In This Article
In This Article
More than 80% of men will experience some form of hair loss over the course of their lives.
While this statistic may seem a bit disheartening, you do have options when it comes to treating male pattern baldness and receding hairlines.
While there still aren’t any foolproof ways to stop balding, there are several proven methods to slow hair loss, regrow hair, or prevent it altogether.
However, the hair loss treatment for men in the market is loaded with shoddy remedies that offer questionable results. Combing through the different choices can be overwhelming, so it’s best to stick to the options that are scientifically backed.
The treatments covered in this article are proven to work and backed by numerous studies. We’ll also offer some reputable places to purchase these treatments for below the regular market price.
We looked at the top treatments available online and rated them in a few different categories, including:
We only included treatments that can be backed by science. Every remedy included on this list is proven to be effective for treating hair loss in men.
A hair loss treatment is absolutely useless if you can’t afford it. This is why we included treatments to fit just about any budget.
Even the more expensive options, such as finasteride, can be found for relatively cheap when using one of our suggested companies.
Each of these treatments can be purchased from a large number of websites.
To make things easier for you, we included a list of top recommended vendors for the mentioned remedies. Even the prescription medications can be ordered online and shipped directly to your door using a telemedicine service.
Not all hair loss treatments will fit your needs. Depending on several key factors, the best possible remedy could differ. Before deciding on a method of stopping your hair loss, you should consider the following:
Depending on what part of your head you’re losing hair on, you may need an entirely different treatment.
Male pattern baldness typically starts on your head’s vertex and just above the temples. However, many men experience receding hairlines where the hair loss begins on the front of the head.
Some men experience both types of hair loss simultaneously. Some of these treatments are useless for one type of hair loss and excellent for another, making this an important thing to consider.
If you’re experiencing severe hair loss, a prescription or combination of treatments may be your best option.
If you want to stop losing hair before it happens, an OTC medication, supplement, or shampoo may suffice.
Another thing to consider is that these treatments are unable to bring back dead and closed hair follicles. They can cause some regrowth, but only if the follicle is still intact and able to produce hair.
All of these treatments are excellent for helping you keep the hair you have but won’t work if you’re already bald. In this case, the best option is hair transplant surgery.
Regardless of the remedy you choose, your hair won’t grow back overnight.
On average, you’ll need to wait around four months before you see any results. Additionally, these treatments need to be taken for life. As soon as you stop treating your hair loss, you can expect the balding process to resume.
Many hair loss treatments can be found for relatively cheap through our suggested online vendors, but some are cheaper than others. Since treating hair loss is a lifelong commitment, you need to make sure that it fits your budget.
Over-the-counter remedies, such as minoxidil and supplements tend to be cheaper, but the prescription options are usually more effective.
Prescription options also require a telemedicine consultation or a doctor’s visit which is another expense to consider. However, you can get most of these treatments for cheaper when you sign up for a subscription through a recommended company.
Some of these treatments can lead to undesirable side effects.
While rare, it’s possible to have an adverse reaction when using hair loss supplements and medications. If you experience a strange symptom after beginning treatment, it’s a good idea to stop use immediately.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of products that claim to help regrow hair.
The only problem is, many of these so-called “treatments” are completely useless. Fortunately, there are some reliable medications and supplements that are proven to work.
The following four hair loss remedies are backed by science and have been studied and proven to be effective for men.
Finasteride, sold under the brand name Propecia, is an FDA-approved medication and one of the most effective ways to treat any kind of hair loss.
According to a review of the use of Finasteride in male pattern hair loss, oral finasteride stimulates scalp hair growth. Furthermore, it also prevents more hair loss in a significant number of men with male pattern hair loss.
This remedy works both with male pattern baldness and receding hairlines. It comes in the form of a 1mg pill that you have to take once daily. This is a prescription medication, so it’ll require a telemedicine consultation or a doctor’s visit before you can purchase it.
The medication works by reducing the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that your body produces. High levels of DHT have been shown to shrink your hair follicles leading to thinner hair and overall hair loss. Finasteride can lead to a 70% reduction in the amount of DHT that your body produces.
There are some known side effects that you could experience when using finasteride. While rare, these side effects include depression, male breast enlargement, and sexual dysfunction.
Minoxidil is the main ingredient in the popular hair regrowth treatment Rogaine.
