In clinical trials the doctors noticed that a side effedt of the drug was hair re-growth in the balding patients. Propecia was also discovered in this way several years ago.
The excitment about Dutasteride is the fact that it has proven to be more effective and faster acting than any other treatment thus far in the fight aqainst hair loss. Dutasteride works by blocking the formation of DHT 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. What makes Dutasteride even more effective is it's ability to also inhibit both types of 5-alpha reductase (5AR).
As with other hair loss drugs women should not take Dutasteride. In fact pregnant women should not even handle the drug as it is easily absorbed through the skin. Dutasteride can cause serious side effects in newborns. Birth defects may occur when large amounts of the drug are absorbed into the body during the period of fetal development. Men who have taken Dutasteride should not donate blood for atleast 6 months after stopping treatment.
Propecia and Avodart should be taken once a day. It has been found that after two years of treatment, Propecia effectively grows hair in about 66% of patients. Also, about 83% of the subjects receiving this treatment continue to maintain their existing hair after two years.
Dutasteride, there are other treatment options (all topical) that may or may not work to block the effects of DHT on vulnerable hair follicles. These include Revivogen, Crinagen, Progesterone Creams, and Xandrox (a type of minoxidil).