Finasteride vs Dutasteride: Which is Best for Hair Loss?
Home › Hair Loss › Finasteride vs Dutasteride Hair loss affects most American men at some point in their life. While nearly 85% of men experience thinning hair by the time they are 50, one
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Recent Hair Loss Reviews
Happy Head SuperCapsule Review – Is it Better Than Traditional Finasteride?
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XYON Dutasteride Review – Is It Worth It?
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Keeps Topical Finasteride Review – Is it the Best Topical for Hair Loss?
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Lipogaine vs Rogaine: Which Is The Best Minoxidil Brand?
Home › Hair Loss › Lipogaine vs Rogaine With over 80 million Americans suffering from hair loss, it is understandable that you may be looking for a hair loss remedy. A non-invasive topical medication like
iRestore Review – Do Laser Caps Work Better Than Minoxidil or Finasteride for Hair Regrowth?
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Spironolactone Reviews: How To Get Spironolactone For Acne & Hair Loss
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Mosh Hair Loss Review: Does It Work To Stop Balding?
Home › Hair Loss › Mosh Hair Loss Review Rating: 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★ 4.6/5 You’re balding. We know that’s hard to stomach, but maybe even harder to deny. Perhaps your wispy front edges are
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There are a large number of companies trying to sell “anti-balding” products and drugs online. You need a way to evaluate and compare them; below is how we recommend reviewing hair loss treatment providers.
How to find the best hair loss treatment provider
1. Which hair loss medicines are safe and legit?
The easiest way to tell if the medical establishment (and government) in the US considers a treatment option legitimate is to see if the medicine is FDA approved. The US Federal Drug Administration puts medicines through an exhaustive review process to determine if the drug works – and if the side effects are worth the health improvement.
The two hair loss medicines with FDA approval are:
- topical Minoxidil
- oral Finasteride
We’ll get into the details of these two drugs in a bit. A few other topical treatments for male hair loss aren’t FDA approved, but have been used safely and effectively by millions of men:
- topical Finasteride
- “Finoxidil” – topical finasteride + minoxidil (2-in-1)
- topical Dutasteride
2. How much does hair loss treatment cost?
The cost of getting hair loss treatment goes beyond the cost of the medicines, although those can range anywhere from $10 to $100+ per month. Some drugs like finasteride require a doctor’s prescription, which means you have to visit a doctor, pay for that visit, then head to the pharmacy to get the drug.
In the US, your health insurance may or may not cover some of that cost – and depending on your health insurance plan, you may be under your deductible, which means you’ll bear most of the cost. Plus, depending on how busy you are with work or school, the time to visit the doctor may be a big, hidden cost. Thankfully the hair loss providers we like to review can do the doctor part online, using telemedicine. This saves a ton of time, and usually a ton of money too.
3. What is the quality of care?
Many of the online providers are legitimate telemedicine companies. This means you are seeing real doctors who are providing medical advice, and are likely getting prescribed real medicines. But how seriously do they take the medical experience? Not all balding is simple male pattern baldness, so in an ideal world the online providers will help steer you into the traditional medical establishment to get evaluated if your hair loss is caused by something more serious.
4. How easy is the company to work with?
Unfortunately, male pattern baldness is a lifelong condition – there is no “one and done” cure. So if the medicines work, you’ll be taking them for a long time. Thus you’ll want to work with a company that’s responsive and responsible. You’ll need your meds shipped on time, and the medicines need to be the real deal. Plus, if you decide to cancel or ask customer service a question, you want the process to be easy.
Men's Hair Loss Explained
What causes hair loss (alopecia) in men?
As part of hair loss 101, it’s important to understand the underlying causes for hair thinning in men. According to the American Hair Loss Association, about 95% of hair loss in men is a direct result of androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness. This is a hereditary condition caused by a genetic sensitivity to a byproduct of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Essentially, the hair follicles shrink as a result of this sensitivity and over time they become so small they stop producing hair, resulting in baldness. The pattern of the baldness is predicted and follows one of two patterns:
- Hair thins at the top and around the temples, resulting in a “horseshoe” shape being created
- Hair recedes from the front of the hairline to the back
The other 5% of hair loss in men is caused by factors such as high stress levels, an imbalance diet, the usage of specific medication, an unhealthy lifestyle, and other illnesses or underlying medical conditions. As we mentioned above, you’ll want to stick with legit providers who will take the time (and who have the systems) to try to figure out if you have an underlying condition that needs more serious medical intervention. If you have any concerns that your hair loss is from something serious, see your primary care doctor asap.
