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Male pattern baldness (hair loss) is caused by a combination of genetic factors and the male hormone DHT, a male-specific hormone that causes your prostate gland to increase in size.
Avodart has been scientifically shown to treat male pattern baldness by blocking the production of the male hormone DHT.
By blocking this hormone, Avodart reduces the rate at which hair loss occurs, while promoting the growth of thicker, healthier hair.
While Dutasteride is highly effective at preventing hair loss, it can't repair dead hair follicles. This is why it's best to start treatment as soon as you notice your hair thinning or shedding at an unusual rate. If you're in the advanced stages of male pattern baldness, we want you to know that Avodart can still offer some help.
During the first six months of treatment, there may be some thinning of your existing hair. This may be due to the progression of your hair loss before Avodart had a chance to work, or some shedding of miniaturised hair that makes way for the new hair growth.
We understand that waiting for results can be frustrating, but your patience during this period is crucial for the treatment to work effectively. As with other hair-loss medications, patients taking Avodart should expect to wait a year or more before evaluating Avodart's effectiveness.
Only take one capsule a day. Avodart is not any more effective if you exceed the recommended dose.
It is best to start treatment as soon as possible after you have noticed hair loss, and results are seen sooner if treatment is started within a year of hair loss.
Avodart is one of the most successful and effective hair loss treatments available, but there are Avodart alternatives to choose from.
Finasteride is an Avodart UK alternative that is issued to men to tackle hair loss and male pattern baldness. It works in a very similar way to Avodart by blocking DHT production.
Finasteride is a prescription-only oral medication that is the unbranded generic version of Propecia. This means that it is a cheaper, low-cost alternative to expensive branded hair loss treatments.
Finasteride has high success rates, but Avodart is generally thought to be more successful.
Buy Finasteride here at The Independent Pharmacy.
Propecia tablets are a branded prescription-only medicine that contains the active ingredient finasteride.
Like Finasteride and Avodart, Propecia tackles hair loss in men by blocking the production of DHT.
In a like-for-like study comparing Avodart vs Propecia over the course of 24 weeks, the results showed that Avodart was more effective. Avodart users had more hair +94.6 hairs, compared to Propecia, who had +75.6 hairs.
Available to buy at The Independent Pharmacy.
Avodart side effects don't affect the majority of users however, as with any medication, there is always a chance that you may experience negative effects.
Below are the most common Avodart side effects (affecting up to one in 10 users):
For a full list of side effects, you can read the Patient Information Leaflet enclosed with this medicine.
Some of the adverse effects may decrease with duration of treatment.
However, if you are worried about any of the Avodart side effects listed above or you experience any other adverse effects not listed, speak to your pharmacist or healthcare provider for advice on how to proceed.
In a medical emergency (such as an allergic reaction or any painful or severe Avodart side effects), contact the emergency services or go straight to your local A&E.
Erectile dysfunction can occur as a side effect of using Avodart tablets to treat hair loss. This means you may experience the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during your course of treatment. This side effect may persist after you stop taking Avodart and can affect up to 1 in 10 men who use this medicine.
We have products such as Viagra which are proven to help males suffering from erectile dysfunction.
You can find a range of these treatments here.
Before starting Avodart, it's essential to have an open and honest discussion about your medical history and current situation with your healthcare provider, especially if you have any of the following conditions:
Avodart can cause the following problems to occur, if you are concerned, speak to a GP or pharmacist:
Tell a healthcare professional if you take, have recently taken, or might take any other medication (including nonprescription drugs).
Some can react with Avodart and include adverse reactions. These medicines include:
Inform your doctor if you are taking any of these medications, as you may need a reduced dose of Avodart.
Women who are pregnant or may be pregnant must not handle Avodart capsules. When they face exposure to dutasteride, they can absorb Dutasteride through the skin, which can affect a male baby's normal development. This is a severe risk in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Wash the affected area immediately with soap and water if there is any skin contact. Seek out medical attention if a pregnant woman has touched dutasteride.
Use a condom during sexual intercourse. Dutasteride can enter the semen. If your partner is or may be pregnant, avoid exposing her to your semen, as dutasteride may affect a male boy's normal development.
Improvement in symptoms of male pattern hair loss is typically seen within 3-6 months of starting treatment with Avodart. However, it's important to note that results may vary from person to person. As with Finasteride, you may need to take Dutasteride for one year or more before you begin to notice any hair regrowth.
It is a good idea to take photos of the areas affected by hair loss before you start treatment to allow you to compare them after 6 months and judge the effect.
It is important to start taking Avodart as soon as possible for hair loss. The more hair you have already lost, the harder it is to restart the growth cycle.
During the initial stages of Dutasteride treatment, you may find that you begin to shed some hair. This is a common side effect as damaged follicles shed thin or fine hair to enable thicker hair to grow in its place.
While dealing with male pattern baldness can be distressing, it's crucial to keep in mind that treating hair loss with Avodart is a gradual process, and results won't occur overnight.
