Formula 82D contains (5%) Minoxidil and (.75%) Dutasteride along with a topical steroid to improve efficacy and reduce irritation, complemented by other proprietary ingredients that improve the formulas’ overall effectiveness, stability and usability.

Dutasteride is a 5α-reductase inhibitor that works by decreasing the production of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in tissues in the scalp. It acts on both type 1 and type 2 of the 5α-reductase enzyme, and is markedly more efficacious than finasteride in the dual inhibition of DHT (~70% for Finasteride vs 90+% for Dutasteride).

Hair Science Advisory Board member, and well respected hair restoration specialist, Dr. Alan Bauman reports that while Finasteride products often produce high quality regrowth results, he regards Dutasteride as a superior option for his male patients, as it typically suppresses a greater amount of DHT and has a longer half-life, meaning that it acts longer throughout the day, and can be a better option for less compliant patients who are more likely to skip occasional applications.

The question of which to use typically comes down to costs and patient responsiveness to Finasteride vs Dutasteride. We’ve recently reduced the price of Formula 82D by over 20% to help make this an easier decision for both doctors and their patients interested in comparing their outcomes from trying a topical Dutasteride product.

Dutasteride is not recommended for women and is generally available by prescription for men only.
See (Minoxidil-based) Formula 82M for women.