Hair loss in men
- Most common cause
- Male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia)
- Treatment works best
- Started early, before density is lost
- Time to visible change
- 4 to 6 months, with daily use
Most men losing hair have male pattern hair loss. It is inherited, driven by the effect of DHT on genetically sensitive follicles, and it progresses gradually — the hairline recedes, the crown thins, and hair on the affected areas grows back finer and shorter each cycle until it stops growing at all.
The single most useful thing to understand is that treatment protects what you still have far more reliably than it brings back what is gone. That is why the timing of the first consultation matters more than the choice of treatment.
What is actually causing it
Not all hair loss is pattern hair loss, and the difference changes the treatment completely. A consultation covers how long it has been happening, whether it is shedding or thinning, the pattern on the scalp, family history, and any recent illness, medication or weight change. A scalp examination and, often, blood tests for iron, vitamin D and thyroid function complete the picture.
Sudden diffuse shedding two or three months after an illness, surgery, crash diet or major stress is usually telogen effluvium, which recovers on its own once the trigger resolves. Treating that as pattern hair loss wastes months.
Treatments that have real evidence
Topical minoxidil
Applied to the scalp daily. It extends the growth phase and improves density. It is available without prescription, it is safe for long-term use, and shedding in the first few weeks is expected rather than a sign it is failing.
Oral anti-androgens
Finasteride, and less commonly dutasteride, reduce DHT and are the most effective medical treatment for male pattern hair loss. They also carry side effects that deserve a proper conversation before starting rather than after. We have written about that separately and in detail.
PRP and GFC
Growth factors from your own blood, injected into the scalp across a course of sessions. Useful as an addition to medical treatment, particularly where thinning is diffuse.
Hair transplant
Moves permanent follicles from the back of the scalp to thinned areas. It is the only option that adds density where follicles are gone. It does not stop ongoing loss elsewhere, so medical treatment usually continues alongside it.
What does not work
Most shampoos, oils and supplement combinations sold for hair fall have no evidence behind them. Where iron or vitamin D is genuinely low, correcting it helps — but that is worth testing rather than guessing, and taking supplements you do not need does nothing.
Common questions
Is hair loss reversible?
Partly. Follicles that have miniaturised but are still alive can recover with treatment. Follicles that have been gone for years generally cannot, which is why starting earlier gives a better result. Where density is already lost, a transplant is the option that adds hair rather than protects it.
Do I have to take medication forever?
Male pattern hair loss is ongoing, so treatment maintains the result rather than curing the condition. If treatment stops, hair loss resumes over the following months. This is worth understanding before starting, and it is a reasonable reason to decide against treatment.
Does PRP work on its own?
PRP and GFC can improve density, but the evidence is strongest when they are added to medical treatment rather than used instead of it. Be cautious of anywhere that sells sessions as a standalone cure.
Could my hair loss be caused by something else?
Yes, and this is worth checking. Iron deficiency, thyroid disease, recent illness, rapid weight loss and some medicines all cause shedding, and several are correctable. Blood tests are often part of a first consultation.
This page is general information and does not replace a consultation. Whether any treatment described here is right for you depends on examination, history and other medicines, and that assessment needs a doctor.