There is no shortage of products promising to regrow hair, and that noise makes it hard to know what genuinely helps. This guide compares the main evidence-based options, from medication through to transplant surgery, and is honest about what each can and cannot do. The best treatment is rarely a single product. It is usually the right combination for your particular pattern of loss, chosen after a proper diagnosis.
First, understand the cause
Effective treatment starts with knowing what is actually driving the loss. The most common cause is androgenetic alopecia, or pattern hair loss, but thinning can also be triggered by stress, illness, nutritional deficiency, thyroid problems or other medical conditions. Some of these are reversible once the underlying cause is addressed. This is why a shelf product bought on a guess is such a gamble, and why a clinical assessment is the sensible first step.
Medication:
How medications work
Two topical medications are approved specifically for pattern hair loss, and they work in different ways. One is applied to the scalp and is thought to prolong the growth phase of the hair cycle and improve blood flow to the follicle. The other, taken as a tablet, blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT, the hormone that drives follicle miniaturisation, treating the loss closer to its source. Because they act differently, they are often used together for an additive effect in men.
What to expect and limitations
Medication is best understood as maintenance. Both treatments can arrest progression and produce partial regrowth, but they work only while you keep using them, and it typically takes six to twelve months to judge whether they are helping. Stop, and the benefit gradually fades. They tend to work best in earlier-stage loss and are less effective on areas that are already completely bald. As with any medicine, there are possible side effects to discuss with your doctor before starting.
PRP and regenerative therapies
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, uses a small sample of your own blood, which is spun to concentrate the platelets and then injected into the scalp to support the follicles. Recent systematic reviews report that PRP can increase hair density in pattern hair loss for many people, though the quality of the evidence is still mixed and results vary between individuals. It is generally most useful as an adjunct or an early intervention rather than a stand-alone cure, and it requires a course of sessions plus maintenance. Our dedicated PRP guide covers the evidence and the experience in more detail.
Scalp microneedling
Scalp microneedling uses fine needles to create controlled micro-injuries in the scalp, prompting a healing response that may support hair growth and can also improve absorption of topical treatments. The evidence is most promising when it is combined with minoxidil rather than used alone. Like PRP, it is a supportive therapy that works best as part of a plan and needs to be repeated over time.
Hair transplant surgery
A transplant moves DHT-resistant follicles from the donor area into thinning zones, where they continue to grow. It is the only option that can restore hair to an area that has genuinely stopped producing it, which makes it well suited to established, stable loss with a good donor supply. It is a surgical procedure with a recovery period, and the result develops over about a year. Because it does not stop native hair around the graft from thinning, it is usually paired with medication to protect the surrounding hair. Our article on how hair transplants work explains the procedure in full.
Comparing your options
| Treatment | Best suited to | How it works | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minoxidil / finasteride | Early to moderate pattern loss | Prolongs growth phase / lowers DHT | Ongoing; effect fades if stopped |
| PRP | Early thinning; as an adjunct | Concentrated platelets support follicles | Course of sessions plus top-ups |
| Microneedling | Support alongside topicals | Micro-injury prompts a healing response | Repeated sessions |
| Hair transplant | Established, stable loss, good donor | Moves DHT-resistant follicles | One-off surgery; medication to protect native hair |
This comparison is a general guide only. The right plan depends on your diagnosis and is decided in consultation with a doctor.
Combining treatments
In practice, the strongest results usually come from combining approaches rather than relying on one. Medication protects and maintains, regenerative therapies support the follicles, and surgery restores areas that are beyond saving by other means. What that combination looks like is different for every person, which is exactly why a tailored, doctor-led plan tends to outperform any single off-the-shelf product.
