When you are struggling with hair loss, it’s essential to find the right products to help you with this problem. There are so many different options on the market that it may be confusing which one you should pick. Dutasteride is a promising option that can help you fight against hair loss. This article will talk to you about the benefits and side effects of dutasteride and a comparison between dutasteride and finasteride.
Dutasteride Benefits
The most significant benefit of dutasteride is that this is a highly effective tool for fighting hair loss. It can help with hair loss, but it can also help you regrow your hair. Male pattern hair loss and BPH are believed to be caused by a high level of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) produced by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase.
This product works by preventing the effects of that specific enzyme. This does pause the trigger element for hair loss development in men. It also prevents BPH development.
Dutasteride Side Effects
You should be aware of the side effects if you consider taking this product. This section will take a look at the different side effects of dutasteride, but it will also look at some other warnings that you should be aware of.
Common Side Effects
Some of the most common side effects include:
- Trouble getting or maintaining an erection
- Decrease in libido
- Problems with ejaculation
You may notice that you continue to experience these side effects even after stopping taking this medication.
Another side effect that you may notice is enlarged or painful breasts. This is temporary, and you may see that it goes away sometime between a few days and a few weeks. If this doesn’t go away or if it’s severe, or if there is nipple discharge or lumps on the breast, you should contact your pharmacist or doctor.
Serious Effects
If you notice any of these symptoms, you need to contact a doctor as soon as possible. If you are experiencing any life-threatening side effects, you should call 9-1-1 to seek immediate medical attention.
- Allergic reaction symptoms include peeling skin or swelling of the throat, tongue, or face.
- Symptoms of prostate cancer, such as:
- Frequent pain or stiffness, which is located in your hips, upper thighs, and lower back
- Increased PSA (prostate-specific antigen) concentrations
- Increased frequency of urination
- Trouble getting or maintaining an erection
- Weak urine flow
- Painful ejaculation
- Painful or burning while urinating
- Blood in your semen or urine
Additional Warnings
The first thing that you should remember is that you be sure to talk about taking this medication with your medical professional before you start. They should be aware of your medical history to help you decide whether or not this product is suitable for your needs. They can let you know about the latest information on side effects, which can help you better make this decision.
You should also know that there is the potential that this medication can interact with other medications. These medications that may have interactions with dutasteride include:
- HIV drugs
- Fungal infection drugs
- Blood pressure drugs
- Acid reflux drugs
- Antibiotics
It’s important to know that dutasteride can potentially increase your risk of prostate cancer. The doctor will check you during this course of treatment by doing a blood test for PSA. Since this medication reduces the PSA concentrations, if you have a high number during your blood test, this blood test can help catch a problem early on.
You should not use this medication if you are pregnant. If a woman is pregnant with a male baby and they somehow come into contact with this medication, the child could be born with deformed sex organs. If a woman is pregnant or planning to be pregnant, she should avoid touching this medication and wash their hands immediately after contact with this product.
Dutasteride vs. Finasteride
Both of these medications work by blocking the conversion of the body’s natural testosterone into DHT. Finasteride is the product that was both developed and patented first. It was created in the 70s and later patented in the 80s. It was initially used to treat BPH (prostate enlargement). In 1997, the FDA approved this product to treat hair loss in men under the name Propecia. This is the only medication that is FDA approved for treating hair loss.
Dutasteride is a relatively new drug that was patented in the latter part of the 90s and received its FDA approval in 2001 to treat BPH with the brand name of Avodart.
These medications were proven to be effective when treating hair loss, although only finasteride is FDA approved to treat this condition. They have similar side effects and work within the same amount of time.
The most noticeable difference between these options is that patients in a study who took dutasteride had thicker hair growth and more hair growing in than those on finasteride. This shows evidence that dutasteride has higher efficacy than finasteride.
What does this mean for you? As effective as finasteride can be, and although it’s the only option that is FDA approved for hair loss, dutasteride can be a far more practical option for people who want to regrow their hair.
Conclusion
Treating hair loss can be a journey. Hair loss can harm your self-esteem and confidence. Finding the right treatment option to prevent this problem or reduce the amount of hair you lose can be exactly what you need to feel better about yourself. Dutasteride could be the best option to help you with hair loss. It’s essential for you to talk to your doctor about whether or not this is an option that will work for you.
EVOLVE’s Pharmaceutical-Grade Hair Care Treatments
We provide our patients with the most effective hormone-boosting hair growth medications. Receive the best patient care, optimize your hormone levels, and grow healthy hair with the support of qualified BHRT experts.
From shampoos and topical creams to dropper bottles and capsules, we have treatments to fit almost anyone’s hair needs!
Contact EVOLVE patient care to learn more about our available dutasteride hair growth medications.
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