Listen, we don’t want it to be true, but it is nonetheless: aging comes with hair loss. If you poke around on the internet and social media, there are a thousand different opinions on the best way to regrow thinning hair. Should you take those super expensive supplements all the former reality TV girlies are hocking? Douse your scalp in rosemary oil and massage it for 10 minutes every night? Just use Rogaine, or maybe all of the above? Unsurprisingly, the best method to regrow thinning hair depends on the reason it’s falling out in the first place.
The first thing you should do when you notice hair loss — before ordering the supplements your favorite influencer uses or buying the bulk box of Rogaine at BJ’s — is to see a dermatologist.
“When you start to notice changes in your hair, whether it’s shedding, thinning, or breakage, it is best not to wait to seek the assistance of your dermatologist. Hair loss is complex and finding the source of the problem as early as possible is critical,” says Dr. Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, M.D., a double board-certified dermatologist based in Dallas, Texas. Hair loss is one of her specialties.
There are many possible causes of hair loss, she explains, from styling habits to underlying health conditions. The cause will determine what treatment is going to be most effective at regrowing your hair. Here’s what Dr. Houshmand has to say about the most popular hair regrowth methods you see on TikTok:
Rogaine (a.k.a. minoxidil)
Yep, it’s the talk of TikTok. Minoxidil comes in oral and topical forms, and lots of different brand names, including the most well-known: Rogaine. You can buy it as a liquid or a foam, though social media users recommend the foam — it’s easier to keep it where you want it with no dribbles, since you don’t want hair to grow in more on, say, your forehead. That said, it’s known to really work and is available without a prescription.
“Topical minoxidil is one of the best hair loss treatments,” says Houshmand. “It is thought that topical minoxidil helps to reverse the decrease in hair follicle size that happens with age and lengthens the growth phase of the hair.” She recommends talking to your dermatologist before trying minoxidil to make sure it’s right for you, and to determine whether you should use the 5% concentration once a day or the 2% concentration twice daily.
Oral minoxidil, on the other hand, you will need a prescription for. It’s a blood pressure medication that isn’t currently FDA-approved for hair loss, Houshmand says, but has been shown to be an effective and “generally well-tolerated treatment” for hair loss. She says if you’re not getting results from the topical form, an oral version might be right for you (though if you have a history of cardiac disease, steer clear).
The downside of oral minoxidil: since you’re not just targeting one spot but taking a medication that affects your whole body, you could experience increased hair growth overall, not just on your scalp.
Oral supplements
Looking at you, Nutrafol Instagram ads. Hair, skin, and nails vitamins are not new, but the influencer marketing of so many different brands feels more intense than ever before. But are they worth the money?
“Check with your doctor before starting any oral supplements. Nutrafol has been around for over 10 years and causes hair growth by having ingredients that target stress, nutrition, and hormonal changes,” Houshmand says. She references saw palmetto as a key part of the brand’s formula — this ingredient is known to mimic Propecia, a prescription medication for hair loss, in the body. So, saw palmetto supplements might be something to try if you like going the all-natural route, but your influencer’s favorite hair vitamins aren’t in your budget.
Rosemary oil
As Scary Mommy previously reported, there is one study in which participants who used 2% minoxidil and rosemary oil both had a significant, comparable increases in new hair growth after six months. No studies have been done comparing rosemary oil to the 5% minoxidil concentration, according to Dr. Brooke Jeffy, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Arizona and Kentucky, who says that massaging the product in and stimulating blood flow to the scalp might be the real reason hair starts sprouting.
It could also be that hair oil — rosemary or not — just makes your scalp healthier, and thus, it can grow more baby hairs. “Hair oils do not directly cause hair growth but, rather, improve scalp conditions that may improve the health of your scalp skin and hair follicles. Hair oils repair dry, damaged hair by restoring moisture, providing important vitamins and nutrients, and limiting shedding and breakage,” says Dr. Brendan Camp, M.D., board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York City.
Massage & microneedling
Speaking of circulation, scalp massage and microneedling are both recommended on TikTok as ways to get blood flowing and hair growing. Houshmand cautions that depending on the cause of your hair loss, this might not help you.
“Massaging the scalp and techniques like microneedling, which increase blood flow to the scalp, can potentially help with hair loss by delivering more oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles. However, the effectiveness can vary depending on the health and age of the individual and the cause of hair loss,” she says. So, if the real cause of your hair loss is an underlying health condition, treating it is what will make the difference — not massaging your temples with oils of any kind.
Red light therapy
You really can buy red light therapy hats online (it’ll cost you hundreds). For the price, would they really work? Houshmand says it can’t hurt, but the light should be “around 630 nanometers,” so check any products you intend to buy for at-home use. Proper red light therapy “goes deep into the skin where it helps to stimulate the hair follicle to encourage growth,” she says, though it should be used in conjunction with other treatments, too.
So, which hair regrowth method will be best for you? It depends on the cause, how much you want to spend, and whether you’re willing to deal with some pesky side effects (like maybe a little extra hair growth where you don’t want it). Just know there are many ways to get your hair looking how you want, if that’s important to you.