💊 What treatments are available for thinning hair? 💊
For some men, lifestyle improvements may be extremely effective in helping persevere your current hair. For instance, removing bad habits such as not getting enough sleep could be beneficial, because extreme fatigue might reduce natural hair growth hormones. Additionally, the reduction of alcohol and tobacco consumption could also help reduce the progression of hair loss.
Additionally, diets that are low in some vitamins and minerals could hinder hair growth and cause hair to decrease. Diets that are typically rich in protein, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and selenium may play a major role in helping you grow a full head of strong, healthy hair. Furthermore, taking B7 supplements could be useful because this is the vitamin used in hair growth.
To increase the amount of hair on your head, there are two main ways to do it: hair transplant surgery and medication. The most common medicines for men include:
- Finasteride which is a prescription pill typically taken once a day. This drug is clinically proven, FDA-approved in oral form, and commonly known by its popular brand name, Propecia. While it’s most commonly taken orally (and that’s how it has been FDA approved), there are now topical versions that you can apply directly to your scalp. It requires a doctor’s prescription in the US, which you can get from many of the providers that we review via an online visit. Check out this article to learn all about topical finasteride, and review how it works to prevent hair loss below:
2. Minoxidil is an over-the-counter topical treatment that’s typically used twice a day. It’s commonly known by its brand name Rogaine, which you don’t need a prescription from a doctor to buy. Here’s a graphic to show you how minoxidil works:
Men's Hair Loss Prevention FAQ
How effective are minoxidil and finasteride?
The effectiveness of minoxidil and finasteride vary from person to person. However, as a whole these medications are well-tested and proven to be effective for hair loss prevention in most men. We’ve compiled a ton of academic studies demonstrating the result of finasteride from legitimate clinical trials of real men. While both finasteride and minoxidil aren’t without occasional (i.e. rare) side effects, they tend to be effective for the vast majority of men suffering from hair loss.
How long does it take for hair loss meds to work?
These medicines are NOT a cure for hair loss so as soon as the medication stops the user may re-experience hair loss. However, changes to one’s lifestyle (i.e. diet, sleep schedule, and changes to habits) can help slow the speed of hair loss.
What are the side effects of finasteride and minoxidil?
The most common side effects of finasteride include:
- Depression
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decreased libido due to the blocking of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
NOTE: Finasteride CAN interact with other medication since it is typically taken orally that is taken so please consult a doctor before starting.
What are the side effects of minoxidil?
The most common side effects of minoxidil include:
- Irritation or development of eczema
- Abnormal hair growth (or even hair loss)
- Application site redness or burning sensation or acne
- Inflammation or soreness at root of hair
- Reddened skin
- Swelling of face
NOTE: There are more potential side effects of minoxidil, however since this is a topical treatment it typically doesn’t interact with other medication.
Can you combine Finasteride and Minoxidil?
Yes! A popular method of hair loss prevention method is called “Finoxidil” with is a mixture of finasteride and minoxidil which seems to be more effective than either of the medicines individually. Check out the following companies for some of the best places to buy Finoxidil by just clicking their name:
- Hims – Read our full review
- Happy Head – Read our full review
- Strut Yours
Where can I buy finasteride and minoxidil?
There are a ton of legitimate telemedicine companies offering convenient access to online diagnosis and treatment for hair loss. Scroll a bit further down to see the top brands for male hair loss prevention that we’ve reviewed in-depth.
We’ve compared many of the best hair loss providers for men head-to-head, as well as published a finasteride cost comparison to help you find the lowest cost fin and minoxidil online. The treatment providers we discuss below are based in the US, but similarly convenient options have emerged in Canada, India, the UK, and Australia, as well.
What are the top men's hair loss brands in the US?
We’ve reviewed many of the top hair loss brands for men, including:
- Keeps – read our review
- Hims – read our review
- Roman – read our review
- Happy Head – read our review
- Strut Health – read our review
- Rex MD – read our review
- Rogaine – read our review
- Nutrafol – read our review
- Bosley – read our review
- HairClub – read our review
- ReGrowth Club – read our review
- Keep It Anchored – read our review
Men's Hair Loss Treatment Reviews
Finasteride vs Dutasteride: Which is Best for Hair Loss?
