Today I called GSK to inquire about the phase 3 results for dutasteride, and a GSK representative said that the clinical trial results were listed on their website. However, I could only find the Protocol Summary for the trial. The representative also mentioned that he could not give me any more information on where to find it because I am not a health care professional.

Do you have access to this information? Is there someplace I can find it?

I found the completed results here (most of them are for dutasteride as a prostate treatment) — Dutasteride Result Summaries

And this is all I could find about the Phase 3 results for dutasteride as a hair loss treatment (which I assume is what you found) — Dutasteride Phase 3 Protocol Summary

I do not have access to the information you’re seeking, as it is my understanding that it hasn’t been released yet. Phase 3 results have been released for dutasteride as a prostate treatment (but not for hair loss treatment), so perhaps you weren’t clear when you spoke to the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) rep or they were just confused.

Dear doctors, keep up the super work. This is my story below.

I worked crazy 12-14 hour days for the past 2 years, and I practically skipped my meals, or had them very irregularly. I lost a lot of weight, and looked good in clothes. Essentially I was malnutritioned. But 1 day I woke up, and noticed easily 20-30 strands of hair on my pillow. I dismissed it as normal, and over the next few weeks, it was the same scenario everyday. It still failed to sink into me.. because I was always healthy. I had a friend who laughed at me, and said that I had a receding hairline. But I ignored him, because I have had a very high forehead / high hairline since birth. One day I looked in the mirror and realised to my horror, that YES I was losing my hair. I immediately ordered Propecia thru the internet.

I have been on Propecia for the past 9-10 months, and I have seen a slowing in the loss of hair. However I’m not really sure if there has been any significant re-growth. There are definitely side effects for me. I no longer get ANY morning wood.. and I need to be significantly aroused before I can have any sex. In the past, it wasn’t the case. (Easier to be aroused). Currently I’m a Norwood 2 – 3. (Can see my widows peaks easily.) By doing the frown test, I can see my hairline has receded half an inch, while my sides have receded 1 inch.

Now for the question:
I can see tiny vellus hairs at the part where my hair has receded. Should I attempt to apply Rogaine just along that 1/2 inch area of tiny vellus hair? Or should I continue my Propecia treatment and hope for the best? It’s really quite sad to see my hair go this way.

I thank you for all the help you have rendered all the brothers here. I feel happy that we can find support in your blog. I wish you and your team all the best always.

You can apply Rogaine at the hairline, but I’m not sure it’ll do much good there. Worth a shot, I suppose. Vellus hair does not turn into normal adult terminal hairs.

I really hope you didn’t just order a prescription drug via the Internet without a doctor’s prescription, because that is what it sounds like you did with Propecia. Regardless, regrowth from Propecia doesn’t occur in everyone, but just halting the hair loss is a positive sign. Arousal issues could be from the medication, but I don’t know what other issues you have in your life — it could be age related, stress related, alcohol or substances, etc. I don’t know enough about you, and this is why a doctor’s appointment should be made to discuss these issues (preferably with the same doctor that prescribed you Propecia).

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I know there is no standardized evidence to say one way or another, but in your opinion is 2 mg of Propecia (1 mg taken in the morning, 1 mg taken at night) more effective at preventing hairloss than 1 mg Propecia?

The reason I ask is I have been taking 2 mg Propecia daily for almost 3 years now, and have started to experience “clumpy” semen and painful ejaculation. I am thinking this is due to a side effect of Propecia. I am kind of in a dilemma now because I don’t know if my fight against hairloss will be affected by cutting down the Propecia to 1 mg or altogether. I am 26 yrs old and single so hair is very important to me.

Thanks Dr. Rassman!

I would reduce the dose of Propecia to 1mg taken in the mornings. The higher the dose, the more side effects you are likely to see. The 1mg dose has been shown to be just as effective as higher doses in the formal studies of drug dosing done by the manufacturer. I recently saw a patient with a similar complaint, and he halved the dose and the side effects went away. He was taking 1mg and reduced it to half a pill of Propecia, which has been reported to be about 80% as effective (0.5mg vs 1mg). In your case, you’re taking too much of the medication to begin with. 1mg a day is fine.

