Combination therapy with oral minoxidil and dutasteride in the treatment of male patterned baldness: A case report

Androgenetic alopecia is a medical condition with a deep social and psychological impact on the affected individuals and is characterized by progressive hair thinning, leading to hair loss over the scalp in both males and females. Minoxidil in oral form is primarily an antihypertensive drug, whose mechanism of action is not completely known. Dutasteride is a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, acting on both alpha-1 and alpha-2 receptors. The author combined these two agents for the treatment of male patterned baldness and found that this combination imparts a visible increase in hair thickness, density, and new hair growth in the patient, within a short period causing minimal side effects.