As people age, their hair naturally begins to lose thickness and volume. However, hair thinning can also be caused by stress, nutrient deficiencies, health conditions, and other factors.
If you’re looking for a solution to your thinning hair, the best thing to do is speak to a trichologist or dermatologist. A medical professional will be able to determine the underlying cause of your hair loss and recommend options to stop or reverse your hair thinning.
Your dermatologist or trichologist will probably recommend one or more of the six most effective treatments for hair thinning and hair loss. They are hair transplants from Sharma Skin & Hair Surgery, microneedling, Minoxidil, Finasteride, low-level laser therapy, and platelet-rich plasma.
Although your hair loss might resolve on its own, your dermatologist may recommend a treatment to prevent it from thinning further and speed up hair regrowth.
Read on to learn more about these six hair thinning treatments that actually work.
1. Hair Transplants
Hair transplant surgery is very effective and can provide a lasting solution to hair thinning. Hair transplants are done by a surgeon, who removes individual hairs or strips of skin with hair from one part of your scalp and transfers the hair to an area with thinning hair or baldness.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the duration of the surgery is 4 to 8 hours. To find out if hair transplants are an option for you, speak to your dermatologist.
2. Micro-Needling
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, using a device with hundreds of small needles rolled over your scalp can help your hair regrow. Studies have shown that micro-needling can be more effective when combined with another treatment for thinning hair – such as medication or low-level laser therapy.
3. Minoxidil (Rogaine)
Minoxidil is a go-to hair loss treatment for men and women with androgenetic alopecia because it stimulates hair growth and prevents further loss. The over-the-counter topical medication Rogaine contains minoxidil as an active ingredient. While minoxidil is effective for hair thinning, it won’t restore a whole head of hair.
According to a recent review of studies, minoxidil can also be used for other types of hair loss, and doctors have been known to recommend it for hair thinning caused by chemotherapy. The review’s authors also state that more research into minoxidil would be beneficial.
4. Finasteride (Propecia)
A 2021 clinical trial to measure the effectiveness of topical finasteride spray found that it improved the hair count for 323 men with male-pattern baldness. If you use finasteride, you may only see results a few months later. Like minoxidil, you may lose your hair regrowth when you stop using it.
5. Low-Level Laser Therapy
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, low-level laser therapy may help those who have male-pattern baldness, alopecia areata, hair thinning from chemotherapy, and those who have had hair transplants.
You can also purchase laser combs and caps for at-home use. Although there have only been a few studies, low-level laser therapy has yielded some promising results. One study revealed that the participants who used a laser comb got thicker, fuller hair. At the same time, the placebo group showed no improvement.
Suppose you decide to try low-level laser therapy to treat your hair loss. In that case, you may only see results after having the treatment a few times a week for several months.
6. Platelet-Rich Plasma
With platelet-rich plasma therapy, a dermatologist draws your blood and spins it in a centrifuge to separate the plasma from it. Then, the dermatologist will inject the platelet-rich blood into the areas of your scalp where you are losing hair.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the platelet-rich plasma procedure lasts only 10 minutes. For the best results, undergoing the procedure once per month for at least three months is recommended.
