BPH drug shows efficacy in treating female hair loss

Mesotherapy with dutasteride, a 5-alpha reductase enzyme inhibitor used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, has been shown to be effective in improving hair density, thickness, texture, and color in women with female pattern hair loss (FPHL), an Egyptian study reports.

A total of 126 women with FPHL, characterized by reduced hair density in the crown, frontal, and parietal scalp areas, were randomized to 2 groups: 86 received microinjections of a preparation containing dutasteride 0.5 mg; 40 controls received injections of saline. The 2-mL injections were given every week for 8 consecutive weeks, then twice every 2 weeks, then once after 4 weeks. Digital photos of the scalp before and after treatment were taken at each session, hair strands were epilated from participants' scalps to determine hair count and texture, and structure of the strands was examined under electron microscope. Two weeks after the last treatment, patients were asked to self-rate improvement.

At week 18, photographic evidence of improvement was seen in 63% of the dutasteride group vs 18% of controls; mean number of strands epilated by hair pull was significantly decreased in the dutasteride group (P<0.05) but not in controls (P>0.05); and hair diameter in both groups was significantly improved (P<0.05). Self-assessments of hair color, softeness (or "fall"), and brightness were significantly higher in the treatment group than in controls (P<0.05). A negative correlation was seen between the degree of improvement and duration of FPHL (P<0.05).

Moftah N, Moftah N, Abd-Elaziz G, etal. Mesotherapy using dutasteride-containing preparation in treatment of female pattern hair loss: photographic, morphometric and ultrustructural evaluation. JEADV. 2012. Epub ahead of print.