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Hair loss treatments for men vary, from hair transplants and lasers to medications such as minoxidil and finasteride. Read on to see our picks, along with their benefits, risks, and costs.

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Michael Andrade/Stocksy

Language matters

In this article, we use the terms “male” and “female” to refer to someone’s sex as determined by their chromosomes, and “men” and “women” when referring to their gender (unless quoting from sources that use nonspecific language).

It can be difficult to say which is the best hair loss treatment for males. While some people may see strong results with a certain proven treatment, it’s possible that the same treatment won’t work for you or that you’ll experience side effects that prevent you from wanting to continue the treatment.

To help you find the best treatment for your hair loss, we’ve collected a wide array of possible treatments, including prescription medications, OTC treatments, natural treatments, hair transplants, and even some lifestyle changes you can start immediately.

Here’s our deep dive into some of the best hair loss treatments available in 2024.

If you have any questions about how we vet brands and products, you can view our detailed page here.

The FDA has approved two medications to treat male pattern baldness:

Minoxidil (Rogaine)

Rogaine is available over the counter as a liquid or foam in Men’s and Women’s formulas. You apply it to your scalp twice daily to help encourage hair regrowth and prevent hair loss. Minoxidil is the active ingredient in Rogaine, and it’s also available in generic form as a liquid solution or an oral tablet.

Both Rogaine and minoxidil can take 4 to 6 months to show results. Results also depend on proper application and dosage.

Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar)

Finasteride is a pill you take every day. It’s available only with a prescription from your doctor. The FDA states that the drug generally takes at least 3 months of daily use to show results.

Combination minoxidil and finasteride

Some people experiencing hair loss may benefit from combining minoxidil and finasteride in a prescription treatment. While minoxidil is available over the counter, the highest available concentration is 5%. A prescription is required for anything above 5%.

Subscribers can be evaluated through services such as Roman, Hims, Keeps, and Happy Head to review whether they would benefit from this treatment and a minoxidil concentration above 5%.

For both minoxidil and finasteride, it may take up to 1 year to see results, and you’ll need to keep taking them to maintain the benefits.

Can I buy hair loss medication online?

You can buy many of the most popular hair loss medications online and, in most cases, have them shipped discreetly to your home. Here are our reviews of some of the top places to buy these medications online, including a closer look at how they compare:

The two most popular hair transplant procedures are follicular unit transplantation and follicular unit extraction, according to a review article from 2021.

Both procedures are considered surgery, so they can be expensive and may cause some level of discomfort.

There are also certain risks, including infections and scarring. You may need to do multiple hair transplant treatments to get your desired outcome.

Follicular unit transplantation (FUT)

FUT is the more “classic” method and may also be called strip harvesting by some medical professionals. It involves removing some skin — typically from the back of your scalp, where there’s an abundance of hair. A surgeon then removes the hair follicles from that strip of skin and reinserts them into the part of your scalp where you’re experiencing hair loss.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE)

In FUE, a technique sometimes also known as punch or punch harvesting, a surgeon removes hair follicles directly from your scalp and transplants them into the bald parts of your scalp. Direct hair implantation is a modified version of this technique in which a specialized tool is used to complete the procedure.

Laser treatment is thought to help reduce the inflammation in hair follicles that prevents regrowth in some types of hair loss, such as alopecia areata.

There are limited studies to support the effectiveness of laser treatments for hair loss. But both a 2021 review of studies and a 2023 study of 53 people indicate that low level laser therapy (LLLT) is safe and effective when used to treat male pattern hair loss. According to a 2019 review, more research on LLLT is still needed.

Quit smoking

Smokers are likely well aware of the negative effects of smoking on overall health, but did you know that smoking may be associated with hair loss as well?

A 2020 study involving 1,000 males found that the majority of males who smoked had some degree of hair loss, while less than half of the participants who did not smoke had hair loss.

If you smoke, quitting may help decrease hair loss.

Try scalp massage

Massages not only feel wonderful but also may help with hair loss. Massaging your scalp stimulates your hair follicles.

Research from 2019 found that scalp massages were associated with self-perceived improvements in hair density.

A 2020 study suggests that scalp massage helped women with cancer regrow hair loss that resulted from chemotherapy — reporting that their hair regrowth was “significantly improved” in comparison to women who didn’t receive a scalp massage.

Eat a balanced diet

A balanced diet may help keep your hair healthy. It’s important to include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, unsaturated fats, and lean proteins in your diet. Limiting your consumption of sweets is also helpful.

A 2019 research review suggests an association between certain vitamins and minerals found in food and healthy hair. Consider adding some of these foods to your diet:

Drinking plenty of water is also an important part of a balanced diet.

Try to reduce stress

Stress can have negative effects on your body, including your hair, and can lead to hair loss.

Strategies that may help reduce stress include:

Oils

Rosemary oil has also been traditionally used to increase blood circulation in the scalp. A 2022 study found that rosemary oil had similar effects to minoxidil after using it on the scalp for 6 weeks.

Saw palmetto

Saw palmetto is a plant with small berries.

While research is sparse on saw palmetto’s ability to treat hair loss, a 2020 review suggests that it may help with hair regrowth while causing few side effects.

Biotin

Biotin is a vitamin found naturally in foods such as nuts, avocados, sweet potatoes, eggs, onions, and oats.

