I ran into this from a old post from Bryan, read toward the middle of the second quote for Duts effect on the hair line.
Quote:
Materials And Methods. Scalp testosterone and DHT concentrations were determined in 4-mm biopsy specimens taken at baseline and again at 24 weeks. The biopsy specimens were taken anterolateral to the leading edge of the vertex bald spot, adjacent to the target area for hair counts. Scalp testosterone and DHT were measured after tissue homogenization and ether extraction, using the same assay as for serum measurements. Results. [...] Scalp DHT concentrations in the dutasteride groups were also significantly suppressed compared with placebo in a dose-related manner. As with serum DHT, the 0.1-mg dutasteride and finasteride groups showed a comparable degree of scalp DHT suppression (32% and 41%, respectively). Scalp DHT decreased by 51% with 0.5-mg dutasteride and by 79% with 2.5-mg dutasteride. Scalp testosterone levels significantly increased in all active treatment groups compared with placebo, increasing by 23%, 39%, 99%, and 222% with 0.5-, 0.1-, 0.5 and 2.5-mg dutasteride, respectively, and 23% with finasteride.
Quote:
Materials And Methods. [...] For expert panel assessment of global changes in the amount of hair, photographs were taken of both the vertex and frontal scalp. A panel of experts (Drs Olsen, Savin and Whiting), blinded as to treatment, was shown pairs of photographs from baseline and either 12 or 24 weeks of treatment from each view. The panel graded the changes in hair growth on a 7-point rating scale: greatly, moderately, or slightly decreased; no change; slightly, moderately, or greatly increased; ratings were then converted to numbers (-3 to +3) for statistical analysis. [...] Investigator and subject assessments were done at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks. For the investigator assessments, baseline photographs were provided for comparative purposes and the investigators used the same 7-point rating scale al already described for the expert photographic panel. The subjects were asked to rate changes in the size of the vertex spot, hair loss on top of the scalp, bitemporal recession, the amount of hair shedding, hair quality, and overall satisfaction with hair growth on a 3-point scale (improved, no change, or worse). Results. [...] In the frontal region, the dutasteride 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 mg groups improved significantly more than placebo at both 12 and 24 weeks. Finasteride was not significantly different from placebo at 12 weeks (P = .69) but was at 24 weeks (P < .001). At 12 weeks, the improvement in the 0.5-mg dutasteride group (0.28 +/- 0.40) and in the 2.5-mg dutasteride group (0.37 +/- 0.46) was significantly greater than the finasteride group (0.09 +/- 0.39, P = .009 and P < .001, respectively). At 24 weeks, the improvement in the 2.5-mg dutasteride group (0.85 +/- 0.79) was also significantly greater than the finasteride group (0.51 +/- 0.66, P = .002). The proportions of patients judged to have improved hair growth (slightly to greatly increased) at 24 weeks in the frontal photographs were 12%, 22%, 33%, 48%, and 61% for placebo, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 2.5 mg dutasteride, respectively, and 45% for finasteride. The proportion of patients with moderate or greater increases was higher with dutasteride 0.5 and 2.5 mg than with finasteride for both vertex and frontal photographs. Investigators' Global Assessment. [...] At the frontal scalp....the 2.5-mg dutasteride group also showed a significant increase compared with finasteride (P < .001) at 12 weeks. At 24 weeks, dutasteride 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 mg and finasteride groups showed significantly more improvement than the placebo group. The 2.5-mg dutasteride group (1.38 +/- 0.93) was also significantly more improved than finasteride (0.83 +/- 0.95, P < .001).
