Hair Loss Remedies
Minoxidil: Minoxidil is a classic hair loss treatment which promotes blood flow to the follicles by widening blood vessels, stimulating the hair follicles, promoting new growth. This treatment typically takes 3-6 months before results are seen. Usually you will go through a shedding phase before new growth is noticed. This can be alarming but trust the process. However this does not fix the underlying cause in male pattern baldness, which is DHT. So you will continue to lose hair even though it appears as if you have results. Overtime as the efficiency of minoxidil diminishes or the rate of hair loss increases, you will continue to lose ground. Additionally if you stop using minoxidil you will lose all progress. Keep in mind that only about 30-40% of people respond well to minoxidil.
Recommendation: I personally would not recommend minoxidil as the first medication that you try. For one without a DHT blocker you won’t be preventing further hair loss, you’ll just be encouraging new growth. Secondly it is kind of a pain for some people to apply it everyday. There is an oral version, however this can bring on some side effects. It is super rare to develop side effects with the topical version. I used minoxidil for two years, the results were alright for the first 6 months, but after that I kept losing hair. Keep in mind I was not on a DHT blocker during this time period.
Finasteride: Finasteride, also known as propecia, is a hair loss treatment that works by blocking DHT, which is the by-product of testosterone that causes hair loss. Finasteride blocks up to 70% of DHT. Plenty of men have results from finasteride alone. Nearly 90% of men report their hair loss stopping or slowing down greatly, with about 66% of men experiencing some sort of regrowth after two years of usage. Usually people take 1mg per day, but many studies show that .25-.5mg is just as effective. People also may experience some sort of shed on finasteride, so don’t be alarmed. Results may be seen within the first 3-6 months, while others can take around a year or so to see results. The key is to trust the process. Additionally DO NOT take this medication if you are under 18, it may hinder your bodies development.
Recommendation: I personally would recommend finasteride as the first medication you try. First off this medication treats the underlying cause of hair loss, DHT. Without addressing DHT, any other treatment will not be nearly as effective in the long term. Many people fear the side effects of finasteride. If this is you, DON’T WORRY. The side effects are very rare and you can always stop the medication if you do get them. My advice to you is to not work yourself up over the sides, if you do so, you may cause a placebo effect. When I started the first time I was so anxious and quit the first week. I tried again 2 years later and now I am taking .5mg daily with no sides. I would recommend starting on a low dosage and slowly increase the dosage. I started out taking .25mg every other day then moving it to .5mg every other day. Then eventually .5mg every other day, with .25mg in the days in between then to .5mg daily. If you really fear finasteride a lot, you can always try the topical version first.
Where to buy: You can purchase finasteride on sites such as Keeps or Ro. You can also go to a dermatologist to get a prescription.
Dutasteride: Dutasteride is another common hair loss treatment. It is very similar to finasteride as it reduces DHT. However dutasteride is much more powerful and reduces DHT by 95%. Almost 90% of people find improvement in their hair after 36 months with dutasteride. A temporary shed may also occur, so don’t worry it’s normal! Results will take anywhere from 3-6 months to even a year or so. Trust the process! Additionally, DO NOT take this medication if you are under 18, it may hinder your bodies development.
Recommendation: I personally would not try dutasteride first. I would say try out finasteride before dutasteride, as there is more of a likelihood that you will develop side effects with dutasteride. That being said dutasteride is the strongest DHT blocker, so you may get better results. If finasteride is not cutting it for you, I would definitely consider trying dutasteride. Like finasteride, if you get sides you can always stop the treatment and they will go away. I would also dose lower and take it every other day when you start off; gradually upping the dosage. DO NOT start this of you are very anxious about side effects, you may develop a placebo.
Where to buy: You can purchase dutasteride on the site Happy Head. You can also go to a dermatologist to get a prescription.
Microneedling: Microneedling is another standard practice that promotes blood flow to the scalp, by causing small wounds on the scalp. This practice in theory can be more effective than minoxidil in some cases. However doing this alongside minoxidil can prove to create great results. Microneedling can make minoxidil work better, as it helps minoxidil penetrate the scalp better. This is great for people who are non-responders to minoxidil. It’s recommended to microneedle at least every two weeks.
Recommendation: I personally would choose microneedling over minoxidil, as some studies show that the hair count is better retained after stopping compared to minoxidil. I would not choose this as your first treatment for hair loss as it doesn’t address the main problem, DHT. However if you do start microneedling I would recommend using minoxidil as well. Though microneedling has proven to be beneficial on its own, it could work even better with minoxidil. Result are best seen with needling at .5-.75mm in depth. I recommend micro needling once a week or every two weeks, this gives your scalp time to heal in between sessions. Also use a derma-stamp as derma-rollers may cause damage as the needles will not go in straight. If you use minoxidil alongside with this treatment, skip a day of minoxidil the day of microneedling.
Nizarol: Nizarol, is a shampoo, typically used to help with dandruff, but it can also help with hair loss too. The main ingredient in nizarol is ketocanazole, which eliminates fungi on the scalp and also inhibits DHT. That being said, it is much weaker at blocking DHT when compared to finasteride or dutasteride.
Recommendation: Personally I would not try nizarol by itself as it is much weaker than other DHT block. So if your hair loss is moderate to severe, go with finasteride or dutasteride instead. However it’s still beneficial to use this alongside other treatments. I used nizarol when I first started losing hair at 16 and it did seem to reduce shed and make my hair thicker at first. I recommend using it 2-3 times a week as it can cause your scalp and hair to be dry if you overuse it. When using, let the shampoo sit on your scalp for 5 minutes.
Conclusion: There are many ways to treat your hair loss, some being more effective than others. Promoting blood flow to your hair follicles is very important, however blocking DHT is essential. DHT must be blocked to produce any longterm results. You will also have to stay on treatment to maintain your hair growth. Overall finasteride is the best option in my opinion. However you should use a DHT blocker(finasteride or dutasteride) along with a hair follicle stimulate(minoxidil or microneedling), and nizarol for the best results.