I first heard about Dr. Kyle Gillett of Gillett Health (Kansas) when watching the Huberman Lab Podcast on hair loss that he helped create earlier in 2023.
At the time, I had forgotten that Dr. Gillett gave me a detailed and somewhat complicated response to one of my past questions on Twitter in 2022:
Good question. Dutasteride has linear and non linear pharmacokinetics (similar to acetaminophen). At a dose of 0.01mg a day, half life so fast it’s below LCMS quant limit after 30mins. 0.1mg: hours. 0.5mg: days. https://t.co/Xs7kQBpQun
— Kyle Gillett MD (@GillettHealth) December 25, 2022
Finasteride and Dutasteride AMA
This week, Dr. Kyle Gillett and his clinic’s nurse practitioner James O’Hara conducted a very interesting ask me anything (AMA) session on YouTube. They answered numerous questions in relation to both dutasteride (Avodart) and finasteride (Propecia).
Among the numerous subjects they discuss include: side effects; post-finasteride syndrome (PFS); systemic absorption; dosage iterations; topical finasteride; and topical dutasteride. They did not cover the finasteride and low-dose dutasteride combination treatment (that has become popular on Reddit) in detail.
However, Mr. O’Hara does state that he takes both drugs, and might have gotten some OCD exacerbating mental issues when being on finasteride alone. I have my doubts about such connections, but I am no medical expert.
I was pleasantly surprised to hear that both of these guys take oral dutasteride for their own hair loss and seem to prefer it to finasteride. Both have seen significant benefits to their scalp hair growth while on the drug. Make sure to read my past very important post on dutasteride hair loss reviews and the numerous subsequent reader comments and testimonials.
The reason I was surprised is because enlarged prostate (BPH) drug dutasteride was never approved to treat hair loss in the US by the FDA. In fact it is still only approved for the latter purpose in Japan and South Korea. So most US medical professionals tend to stick with the usually weaker finasteride. Moreover, almost no male US celebrity has ever admitted to taking dutasteride for his androgenetic alopecia. With a notable exception being Ashton Kutcher.
In contrast, quite a few have admitted to taking finasteride to treat their hair loss, including Donald Trump. Do note that finasteride seems to work over the long-term in most patients. However, dutasteride is often an even better option if you get no side effects. In the below video, the doctor and nurse discuss starting patients out on a low dose of dutasteride so as to slowly reduce dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Interestingly, Dr. Gillett recently stopped taking dutasteride for some kind of fertility related reason. Maybe he is trying to have children? Right away, he saw a reduction in his scalp hair and an increase in his body hair. It is refreshing to see such a video based dutasteride and hair growth related testimonial from a medical expert. Mr. O’Hara said that he saw a reduction in his acne and sebum after starting dutasteride.
Admin: I’ve mentioned on here before that I’m on sublingual Min & topical Fin. Both very low dose to start off with. I do believe the Fin does slightly go systemic to some degree – for me. I emphasise the ‘me’ in that sentence. The doc said it wouldn’t, being aware of my past experience with the oral version. If I experience any pain the old ping pongs (like before, but nowhere near as strong) I lessen the amount. At first I thought it was just a phantom dull ache – that I was imagining it. So initially, I ignored it. The mind can play some wacky tricks on you sometimes, but no, it was there. So I altered the ml’s in the dropper to experiment somewhat. The FIN is very fluid, so you don’t need much for coverage anyway. I’ve since worked out the correct dose and we’ll see if I get any hair improvement as well. I’ll keep you posted.
If you are planning to go down this route please pay particular attention to any change in your mood. I came off of Finasteride after two years as I came to the view that it might be causing depression and anxiety. I had never suffered from these before and was in my 50s. It is impossible of course to say whether there was a connection, though others have experienced this when on the drugs. Anyway, the effect disappeared after I stopped using Finasteride. I now wear a hair system and will await hair multiplication. I’m not saying don’t try them; I am simply asking people to be careful and monitor your mental health.
Yes!!! They both definitely cause mood depression and a little fatigue for me. I take a break every once in a while and it’s such a relief when I do. I get less side effects from Dut than Fin, thou. Both reduce body hair and I am 100% sure of that. Dut causes more weight gain for me than Fin, but only taking Dut. Looking to cut down to every other day.
Approximately how much weight gain do you associate with Dut? I think it made me gain up to 10 lbs, but not certain.
It feels like there is some water weight involved and I am guessing the dutasteride prevents me from losing rather than the gain itself. I haven’t been as effective with fasting while on the meds with similar calorie reduction. It also feels like I am bloated or my stomach never completely empties. I would say 5 lbs to 7 lbs weight gain. I might be hungrier too. Can’t quite put my finger on the problem, but I notice it.
Hey Admin,
Will you please delete my comments above. I would classify it as unintended misinformation. I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and my weight issues and bloated feelings are far more likely due to the disease rather than dutasteride.
It’s better that we just eliminate everything above so readers don’t have to fear a non existent side effect.
Thank you.
Wow. That’s a serious side for the benefit of hair. This is getting personal. Also, 3 sheets to the wind describes me rn, but I can still type. Thanks Android assistant :-) Hope y’all are OK. Health matters first.
Sorry to hear Slick! Do you mean you have vision problems?
Also. I appreciate checking this site every week. Thank you, Admin.
Good to see the old timers drop by Slick :-)
I really wish they would make a version of DHT inhibitors that truly don’t go systemic. I’ve tried oral and topical fin, and both times unmistakably started growing breast tissue in less than a week. It’s still there as a reminder that I can’t use these drugs.
Get on it scientists! Antibody-drug conjugates would be a great start.
Dutasteride mesotherapy is the closest we have to that.
I hear you Jack! Me too!…20 years ago if you would have asked me if we would have an effective side effect free treatment by now I would have bet my house on it. …ugh
https://youtu.be/DBl56V-ZxvY?si=uykSkDxR2SyUt_9F
In this clip above, this study shows that taking doses of .5 mg Dutasteride on 2 to 3 back to back days, during the week, is as effective as 1mg of Finasteride, daily.
In other words, if someone takes it Mon, Tues, and Wed, it will be as effective as Finasteride with potentially less side effects. Anyone try this or believe this?