When it comes to hair loss treatments, some men are willing to try anything. From old family remedies to experimental drugs, if there’s a chance it will work they will give it a whirl. In this article we are going to discuss a drug that is rumoured to be more effective than PROPECIA at combating male pattern baldness.
We say rumoured because this prescription medication has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at least not when it comes to hair loss. Just like its close cousin Finasteride (PROPECIA), Dutasteride, or generic Avodart , was developed to fight prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate).
But during clinical trials, users of Finasteride noticed that their hairlines had suddenly, inexplicably improved. So, in 1992 Finasteride was approved to fight prostatic hyperlasia, and five years latter it became only the second drug for male pattern baldness to be approved by the FDA. The first was Minoxidil.
To date, Dutasteride has yet to be approved for use in the war against baldness. In fact, for some strange, unknown reason the company has not contacted the FDA and is not seeking approval. The only thing we do know is that Dutasteride has only been approved for use in patients who suffer from prostatic hyperplasia.
What does this mean? Again, many follicly challenged folks are more than willing to experiment with drugs that have not been approved by the FDA. It can only be assumed that the side effects of the drug are similar to those of Finasteride. They include: decreased libido, initial shedding or hair loss, dry mouth, and even impotence.