Balds
Question 5 · What can be done, and what is it like to live with?

What can be done, and what living with it is like

The hair loss market is loud. Balds doesn't sell anything or rank treatments. These guides set out what each option involves, according to the medical sources, so you can have a clear conversation with a doctor or decide not to treat at all.

Start with the cause. The American Academy of Dermatology says effective treatment begins with finding it, and no single treatment works for everyone. 1 Some hair loss regrows on its own, such as shedding after an illness. 1 If you don't yet know what yours is, our guide to understanding hair loss is the place to begin.

At a glance

The main options for pattern hair loss

OptionWhat it involvesGood to know
MinoxidilApplied to the scalp; sold without a prescription; FDA-approved for men and women 4 5Six to 12 months to judge; benefit lost if you stop 5
FinasterideA daily prescription pill for men 4 6Side effects to discuss before starting 6
Hair transplantSurgery moving hair from the back and sides 7Donor hair is limited; not usually covered by insurance 8 7
Cosmetic optionsHaircuts, fibers, wigs, scalp tattooing, shaving 7 9Immediate and reversible
No treatmentLetting it run its course 3A legitimate choice 4

Our guide to what each option involves covers these and others in full.

All guides

Options, treatments and everyday life

  1. Hair loss treatment options: what each one involvesMedicines, procedures, devices, cosmetic cover and doing nothing, set out side by side: what each involves, how long before you can judge it, and what happens if you stop. No rankings.
  2. Biotin and hair supplements: what the evidence saysBiotin is the most heavily marketed hair vitamin. Deficiency is rare, the evidence for healthy people is thin, and high doses can throw off important blood tests.
  3. Finasteride for hair loss: what to discuss with a prescriberA daily prescription pill for male pattern hair loss. How it works, how long it takes to judge, the side effects people ask about most, and the questions worth raising before you start.
  4. Hair transplants: FUE vs FUT, and the questions to ask a clinicThe two ways surgeons take donor hair, what each means for scars and recovery, who is a good candidate, and the questions that separate a careful clinic from a risky one.
  5. How to shave your head, and look after the scalp afterFor many people with hair loss, shaving it off is the decision that ends the worry. A dermatologist-informed guide to doing it comfortably, avoiding bumps, and protecting a bare scalp from the sun.
  6. How to spot a hair loss scamHair loss is one of the most heavily marketed health worries. The warning signs in product claims, why "growth shampoos" can't do what their labels imply, and how to check before you spend.
  7. How to style thinning hair, including a receding hairlineCuts, parts, products and cover-ups that make thinning hair look fuller, for women and men, plus the styling habits that make thinning worse.
  8. Minoxidil: what it involves and what to ask a doctorThe most widely used hair loss treatment, sold without a prescription. How it is used, how long before you can tell, the side effects, and the questions worth asking first.
Two drawings of the back of the head: one with a single strip of donor hair, one with many single grafts taken from across the area
Where transplant grafts come from: a strip (FUT) or single units (FUE). Drawn for Balds from the ISHRS descriptions. 8 10
Sources for this page
  1. American Academy of Dermatology, “Hair loss: Diagnosis and treatment”. aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/treatment/diagnosis-treat
  2. American Academy of Dermatology, “Hair loss: Signs and symptoms”. aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/insider/begin
  3. Mayo Clinic, “Hair loss - Symptoms and causes”. mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-2037292
  4. American Academy of Dermatology, “What is male pattern hair loss, and can it be treated?”. aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/treatment/male-pattern-hair-loss-treat
  5. American Academy of Dermatology, “Thinning hair and hair loss: Could it be female pattern hair loss?”. aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/types/female-pattern
  6. MedlinePlus (NIH), “Finasteride: MedlinePlus Drug Information”. medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a698016.html
  7. Mayo Clinic, “Hair loss - Diagnosis and treatment”. mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-203
  8. ISHRS, “FUE Hair Transplant: Benefits, Process & Recovery”. ishrs.org/fue-what-is-it/
  9. NHS, “Hair loss”. nhs.uk/symptoms/hair-loss/
  10. ISHRS, “FUT Hair Transplant: Benefits, Procedure & Recovery”. ishrs.org/fut/