There’s some evidence that taking biotin may help slow down hair loss, but most of the research has been done in women with a biotin deficiency. There is a lack of evidence to suggest that supplementing with biotin has a noticeable effect without taking many other factors into consideration, including the extent of hair loss.

Want to learn about other foods containing biotin? Here’s our list of the top biotin-rich foods.

Onion juice

A small 2002 study found that the use of onion juice as a topical treatment resulted in significantly more regrowth than just tap water in people with patchy alopecia areata. But more research on people with male-pattern hair loss is needed.

Bhringraj

Bhringraj (Eclipta alba), also called false daisy, is a species in the sunflower family. In Ayurvedic medicine, it’s known as an herb that supports hair regrowth.

A review article from 2023 showed that extracts of the herb may result in hair regrowth by increasing blood flow to the scalp. However, more research is needed to find out whether these effects would occur in humans.

Green tea

Another purported herbal remedy for hair loss is green tea.

In an older 2005 study in minks, the polyphenolic compounds present in green tea showed promise as a natural remedy for hair loss. But there have not been any studies in humans to confirm these effects.

Hibiscus

Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is marketed widely in India for hair regrowth. A 2003 review article suggests positive effects on hair follicles, but no studies have been done in humans.

Looking for more hair regrowth products to treat hair loss and thinning? We compared over-the-counter and prescription treatments to find the 9 Best Hair Growth Products for Hair Loss and Thinning of 2024

Hair loss could be caused by any of the factors mentioned below.

Genetics and family history

If your relatives have hair loss, you’re more likely to develop it. Male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia, is a genetic condition that causes gradual hair loss. This could show up as a slowing receding hairline or thinning patches on the crown of your head.

Medical conditions

Some medical conditions, such as hormonal conditions and autoimmune diseases, cause hair loss.

For example, thyroid problems, scalp infections, or trichotillomania (a hair-pulling disorder) could lead to thinning hair or bald patches.

An autoimmune condition called alopecia areata develops when your immune system attacks hair follicles, resulting in bald patches.

Medications and medical treatments

Hair loss is a potential side effect of several medications for diseases such as cancer, depression, gout, heart disease, and arthritis.

Stress

Chronic stress or stressful events could lead to temporary hair thinning.

What is male pattern baldness?

Male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, is an inherited trait that affects 30% to 50% of men by the time they reach 50 years old.

It’s typical to lose 50 to 100 hairs per day. Usually, this loss isn’t noticeable because new hair grows to replace the lost hair. Hair loss and baldness occur when hair falls out too quickly or new hairs stop growing.

Depending on the cause of hair loss, you may notice slowly thinning hair or a sudden bald patch. Hair loss can affect the hair on only your scalp or on your whole body.

Consider speaking with a doctor if you:

  • experience sudden patchy hair loss
  • think a medication may be causing your hair loss
  • also have a rash
  • have scaly skin

The following conditions could lead to hair loss:

If you have any of these conditions or you’re experiencing other symptoms besides hair loss, you can talk with a doctor about treating underlying conditions. Your hair loss should improve as your condition improves.

Certain medications can also lead to hair loss, including:

A note on prescription medications

It’s wise to talk with a doctor before stopping or changing a medication you’re currently taking.

If you’ve started noticing thinning hair or you have a family history of male pattern hair loss, you may not be able to completely stop your hair loss. But you may be able to slow or prevent it.

Consider trying these tips to help prevent hair loss in males:

  • finding ways to lower your stress levels
  • supporting your overall health by eating a nutritious diet and staying physically active
  • avoiding hairstyles that tug and pull on your hair
  • using hair products that may help prevent hair loss
  • avoiding smoking
  • trying scalp massages
  • talking with a healthcare professional to see whether any medications or medical conditions could be increasing your hair loss

The cost of hair loss treatment depends on which treatment you decide to try.

For example:

Generic medications and OTC supplements tend to be less expensive.

Hair can grow back as long as the hair follicle is still producing hairs, especially if you can improve blood flow to these follicles.

Hair follicles that have closed or not produced a hair in years are likely not to grow any hair again.

OTC medications, prescription medications, and home remedies may work for men’s hair regrowth in some cases. But these methods do not work for everyone.

Rogaine works best for people with hereditary baldness at the back of the head, just under the crown, especially when it’s taken orally.

Hair transplants are usually more successful than OTC products. But if you have widespread thinning or baldness, or your hair loss is due to chemo or medications, transplants will not be as effective.

The success of a hair loss treatment depends on the treatment you’re using to get your hair back.

If you’re taking an OTC or prescription medication such as Rogaine or Propecia, you’ll have to keep taking it over the long term to maintain results.

It’s possible to regrow hair with medication, other treatments, or a combination of the two. But there are some instances and conditions in which regrowth is not possible.

If you’re experiencing hair loss or thinning due to increased stress or a change in your nutrition, your hair will likely begin to regrow over time when your stress levels drop or you change your nutritional intake.

But if your hair loss is caused by scalp damage and scarring, such as from staples used to treat a head injury, medications like minoxidil and finasteride are unlikely to stimulate hair regrowth.

If you find limited results from home remedies or OTC products such as Rogaine, talk with a healthcare professional about what might be causing your hair loss and how best to treat it.

There are several treatments you may want to try for hair loss, including OTC and prescription medications, hair implants, and home remedies.

It’s wise to speak with a doctor first. They can help you figure out the cause of your hair loss and decide what the best treatment option might be.