Diagnosed with both MPD and telogen effluvium, can dutasteride bring my hair back?

Question

At 23 I had a full head of hair. Over a 10-month span, I lost more than half of my hair. I’d say about 70% at least diffuse. A dermatologist diagnosed me with both MPD and telogen effluvium after blood work. I’ve now been on oral minoxidil for almost 2 years, and finasteride about a year and a half. Really not much to show for it despite being young and loss being recent. How likely is it dutasteride can bring my hair back? Would still take oral min

Ross Kopelman, DO · Answer

I understand how disheartening it can be to not see much improvement after being on finasteride and oral minoxidil for a while. Since you’ve been diagnosed with both male pattern baldness (MPD) and telogen effluvium, the combination of these conditions can make hair regrowth a bit more challenging.
Dutasteride is a stronger DHT blocker than finasteride, as it inhibits both types of the enzyme that convert testosterone into DHT, which contributes to MPD. Many patients who don't see significant improvement with finasteride can respond better to dutasteride, so there is a possibility it could help regrow some of your lost hair.
However, because telogen effluvium is a temporary condition triggered by factors like stress, illness, or hormonal changes, it’s important to address the underlying cause of the effluvium alongside any MPD treatment. While dutasteride might help slow or stop the MPD-related loss, telogen effluvium recovery often involves reducing the triggers for that shedding.
I would still recommend continuing oral minoxidil, as it works by stimulating the hair follicles directly, and combining it with dutasteride could improve your chances of regrowth. Just keep in mind that with both conditions at play, recovery might take some time.

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