Dutasteride is an effective medicine to decrease the volume of the prostate and relieve symptoms caused by its increase, such as urinary retention. However, this drug has also been used to treat baldness as it is effective in promoting the growth of new hair on the scalp of men.
This medicinal product should be used with appropriate medical advice, usually by mouth, in a tablet at a dose of 0.5 mg. It can be found in pharmacies in generic form, or with the trade names Avodart, GSK, or Dastene, Aché, for example.
What is it for
Dutasteride acts by decreasing the production of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), by inhibiting the 5-alpha reductase type 1 and 2 enzymes responsible for the conversion of testosterone to di-proteosterosterone (DHT).
With decreasing levels of this hormone, called androgen since it is more prevalent in man, this medicine is useful for treating:
1. Prostate Hyperplasia
Dutasteride is able to reduce the volume of the prostate and prevent its increase, caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia, being able to:
- Improve urinary flow;
- Reduce the risk of urinary retention;
- Prevent the need for prostate surgery.
Generally, this medication is used with the combination of Tamsulosin, a drug that belongs to the group of alpha blockers, which promotes relaxation of the prostate muscles, facilitating the passage of urine and improving the symptoms of this disease more quickly.
2. Baldness
Dutasteride is used for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, the hair loss caused by the action of dihydrotestosterone on the hair follicle, especially in men.
Thus, continuous use of this remedy is able to reverse the action of this hormone, which causes the hair strands to grow back through the hair follicles of the scalp, being able to:
- Increase the count of hair on the scalp;
- Reduce hair loss;
- Improve the coverage of the scalp.
Androgenic alopecia can also occur in genetically predisposed women, so if the woman has a baldness caused by this reason, this medicine can be used in very specific cases with proper medical guidance.
Price
The box with 30 capsules of Dutasteride can cost, on average, between 60 and 115 reais, depending on the brand and the pharmacy that sells the product.
How to use Dutasteride
Oral use
Adult men
- Administer 0.5 mg of Dutasteride once daily. The medicine can be ingested with or without food.
The dose of the medicine may vary according to medical advice.
Main side effects
Due to the decreased amount of male hormones, some side effects of Dutasteride include:
- Impotence;
- Decreased sexual desire;
- Ejaculation problems;
- Gynecomastia, which is enlargement of the breasts.
These effects are most common when higher doses of the drug are needed, especially in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Who can not use
This medicine is contraindicated for children, women and people with severe hepatic impairment.
