Hair loss treatment options: choosing for the right cause

The right treatment depends on why your hair is thinning. A medicine for inherited pattern loss will not necessarily treat inflammation, traction or shedding after illness. Before comparing products, establish the likely cause and what you want treatment to achieve.

Start with the pattern and timeline

Gradual recession or thinning at the crown may suggest pattern hair loss. Increased shedding across the scalp can follow illness, childbirth or marked weight change. New patches, pain or changes to the skin need assessment rather than a trial of unrelated products.

Take a list of medicines and supplements to the appointment and note when the change began. The NHS hair-loss guide explains possible causes and when to seek help. Our alopecia guide sets out the differences between common diagnoses.

Medicines for pattern hair loss

Topical minoxidil can help some people with pattern loss. Product suitability, application and precautions vary, so follow the specific leaflet and discuss uncertainty with a pharmacist or clinician. Benefit generally depends on continued treatment, and irritation or unwanted hair growth can occur. See our minoxidil guide.

Finasteride may be prescribed for male pattern hair loss. It needs a discussion of benefits, medical history and adverse effects. The MHRA safety advice includes psychiatric and sexual risks. It should not be described as a routine addition for everyone.

Other prescription approaches may be considered by a specialist for particular diagnoses. Do not copy a regimen from someone with a different condition or use another person's prescription.

When surgery may be considered

A transplant moves existing donor follicles into selected areas. It may improve coverage in suitable patients, but it cannot create an unlimited donor supply or prevent all future native hair loss. Active scalp disease, unstable loss or poor donor supply can make it unsuitable.

FUE and FUT are donor-harvesting methods. PRP and scalp micropigmentation are not types of transplant: PRP involves injections of a preparation from the patient's blood, while micropigmentation creates a cosmetic appearance with pigment. Their aims and evidence should be discussed separately.

PRP, laser devices and supplements

Ask what evidence supports the exact treatment offered, how much improvement is realistic and how response will be assessed. A package combining several interventions can make it difficult to know which, if any, helped.

The British Association of Dermatologists' male pattern hair-loss information discusses treatment options and limitations, including uncertainty around PRP. Evidence for one device or protocol should not be assumed to apply to every product sold under the same broad description.

Supplements should address an identified need. Taking additional vitamins when intake is adequate is not a proven solution to all hair loss, and excess amounts can be harmful. Our protein and hair-loss article explains why nutrition needs to be assessed in context.

Cosmetic choices and deciding against treatment

Hair fibres, a different cut, a hair system or a wig can change appearance without regrowing hair. Some people prefer these options; others choose no cosmetic treatment. That choice does not prevent you from seeking medical advice about unexplained symptoms.

For any option, agree an assessment period and what would count as worthwhile improvement. Compare photographs consistently and review adverse effects, inconvenience and ongoing cost as well as hair counts.