Dutasteride is a common off-label hair loss medication, and Minoxidil is the mainstay hair loss medication. Learn more about if they are better when used together.
Minoxidil is the active ingredient found in the popular over-the-counter hair loss medication, Rogaine.
And, Dutasteride is an interesting newcomer in the world of hair loss as a common off-label prescription to help lower DHT levels.
For some men looking to optimize their hair or help slow male pattern hair loss, this combination may be what they are looking for.
Below, we will cover the basics of why some people use Dutasteride along with Minoxidil, if these two medications are safe to use together, if you may get better hair results by using both Dutasteride and Minoxidil, and where you can talk with a doctor about off-label oral or topical Dutasteride for hair loss.
Learn More: Topical Dutasteride Studies: What Does the Research Suggest for Hair Loss So Far
For some health conditions, you want to choose just one medication or the other. And, the usual reason why is because medications meant to treat the same thing, may have very similar or overlapping mechanisms.
This could lead to treating one aspect of the disease too much or lead to higher risks of side effects.
However, in the case of Dutasteride and Minoxidil for the hair, this is not the case. These medications seem to target very different aspects of the process of male pattern hair loss.
Dutasteride is in the same class of medications as Finasteride, which is FDA-approved for hair loss (unlike Dutasteride, currently).
The mechanism for Dutasteride is to reduce the levels of DHT, and, since DHT is known as the hormonal reason behind the shrinkage and damage to hair follicles in androgenetic alopecia, keeping DHT levels lower can lead to more preservation of the hair you have and potential regrowth in some.
Minoxidil, on the other hand, does not have a focus on DHT -- at all. Minoxidil works on the tiny blood vessels in your scalp, helping them to dilate and allow more oxygen and nutrients to flood around the follicles.
Minoxidil is approved for use in men and women, and is thought to help with healthy and improved hair growth.
Minoxidil may also help reset the hair growth cycle, leading to longer periods of time in the growth stages, and less time in the resting or shedding stages.
Since these two may have good hair loss benefits, but are focused on helping out on completely different aspects of hair loss, your doctor may recommend that you combine the efforts for potentially better results.
Read Related: Switching From Finasteride to Dutasteride for Hair Loss: What You Need To Know
So, now that we know that Dutasteride and Minoxidil are focused on different aspects of hair loss, it is important to make sure that they are safe to use together.
Currently, there are no known interactions between these two medications which would make it dangerous to use them at the same time, or even combine them into one treatment, as in the case of our topical Dutasteride formula.
However, this does not mean that you may not have side effects from the use of the medications, just as you may from using only one or the other.
Always review the information and speak with your doctor about the potential side effects of Dutasteride and Minoxidil.
Learn More: Topical Dutasteride Strengths: What Are the Most Common Strengths of Topical Dutasteride for Hair Loss?
Some studies have looked into the use of oral Dutasteride along with Minoxidil to see what kind of hair results participants experienced.
One study evaluated hair benefits from using oral Dutasteride 0.5mg twice a week along with daily Minoxidil 5% solution and injected platelet-rich plasma, as compared to a group using only Dutasteride 0.5mg twice a week and daily topical Minoxidil 5%.
Over 300 men were followed up with for a year, and both treatment groups had less hair falling out during a hair pull test, and improved hair density over the course of treatment, although the benefits were slightly better with the group that also utilized platelet-rich plasma injections.
It is also worth noting that the only reported side effects were injection site pain for most participants and a mild headache post-injection in about 6-7% of patients. There were no reports of sexual dysfunction side effects in either group.
While the patients in the above study had good hair results from using Dutasteride with Minoxidil, we do need more controlled studies comparing the combined use with just each agent alone to conclusively know that the combination can lead to better hair results than using Dutasteride or Minoxidil alone.
However, there are studies looking at the closely related medication Finasteride showing better hair results from using combination Minoxidil therapy over Finasteride or Minoxidil individually.
Also Read: Dutasteride Online for Hair Loss Treatment
At Strut Health, we have an outside-the-box approach to prescription hair loss treatment.
We carry FDA-approved hair loss treatments like Finasteride tablets and topical Minoxidil, and our doctors are also well versed on the up-and-coming off-label hair loss medications like Dutasteride.
We have oral Dutasteride capsules, as well a Dutasteride plus Minoxidil and Tretinoin topical gel for men who prefer an all-in-one topical application.
Our topical Dutasteride formulations are customizable to fit your hair goals and personal preferences.
You can have a free online telemedicine questionnaire and image-based consultation with our U.S. licensed doctors today to see if Dutasteride capsules or combination Minoxidil topical treatment is a good option for you.
If you are a good candidate for treatment, your medication can be shipped to your front door.
If you have any questions or concerns during your treatment, our staff and doctors are available for free unlimited follow-ups.
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