Changing from finasteride to dutasteride to reduce sebum

[MJUK]

I started finasteride in October and have responded well to it. Even a low dose of 0.5 mg ED has almost wiped out my serum DHT level and my hair get better every week. I was Norwood 2 on my way to Norwood 3. It has compeltely stopped my hairloss and my hair has thickened and it even looks like the temples are starting to fill in somewhat. I have finasteride along with minoxidil and nizoral and immortal hair supplements.

The reason why I'm interested in dutasteride is I have very oily skin and have to go to the toilet to wipe my face 5+ times a day and have to keep it very clean to avoid break outs. I know sebem is caused by DHT being converted from type 1 emyzne that dutasteride blocks but finasteride doesn't. It has been reported that acne is much better in many people on dutasteride over finasteride.

I'm wondering what dose of dutasteride would be equivlent to 1 mg of finasteride a day? 0.5 mg dutasteride every five days? Is anyone using a similar dose?

Could anyone who has switched from finasteride to dutasteride share their experience?

Cheers

Mark

 

[Bryan]

I know sebem is caused by DHT being converted from type 1 emyzne that dutasteride blocks but finasteride doesn't. It has been reported that acne is much better in many people on dutasteride over finasteride.

I don't know if either of those statements is true, especially the second one. A fairly recent study was done just about five years ago which carefully tested MK386 for acne (MK386 is an experimental, specific 5a-reductase type 1 inhibitor from Merck), and found no benefit to acne at all. It certainly makes you wonder what effect (if any) that dutasteride would have, and why.

 

[Rawtashk]

If you decide to go the dutasteride route, I would suggest getting solid tablets, quartering them, and taking .125mg a day. Even .1mg is more effective at reducing DHT than 5mg of finasteride.

Also, I tried going to dutasteride at .5mg after being on finasteride for 3 years. My hairline took a MASSIVE hit that I still haven't recovered from completely :-/. Now, it's likely that I would have recovered had I soldiered on with dutasteride, but I was too freaked out to continue.

 

[abcdefg]

If DHT plays little role in acne then what does?

 

[Rawtashk]

The food you eat, how clean you keep your face, your genetics, etc etc. Don't blame it all on DHT

 

[MJUK]

If you decide to go the dutasteride route, I would suggest getting solid tablets, quartering them, and taking .125mg a day. Even .1mg is more effective at reducing DHT than 5mg of finasteride.

Also, I tried going to dutasteride at .5mg after being on finasteride for 3 years. My hairline took a MASSIVE hit that I still haven't recovered from completely :-/. Now, it's likely that I would have recovered had I soldiered on with dutasteride, but I was too freaked out to continue.

I'm thinking of 0.5mg EOD. I'm not really prone to shredding i'm more of a diffused thinner with some temple recession.

 

[MJUK]

I know sebem is caused by DHT being converted from type 1 emyzne that dutasteride blocks but finasteride doesn't. It has been reported that acne is much better in many people on dutasteride over finasteride.

I don't know if either of those statements is true, especially the second one. A fairly recent study was done just about five years ago which carefully tested MK386 for acne (MK386 is an experimental, specific 5a-reductase type 1 inhibitor from Merck), and found no benefit to acne at all. It certainly makes you wonder what effect (if any) that dutasteride would have, and why.

I had a quick look at the study and the reductions in DHt by MK386 are not really comparable. There are of course different type of acne but most are caused by excessive sebum production causing black heads and spots. DHT triggers the sebum glands hence more oil. I don;t have acne as such just a few spots on my shoulders/chest and face occassionaly. It is more the shiny face that anoys me and large pores.

dutasteride is often used by steriod users where acne becomes a big problem due to high dht levels and seems to do the trick. I've ordered some anyway, so i'll keep you posted.

 

[MJUK]

The differential responses in serum, sebum, and semen DHT concentrations associated with MK-386 and finasteride treatments are consistent with those changes anticipated for selective inhibitors of the human 5alphaR isozymes. Dose-dependent suppression of sebum DHT by a 5alphaR1 inhibitor suggests the potential utility of such compounds in the treatment of acne.

This was also the conclusion of the study which seems to suggest dutasteride might be helpful.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9141518

 

[Bryan]

I don't know if either of those statements is true, especially the second one. A fairly recent study was done just about five years ago which carefully tested MK386 for acne (MK386 is an experimental, specific 5a-reductase type 1 inhibitor from Merck), and found no benefit to acne at all. It certainly makes you wonder what effect (if any) that dutasteride would have, and why.

I had a quick look at the study and the reductions in DHt by MK386 are not really comparable.

Why don't you think they're "comparable"? :dunno:

 

[MJUK]

Why don't you think they're "comparable"? :dunno:

Because the MK386 only reduced serum DHT by c 30% whereas dutasteride reduces it by 70-95% depending on dose.

 

[Bryan]

Why don't you think they're "comparable"? :dunno:

Because the MK386 only reduced serum DHT by c 30% whereas dutasteride reduces it by 70-95% depending on dose.

You're probably confusing total DHT suppression with just the inhibition of the type 1 enzyme. How MK386 affects the type 1 enzyme is the relevant issue here, because it's type 1 which is inside sebaceous glands. MK386 inhibits type 1 in a similar fashion as dutasteride. Finasteride (a specific type 2 inhibitor) has already been shown not to have any effect on sebum production. So in this specific sense, MK386 is comparable to dutasteride.

 

[Hussam]

Does really Dutasteride lower sebum production?
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