I have read through this blog but cannot find a question that is very similar to mine. Much appreciate an answer.

I’m 40, been balding slowly for many years now, and when the middle part of the scalp started showing up, decided to do something about it. The dermatologist prescribed fin-minoxidil combo. But I have been only on minoxidil for over 6 weeks now. For the first five, I’ve been applying about 1.5ml twice daily; then I realized I was reading the meter on the injector wrong, and have been doing 1 ml twice a day since.

My hair has thinned at a much faster rate after starting the treatment. I know that some people experience minoxidil-induced shedding initially, but here is what perplexes me: I did not notice any visible shedding. By ‘visible shedding’, I mean that I did not see hairs falling off, but the appearance on the scalp is one of heavy loss. In fact, visible shedding has come down quite a bit. My hairs are thick, and prior to beginning the treatment, I would see a lot of hairs on the floor at workplace, or on the pillow, or in the bathroom sink. I see far fewer hairs now after minoxidil. Yet, overall, my hair definitely has thinned at a much, much faster rate.

I am not sure what to attribute this to. Should I assume that minoxidil is working, and that thinning has happened because I shed miniaturized hair that naked eye couldn’t quite spot well? Or am I experiencing a rare adverse reaction due to first 5 weeks of overdose?

Is it possible that minoxidil can cause permanent hair loss that wouldn’t otherwise have occurred without the drug? Thank you very much.

First, you should meet with the doctor that recommended the treatment. I would have mapped out your scalp for miniaturization so without those baseline measurements, I would not know what is going on with you.

Is the finasteride/minoxidil combo a 2 step approach (oral finasteride, topical minoxidil)? Either way, two months is a short time for these medications to give you an effect, but your doctor should check you out to be sure you are not harming yourself (doubtful).

Hi Dr. Rassman!

I have a question regarding DHT and its effect on estrogen.

Isnt it true that DHT is essential to keep estrogen levels at bay? And by removing up to 70% of DHT with a drug like finasteride youre exposed to amounts of estrogen not normal to a male body. That could make for ex building muscles harder, cause you to develop gyno (male breasts) and or other feminine atttributes? What can be done to keep the estrogen levels normal when youre on a drug like finasteride.. or does it matter much if estrogen is roaming freely? whats your opinion Dr. Rassman.

This is a huge concern of mine. Thank you

Your questions are all over the map and many of your facts just don’t fit together. You do not wipe out 70% of DHT, you just block 70% at the hair follicle level. There is no feminizing effects of taking a DHT blocker and if by rare chance you got breast enlargement, it is thought of as an idiosyncratic reaction, not a feminizing process.

Hi I have a question about medications. I have been with a hair company called Ashley and Martin and I have been using their hair products. These being saw palmetto, proscar, and their special hair solution which has minoxidil in it. Also before I had been using these products I had depression, anxiety and my sexual libido(appetite) was not around. Since taking these medications for hair loss I feel great, my hair has thickened, my depression has disappeared, and my sex appetite is very high. I’m just a bit scared of getting off the medication in case I start losing my hair and also go into depression again. Also are these medications ruining my health? I need your help and would be very thankful for a reply

First off, you said that you’re taking Proscar (finasteride). I hope you’re cutting the pill if you’re taking it to treat your hair loss. Proscar is 5mg of finasteride — you only need 1mg daily to treat hair loss (marketed as Propecia).

You’re seeing good results from the combination of treatments, but if you stop them you will lose the hair you gained from the medication. Minoxidil and finasteride are proven hair loss treatments (and the only FDA approved medications for that), and stopping them will cause any benefits you saw to disappear and your hair loss to resume. Could losing your hair lead to depression? It’s possible. If you’re not seeing negative side effects, I don’t see how the medications could be ruining your health. Like I said, the minoxidil and finasteride are FDA approved to treat hair loss, and they are proven both safe and effective.