The Efficacy and Safety of Dutasteride Compared with Finasteride in Treating Men with Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

February 2019 in “ Clinical Interventions in Aging ”

Zhongbao Zhou, Shiqiang Song, Zhenli Gao, Jitao Wu, Jiajia Ma, Yuanshan Cui

dutasteride finasteride androgenetic alopecia total hair count global photographic assessment vertex frontal views altered libido Propecia

TLDR Dutasteride more effectively treats hair loss than finasteride, but may increase risk of altered libido.

This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of dutasteride and finasteride in treating men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the study, which analyzed the mean change in total hair count, investigator's assessment of global photographs, panel global photographic assessment, and subjects' assessment. The results showed that dutasteride was more effective than finasteride in increasing total hair count and improving the investigator's and panel global photographic assessments for the vertex and frontal views. However, there was no significant difference in subjects' assessment between the two drugs. In terms of safety, dutasteride was associated with a higher risk of altered libido compared to finasteride.

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