1. Oral dutasteride 0.5 mg ranked highest in efficacy for male androgenetic alopecia, yielding a mean increase of 19 hairs/cm² vs control (SUCRA ≈ 95%).
2. Finasteride (1 mg oral) and topical minoxidil (5%) also showed significant gains in hair density (≈12 and 20 hairs/cm², respectively).
3. The Bayesian network meta-analysis included 24 RCTs comparing FDA-approved and over-the-counter treatments under a fixed-effects model.
4. Among nonprescription options, topical melatonin and rosemary oil showed limited but measurable improvement relative to placebo.
5. Findings support oral dutasteride as the most potent evidence-based therapy for male pattern hair loss, reinforcing its clinical utility in dermatologic and men’s health practice.

Source: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology