Avodart and Female Genetic Hair Loss

One of my friend’s doctors has prescribed Avodart for her thinning hair. Is this effective? If so, why do I not hear more about it? Can I get your to prescribe it as I am in Los Angeles?

See Effective treatment of female androgenic alopecia with dutasteride

One case does not say much about this process, but it may provide a little hope. There is no significant documentation for breast, ovary, or uterine cancer predispositions with DHT blockers. That is worrisome without a good controlled study in hand. We know that one side effect of this medication in men is breast enlargement (one in about 300 men), so the question of safety is paramount in the decision to provide this drug to women. Even for men, there are no long term studies to suggest that this drug is safe for the younger men. Any woman taking this medication while pregnant runs a high risk of producing a hermaphrodite baby (without a normal penis or vagina). This tells you a great deal about what we do not know. I will not prescribe this medication for women, and I have been very forthright against using it without adequate safety issues addressed in the proper way. I worry that articles like this, which show a single example that could be a chance occurrence having little to do with this medication, can be ascribed to the drug. Please don’t rush to your doctor or the internet and use this as a panacea for your hair loss problem, for it could just open a Pandora’s Box. I would be happy, on the other hand, to have you visit me for a diagnosis and an opinion.