Background: 5-alpha inhibitors are an effective treatment for androgenetic alopecia. Mesotherapy with dutasteride has been proposed as an effective method to improve hair loss and reducing systemic absorption.
Objective: The main objective was to describe the safety profile of mesotherapy with dutasteride in real clinical practice in a large cohort of patients with androgenetic alopecia. A secondary aim was to describe the effectiveness of this treatment.
Methods and materials: A multicentric retrospective study was designed. Patients treated with at least 6 months of follow-up were included in the study. Side effects and response to the treatment were analyzed.
Results: A total of 541 patients were included. The commonest approach during the first year was to perform the treatment every 3 months. Response to the mesotherapy in monotherapy could be assessed in 86 patients (15.9%) after one year. Most of them presented clinical improvement, being a marked improvement in 33 patients (38.4%). Pain was the most frequent side effect of the treatment (246 patients, 45.5%). No serious or sexual adverse events were detected.
Conclusion: Mesotherapy with dutasteride was effective in male and female hair loss in real clinical practice. Side effects related to the treatment were mild and self-limited. This therapy may be an effective option for select patients wishing to avoid oral treatment. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(7):742-747. doi:10.36849/JDD.6610.