Hair Loss CareRather than special treatments,
the necessary treatments first.

Hair loss treatment — does it really work?

Sometimes when we recommend hair loss treatment to patients we ask ourselves too: “How much will this treatment actually help?” There are many hair loss treatments. Some involve injections into the scalp, some use lasers or light, and some use various regenerative ingredients. Each has its own rationale and potential, but to be honest I cannot confidently say these treatments will have dramatic effects.

Why we still offer hair loss treatment

Hair loss does not start one day and end another day. The most important thing we can do is preserve the hairs that are still alive for as long as possible. Medication for hair loss is the basic foundation. However, some patients remain unsatisfied even when they are taking medication well. It may still be too early to do a hair transplant, and just waiting while the hair thins day by day can be distressing, so some patients want to try anything that might help.

I think scalp treatments fit into that gap. I don't want to exaggerate their effects, but I also don't want to ignore things that might help. Scalp treatments are, in my view, an additional option between medication and hair transplantation.

Only as much as is possible, honestly

I would be very happy if there were miracle methods for hair loss. But that is not the case yet. We will protect the hair that can be preserved with medication, recommend surgery where surgery is better, and consider scalp treatments for anything that may offer even a little benefit. We will begin hair loss treatment by clearly distinguishing what can and cannot be done.

I Can't Easily Recommend Them

When I counsel patients about scalp treatments, the reason I hesitate is not only about effectiveness. Cost is also not insignificant. Hair loss medications have relatively many studies and long clinical experience that allow us to somewhat predict their effects, and hair transplantation has a clear goal and outcome of moving hair to bald areas. However, many other scalp treatments are still difficult to be confident about to that extent.

If the effect is uncertain and the treatment does not end after one or two sessions, repeated treatments can involve considerable cost and effort. So even for me it is hard to recommend them readily. Considering the cost and burden the patient pays and bears, it is not easy to say, “It might help a little, so just try it.”

Of course, if a patient is very worried about hair loss, is doing basic medication well, and wants to try other available options proactively, scalp treatments can be one choice. But I don't want to say they are treatments everyone must have. So at WINDY DAY Clinic our scalp treatments may be recommended a little less aggressively.

Not Convinced, But Watching Closely

New methods appear very often in hair loss treatment. New drugs are introduced, medications are injected with new devices, and new attempts continue such as lasers, energy devices, and regenerative therapies. Perhaps the fact that new treatments keep appearing might mean there is not yet a definitive treatment.

So when a new therapy appears, I don't automatically assume a great treatment has arrived. That said, I don't want to look on it cynically either. Treatments that lack evidence now can, over time, become meaningful options, and through that process we may gain one more thing to offer our patients.

Therefore we intend to keep observing. When new papers are published we read them; when new drugs and therapies are introduced we examine what evidence exists; and methods that we judge to be actually helpful we will actively adopt. We won't rush to start something just because it's trendy, nor will we ignore it because it is unfamiliar. When convincing evidence appears, we will use it more proactively than anyone.

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.