Avodart does not cause cancer. However, taking Avodart or other similar hair loss treatments may increase your risk of prostate cancer. In a clinical study, men taking Avodart developed a serious form of prostate cancer more often than men who did not take Avodart (though this is a very small amount).
If you take Avodart, you should have a regular blood test for PSA (prostate-specific antigen), which detects prostate cancer. You should speak to your doctor about this, and if you are having a PSA test, you should tell your doctor that you are taking Avodart. Your doctor could also help you to understand the prevention of prostate cancer better. Similarly, it is important to keep an eye on any side effects, such as breast tenderness and enlargement, which may be a sign of something more serious, such as breast cancer.
The vast majority of people who use Avodart can stop use with no withdrawal symptoms at all. It's important to note that the withdrawal symptoms of Avodart can vary from person to person and it is always recommended to talk to your healthcare professional before stopping (or starting) any prescribed medication. View the patient information leaflet for further details.
If you stop taking Avodart capsules, your DHT levels will return to their previous higher levels in less than a month. Over time you will then lose the hair you have regrown within 9-12 months after discontinuation.
No, Avodart belongs to the class of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors.
To get the best results take one capsule daily. The capsule should be swallowed whole with or without food. Ensure you do not chew or take a broken capsule as the contents can give you a sore mouth or throat.
Only take one capsule a day. Avodart is not any more effective if you exceed the recommended dose.
It is best to start treatment as soon as possible after you have noticed hair loss and results are seen sooner if treatment is started within a year of hair loss.
Propecia and Avodart block the production of DHT. In a like-for-like study comparing Propecia 1mg tablets and Avodart 0.5mg Capsules, over 24 weeks, the results showed Avodart to have more hair; 94.6 hairs, compared to Propecia, which had 76.5 hairs.
It is thought to be safe to combine Avodart with the topical medicine Regaine. Regaine contains minoxidil, which has a different mechanism of action than dutasteride (Avodart). Minoxidil increases blood flow to hair follicles. This helps more oxygen and nutrients to reach the area and increases the likelihood of hair growth. The combination of the two medicines may lead to more hair growth. Regaine is best started within five years of hair loss occurring, this makes it most likely to be effective.
Avodart and Propecia should never be used together.
Avodart is not affected by alcohol.
Avodart normally causes the DHT levels to drop quickly but the hair follicles can then take months to recover and start growing thicker hair again. For this reason it is important to ensure you take Avodart every day and continue treatment for at least 6 months before assessing its true effect. It is a good idea to take photos of the areas affected by hair loss before you start treatment to allow you to compare them after 6 months and judge the effect.
It is important to start taking Avodart as soon as possible for hair loss. The more hair you have already lost, the harder it is to restart the growth cycle.
During the initial stages of treatment you may find that you begin to shed some hair. This is a common side effect as damaged follicles shed thin or fine hair to enable thicker hair to grow in its place.
Avodart 0.5mg capsules, like all medicines, carry some risks of side effects. These are usually low and typically affect around 1 in 100 men. They can include:
Difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection.
Decreased sexual desire.
Decreased production of seminal fluid (this does not effect sexual function).
There are some drug interactions that can increase the levels and effects of Avodart:
If your medication changes or you would like to take some over-the-counter remedies please check with us or a health professional first.
Avodart does not cause drowsiness, nor does it affect your ability to drive.
No, Avodart is only for male use.
For the safety of women who may be pregnant or of child-bearing age, it's crucial to avoid any contact with Avodart capsules. Your care and caution can make a significant difference. Absorption of dutasteride, the active ingredient, can go on to have effects on an unborn baby's sexual organs. If a woman of childbearing age comes into contact with Avodart capsules, especially if the capsules are broken, medical advice should be sought immediately.
Avodart can sometimes be excreted in the ejaculate of men taking the medication. To help avoid the medicine coming into contact with women, a condom should be used whilst taking this medicine.
If you're considering the generous act of donating blood, please note that you'll need to stop taking Avodart for at least 6 months beforehand to ensure the safety of the recipient. This is to ensure any blood given to pregnant women does not contain traces of the medication and does not face dutasteride exposure for the reasons explained above.
You should not be trying to conceive whilst taking this medication.
Our advice is to refrain from unprotected sex for a 6 month period upon stopping your treatment, as it can take this long for the medicine to fully leave your body.
There should be no long term effects of the drug on fertility once it has left your system.
Avodart will not cause hair to grow in any other places. As only the hair on the head is lost due to the effects of DHT, Avodart only affects the growth of hair on the head.
We think accessing healthcare should be easy. Whether we’re fulfilling NHS prescriptions or helping people find the right treatments, we aim to offer our customers dependable, economical and convenient access to medicines with a personal and discreet service.
View all the available prices for Avodart (Dutasteride) 0.5mg Capsules from The Independent Pharmacy
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