When tested in a one-year study, 64% of men who used minoxidil saw a reduction in overall hair loss. Additionally, the medication was very effective at regrowing hair in 16% of participants, effective in 48%, moderately effective in 21%, and ineffective in 16%.
This treatment only works for male pattern baldness on the crown and vortex and won’t help receding hairlines. It comes in the form of a foam or 5% topical solution that you can purchase without a prescription.
Minoxidil needs to be applied to the head twice per day for maximum effectiveness. This can be inconvenient though, as it needs to remain on the head for around four hours before you can wash it out.
It’s not fully understood how minoxidil works to help regrow hair.
However, it is believed that the medication works through vasodilation. By widening your blood vessels and allowing more blood to flow through your hair follicles, it’s believed that minoxidil promotes hair growth.
The medication also widens your follicles and may help them stay in the growth phase for longer.
There are some potential side effects you may experience when using minoxidil topically. Some more common symptoms of an adverse reaction are eczema, irritation, redness, burning, hair loss, back pain, and respiratory infections.
While taking either minoxidil or finasteride can be effective for stopping your hair from falling out and promoting growth, treating hair loss with both medications has proven benefits. According to studies, combining both finasteride and minoxidil is more effective than using either one alone.
These two medications are 100% safe when taken together as well. You can take your finasteride 1mg pill daily and apply minoxidil twice per day to achieve maximum benefit from these remedies.
Many companies, such as Hims and Keeps, offer the two medications in combination packages at a discount and can even be purchased by subscription.
When taken together, finasteride and minoxidil are effective at treating both male pattern baldness and receding hairlines.
So if you’re experiencing rapid hair loss from all parts of your head, this is by far the best option. Just keep an eye out for the side effects of each individual drug and stop use if you experience one.
There is a wide variety of different supplements that have the potential to slow or stop hair loss or even help it regrow.
You can buy specialized blends of these supplements from companies like Nutrafol, or individually. Some of the vitamins and supplements that are proven to help with hair loss are:
The top three places to buy any of the above hair loss products are:
Keeps specializes in treating pattern hair loss and helping you to keep the hair you have.
The company offers prescription and OTC treatment options for men.
You can find the three most effective treatment options on the site, all available with a cheap monthly subscription. This includes the prescription drug finasteride, the OTC medication minoxidil, and a combination minoxidil and finasteride package.
The packages include three months of treatment, with the lower-priced options going for $10/month to $35/month for the pricier finasteride and minoxidil combo. You’ll also be given unlimited access to Keeps’ doctors for discussing treatment options before you decide.
Hair Loss Treatments Available on Keeps:
Hims has a wide range of hair growth medications, shampoo for thicker hair, moisturizing conditioner, and biotin supplements.
The telemedicine company can also connect you with a doctor if you require a prescription drug such as finasteride treatment. You can find a variety of other male health products and services through the site, such as sexual health medications, online therapy, and mental health drugs.
The medications come in monthly subscription packages but the shampoo, conditioner, and supplements have a one-time purchase option.
The hair loss products on Hims are a bit more expensive than on Keeps, but the site has other advantages such as its great telemedicine portal and a larger number of treatment options.
Hair Loss Treatments Available on Hims:
Nutrafol offers a 100% natural way to improve your hair’s thickness and growth.
Its products use ingredients such as saw palmetto, ashwagandha, and curcumin to stop your hair from thinning and balance out hormones associated with hair loss, such as DHT.
According to a 180-day study, 80.8% of participants using Nutrafol’s supplements experienced an increase in hair growth and thickness, and 76.9% grew new hair.
The company doesn’t have too many products, with only one supplement in its line being targeted towards men, but it has proven results.
Hair Loss Treatments Available on Nutrafol:
The best product for you varies depending on the severity and type of hair loss you’re experiencing.
For thinning occurring on the crown or vertex, both minoxidil and finasteride are effective options. If the loss is severe, a combination of these two powerful medications may be your best bet. However, if your hairline is receding, minoxidil won’t work and finasteride is the only truly effective choice.
In cases where your hair is only beginning to thin out or you’re interested in taking preventative measures to stop hair loss, supplements, shampoos, or even minoxidil will work.
These products won’t help too much in extreme cases of rapid balding (minoxidil being the only exception), but they are excellent ways to make sure you keep the hair you have.
