Hair Loss Medication and Treatment

What Comes First?

When counseling about hair loss treatment, some patients come wanting scalp injections or laser therapy right away. New treatments can look more attractive, and getting a procedure can feel like a more active form of treatment than taking pills. But we talk about hair loss medications first.

Boring But Start with the Basics

For male- and female-pattern hair loss, the treatments that have been used the longest and for which we can relatively clearly expect effects are medications. There are many possibilities among scalp treatments, but I don't think they are yet at the point where they should be chosen ahead of hair loss medications. So if a patient can take medication, I advise trying medication properly first.

It may be a little unexciting and not seem special, but I think it's right to do the treatments with more certain effects first.

Then Add One More

Some patients, even while using medications well, feel it is insufficient or want to try a bit more. At that point we consider scalp treatments together. These are not treatments that replace medication but are more like adding one more modality on top of the medication baseline. Conversely, if follicles have already disappeared and areas are bald, it may be time to consider hair transplantation rather than repeatedly doing scalp treatments.

Ultimately I think what matters is not doing many different treatments but doing the treatments that the patient's scalp actually needs now.

We Don't Start with Expensive Treatments

A clinic can offer many treatments. But offering something doesn't mean every available treatment should be done. First protect what you have with medication, add one more treatment if what's done is insufficient, and consider surgery for areas that require it. Prioritize necessary treatments over special ones. Prioritize treatments you should have over those you could have.

This is generally the order in which we start hair loss treatment.