Q: My friend just came back from Paris and said that his cousin was taking Avolve for hair loss. Can you tell me what that is and is it available in the U.S.? A: Avolve is the European trade name for dutasteride 0.5mg made by GlaxoSmithKline for prostate enlargement. In the U.S. dutasteride 0.5mg, under [...]

Q: I am 22 and losing my hair all across the top of my head. How can I thicken my hair to its level a few years previously? A: If medication, such as finasteride, is successful it can thicken hair by increasing the diameter of the existing hair shafts. Although the cosmetic benefits can be [...]

Q: I have been on Propecia for a year and my hair loss has not stopped or slowed down. How much longer should I give the drug? Can Propecia speed up hair loss in some patients? A: If you have not responded to Propecia in one year, it is unlikely that you will. Finasteride may [...]

Q: My query is prompted by your answer to another query “Is Avodart Safe?” My son, who is in his mid-20s, has been taking Dutasteride for hair loss for about two years now. He had tried Finasteride earlier but without much benefit. Medical supervision regarding Dutasteride is not available in Australia as the drug has [...]

Q: A friend of mine is taking Finpecia, is this the same as Propecia? A: Both Propecia and Finpecia contain the active ingredient Finasteride 1mg. Finpecia is manufactured in India by the company Cipla. It comes in packets of 10. Finpecia contains the same chemical ingredient as Propecia, i.e. 1mg of Finasteride, but it is [...]