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Review
. 2020 May;33(3):e13379.
doi: 10.1111/dth.13379. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

5-Alpha reductase inhibitors in androgenetic alopecia: Shifting paradigms, current concepts, comparative efficacy, and safety

Affiliations
Review

5-Alpha reductase inhibitors in androgenetic alopecia: Shifting paradigms, current concepts, comparative efficacy, and safety

Rachita Dhurat et al. Dermatol Ther. 2020 May.

Abstract

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a multifactorial disease that carries a significant psychological burden with it. Dihydrotestosterone, the main pathogenic androgen in AGA, is produced by conversion of testosterone, which is catalyzed by the 5-alpha reductase (5-AR) isoenzyme family. Finasteride and dutasteride are inhibitors of these enzymes. Finasteride, which is a single receptor 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (5-ARI), acts by blocking dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Dutasteride, a dual receptor DHT blocker, has a higher potency than its predecessor, finasteride. This review corroborates the evidence of superiority of dutasteride over finasteride, and its comparable safety profile concerning fertility, teratogenicity, neurotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity.

Keywords: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors; androgenetic alopecia; dutasteride; finasteride.

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References

REFERENCES

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