Finasteride tends to be more effective if you begin taking it when you first notice hair loss. A dermatologist may also prescribe this medication to treat a woman who has hereditary hair loss and cannot get pregnant. If finasteride works for you, you will need to keep taking it to continue getting results.
Dermatologists are the experts in diagnosing and treating hair loss. A dermatologist can tell you whether it's FPHR or something else that is causing your hair loss.
Your dermatologist will prescribe medication to help with hair loss. Topical minoxidil, commonly called Rogaine, can help with hair growth and thickness. In some cases, your doctor will prescribe Finasteride in oral form.
Antiandrogens. Medications that inhibit androgens—sex hormones that damage or destroy hair follicles—may stop hair loss in female pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia.
Finasteride and minoxidil are the main treatments for male pattern baldness. Minoxidil can also be used to treat female pattern baldness.
Finasteride (Propecia) and Minoxidil (both oral and topical - Rogaine) are the only drugs approved by the FDA to treat pattern baldness (hair loss resulting from hereditary causes).
Currently, minoxidil is one of two FDA-approved hair regrowth treatments (the other, finasteride, is something we've discussed below). As such, it's one of several dermatologist recommended hair growth products you'll likely hear about if you talk to a healthcare provider about thinning hair.
What's the most effective hair loss treatment? Minoxidil (Rogaine) is regarded as one of the most effective hair loss treatments. Topical minoxidil can be an effective treatment for androgenic hair loss,. Some studies demonstrate improvement in up to 70 percent of users.
As with male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness comes from hormone imbalances, specifically dihydrotestosterone imbalances, or DHT. This hormone is similar in structure to testosterone, but it is significantly more potent [3]. DHT can attach to receptors on the hair follicles, causing the follicles to shrink.
Medications are the most common treatment for hair loss in women. They include the following: Minoxidil (Rogaine, generic versions). This drug was initially introduced as a treatment for high blood pressure, but people who took it noticed that they were growing hair in places where they had lost it.
Biotin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a complex B vitamin that is often touted for having hair growth benefits. And some of that hype may actually be worth it. Biotin has functions in “creating red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles,” says Dr. Green.
Sometimes simply addressing a medical condition prompting hair loss will be enough for the hair to regrow. In other instances, a woman might consider a medication like minoxidil (Rogaine), which helps with certain types of hair loss, or another treatment to replace or regrow lost hair.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.
Studies indicate that laser therapy is safe and painless but requires many treatment sessions. To see a bit of hair growth, you may need several treatments a week for many months. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): Studies show that this can be a safe and effective hair loss treatment.
In June 2022, the FDA approved the first treatment for a type of hair loss in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, known as alopecia areata. The drug, called baricitinib, was already approved for the treatment of another autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis.
The hair cycle and hair follicle structure are highly affected by various hormones. Androgens—such as testosterone (T); dihydrotestosterone (DHT); and their prohormones, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and androstendione (A)—are the key factors in terminal hair growth.
For one good biotin supplement, Dr. Jaliman recommends Nature's Bounty Biotin. Containing a marine complex, as well as biotin, zinc, vitamin C, iron, and horsetail extract, Viviscal “uses vitamins to extend the anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle,” says Dr. Engelman.
DHT: The hormone behind hair loss
DHT is found in skin, hair follicles, and the prostate. The actions of DHT and the sensitivity of hair follicles to DHT is what causes hair loss. DHT also acts in the prostate. Without DHT, the prostate doesn't develop normally.
Sources of Biotin
Foods that contain the most biotin include organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables (such as sweet potatoes) [2,12].