteride on androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and acne vulgaris in two male patients. Both patients, aged 26 and 23, were treated with dutasteride (0.5 mg/day) for AGA and experienced significant improvement in their acne vulgaris without the use of antibiotics or anti-acne creams. Dutasteride, which inhibits both type I and type II 5α-reductase enzymes, was shown to be effective in reducing dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, thereby improving both conditions. The findings suggested that dutasteride could be a novel treatment option for male patients with concurrent AGA and acne vulgaris, although it should not be used for treating acne in female patients, especially before menopause.
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