Finasteride in the treatment of men with frontal male pattern hair loss,☆☆,,★★

These data were originally presented at Dermatology 19th World Congress, Australia, June 1997.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(99)70081-2Get rights and content

Abstract

Background: Finasteride, a specific inhibitor of type II 5α-reductase, decreases serum and scalp dihydrotestosterone and has been shown to be effective in men with vertex male pattern hair loss. Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy of finasteride 1 mg/day in men with frontal (anterior/mid) scalp hair thinning. Methods: This was a 1-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed by a 1-year open extension. Efficacy was assessed by hair counts (1 cm2 circular area), patient and investigator assessments, and global photographic review. Results: There was a significant increase in hair count in the frontal scalp of finasteride-treated patients (P < .001), as well as significant improvements in patient, investigator, and global photographic assessments. Efficacy was maintained or improved throughout the second year of the study. Finasteride was generally well tolerated. Conclusion: In men with hair loss in the anterior/mid area of the scalp, finasteride 1 mg/day slowed hair loss and increased hair growth. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1999;40:930-7.)

Section snippets

Study design

This was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted at 15 investigational sites in the United States. The study was approved by the institutional review board at each center, and all men gave written informed consent. After a 2-week, single-blind placebo run-in period, each subject was randomized to receive either oral finasteride 1 mg or placebo once daily for 12 months. All men who elected to enter the open extension received finasteride 1 mg daily during a second year of

Baseline characteristics

A total of 326 men with active mild to moderate hair loss/thinning in the frontal area enrolled in the study. Approximately 50% of the men also had some degree of vertex hair loss. The 2 treatment groups were similar in terms of all baseline characteristics (Table I).

. Baseline characteristics of men randomized

Empty CellFinasteride 1 mg (n = 166)Placebo (n = 160)
Age (y) (mean ± SE)33 ± 0.432 ± 0.4
Age (y) at which hair loss began (mean ± SE)26 ± 0.625 ± 0.4
No. (%) of patients with family history*132 (80.5)

DISCUSSION

During the past 50 years, the causes of male pattern hair loss have been more clearly defined, including its polygenic nature and association with androgens.1, 2 It is now clear that dihydrotestosterone is important in the pathogenesis of this condition, because men with an inherited deficiency of 5α-reductase and decreased dihydrotestosterone levels do not experience bitemporal recession or androgenetic alopecia, and finasteride has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of men with

Acknowledgements

We thank the study coordinators at each site for their invaluable contributions to the study as well as the technical assistance of Mr Douglas Canfield in the development of the photographic procedures used in these clinical studies.

References (12)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (189)

  • Minoxidil, finasteride, and dutasteride

    2023, Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology: Hair Restoration
  • Shedding light on therapeutics in alopecia and their relevance to COVID-19

    2021, Clinics in Dermatology
    Citation Excerpt :

    If true, several classes of drugs used in androgenetic alopecia may be of use in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Examples of such androgen receptor antagonists include spironolactone,69,70 flutamide,71 bicalutamide,72 cyproterone acetate,73 and the 5-α-reductase inhibitors finasteride and dutasteride.74-78 These drugs, which are widely available and have a well-understood safety profile, could be rapidly repurposed for use in COVID-19 patients.

View all citing articles on Scopus

The reported clinical study was entirely supported by Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co, Inc. Merck & Co, Inc is the company that manufactures and markets finasteride.

☆☆

A full conflict of interest statement from each of the authors has been submitted to the Editor. One or more of the authors have received payment for conducting the study, acted as consultants to the sponsoring company, received honoraria for lecturing, or owned stock in the sponsoring company.

Reprint requests: Joanne Waldstreicher, MD, Clinical Research RY33-508, Merck Research Laboratories, 126 E Lincoln Ave, Rahway, NJ 07065.

★★

0190-9622/99/$8.00 + 0  16/1/96937

View full text