How to Handle Hair Loss
Don't despair. Thinning hair is common, but there are treatments that can help.
By Sally Wadyka
Feel like your hair is just less . . . there? Male and female pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia) is incredibly common.
For instance, by age 50, half of white men see visible signs, as do about the same proportion of women over age 70. At any age, “thinning hair can impact self-esteem and quality of life,” says Antonella Tosti, MD, professor of dermatology at the University of Miami.
Genetics and hormones may affect hair health. “Androgens are the main cause of baldness in both men and women,” Tosti says—occurring when the hair reacts abnormally to these hormones. In women, hair loss is also more common after menopause, when estrogen levels drop, she says. Your overall health and lifestyle are part of the equation, too.
Talk to Your Doctor
If you’re concerned about thinning strands, the first step is to have a conversation with your doctor.
They can do tests such as checks of your iron levels, thyroid function, and other factors that can affect your hair health. A doctor can also assess whether any medications you take may be exacerbating your hair loss. So be prepared to share a list of your meds.
Consider OTC Treatments
Want to try a therapy to combat hair loss? “There are effective treatments, but they are more effective at slowing or preventing hair loss than they are at regrowing hair,” Tosti says.
One of the most effective at-home treatments is topical minoxidil. You can buy it over the counter in 2 and 5 percent concentrations for about $15 to $50 for a three-month supply. A review published in 2017 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that men using 5 percent minoxidil twice daily had an average increase of almost 15 hairs per square centimeter.
Low-level lasers, typically helmetlike caps worn for 30 minutes at a time, are another option, but they can cost hundreds and be time-consuming. “There is strong evidence that they can grow hair if you use them three to four times a week,” says Ronda S. Farah, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
You may also see supplements—often containing biotin—with hair-regrowth claims. However, “there is no evidence that biotin helps grow hair unless you have a deficiency,” Farah says.
What a Dermatologist Can Do
If at-home treatments aren’t working, a dermatologist may recommend other options. Oral prescription medications (such as finasteride for men and spironolactone for women), for instance, could help most in people whose hormones are affecting hair loss.
Some dermatologists may prescribe minoxidil in oral form, instead of topical. “We are using it at very low doses and seeing very positive results,” Farah says.
Some may also suggest injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an experimental treatment. Here, a doctor takes a sample of your blood, separates out the plasma, and injects this into your scalp. This is normally done in a series of treatments with the goal of stimulating new growth in the hair follicles. Some small studies have shown promise, but PRP injections can be quite pricey, costing in the hundreds for each (and not covered by insurance).
Make Your Hair Look Thicker
“A clean, healthy scalp is essential for growing healthy hair,” says Gina Rivera, a hairstylist based in San Diego. So when shampooing, massage your scalp to stimulate blood and oxygen flow to hair follicles (which they require for growth).
Avoid shampoos that contain sulfates, which can leave hair brittle and breakage-prone. If you have flakiness, consider using a shampoo that contains pyrithione zinc. “It helps soothe the scalp and decrease yeast, which can affect hair growth,” Farah says.
Strategic styling can also help: For men, it’s best to skip comb-overs and keep hair short. A buzz cut, for instance, balances out thicker and thinner areas. For women, a jaw-length bob helps maximize thickness. And for women with receding hairlines, “try adding some face-framing layers or soft bangs to distract attention,” Rivera says.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the October 2022 issue of Consumer Reports On Health.
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