Home › Hair Loss › Finasteride vs Dutasteride Hair loss affects most American men at some point in their life. While nearly 85% of men experience thinning hair by the
XYON Dutasteride Review – Is It Worth It?
Home › Hair Loss › XYON Dutasteride Review Rating: 4.7 / 5 ★★★★★ 4.7/5 The hair loss market is huge and sometimes baffling, with a host of products with varying
Keeps Topical Finasteride Review – Is it the Best Topical for Hair Loss?
Home › Hair Loss › Keeps Topical Finasteride Review Rating: 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★ 4.4/5 Did you know that male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, affects about 50
XYON Health Review – Is Their Topical Finasteride Legit for Hair Loss?
Home › Hair Loss › XYON Health Review Rating: 4.8/5 ★★★★★ 4.8/5 You look in the mirror and notice what you’ve been fearing the most: a receding hairline, a bald
Lipogaine vs Rogaine: Which Is The Best Minoxidil Brand?
Home › Hair Loss › Lipogaine vs Rogaine With over 80 million Americans suffering from hair loss, it is understandable that you may be looking for a hair loss remedy.
Mosh Hair Loss Review: Does It Work To Stop Balding?
Home › Hair Loss › Mosh Hair Loss Review Rating: 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★ 4.6/5 You’re balding. We know that’s hard to stomach, but maybe even harder to deny. Perhaps
Regrowth Club Review: Does It Work For Hair Loss?
Home › Hair Loss › Regrowth Club Reviews Rating: 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★ 4.4/5 “Hair is a lot more complex than it appears on the surface,” says American Hair Loss
How To Reduce Side Effects Of Finasteride
Home › Hair Loss › How to Reduce Finasteride Side Effects If your goal is to counteract hair loss, you’ve likely heard of finasteride – at least as part of
Hims UK Review – Does It Work For Men’s Hair Loss?
Home › Hair Loss › Hims UK Reviews Rating: 4.5 / 5 ★★★★★ 4.5/5 With each hair that falls to the ground, it brings you one step closer to your
Women's Hair Loss Explained
What Causes Women's Hair Loss?
Shedding is a pretty normal occurrence and happens daily. But when your scalp begins to lose more hair than its able to grow, the balance has shifted into what’s typically diagnosed as hair loss. More than 40% of women over 50 report some form of hair loss in their life time, although the causes and circumstances very a lot. The most common types of hair loss in women include:
- Anagen effluvium occurs when external conditions damage the follicles that are meant for hair growth. This is caused some types of medication and treatment options like chemotherapy or radiation and this type of hair loss might be permanent based on the extent of the damage to your scalp’s follicles, or follicles anywhere on your body.
- Telogen effluvium occurs when certain stressors cause a high number of hair follicles to reach the telogen phase, which is the “resting” phase of the follicles’ lifecycle. This means a large number of follicles “shed” all at once, which is scary but often reversible. This type of hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors such as extreme physical stress, rapid weight loss, surgery, illness, giving birth, extreme emotional stress, an abnormal thyroid, some medications (like BP and gout medicines), high does of Vitamin A, and hormonal changes caused via pregnancy, menopause, or birth control pills.
- Androgenetic alopecia, also known as female pattern hair loss (FPHL), is the most common type of balding in women. Typically, with Androgenetic alopecia, there is thinning on the top and the sides of the head caused by genetics, aging (and thus a change in hormones), and menopause which causes this type of hairless to get worse because of the loss of estrogen.
- Alopecia areata: this is an autoimmune skin disease that causes patchy hair loss on your head and possibly other places on ones body, however this isn’t usually permanent.
- Other causes of hair loss in women:
- Hair style: the style of one’s hair can cause hair loss because it can pull on one’s roots and cause permeant damage to the hair follicles. This type of lass is caused traction alopecia
- Vitamin deficiencies that result from restrictive diets
- Dieting which results in rapid weight loss
- Over processed/colored/treated scalp hair which result in breakage
What are the best women's hair loss treatments?
The treatment options for hair loss depends on the type of hair loss.
- If hair loss is caused to stress or hormone changes as a result of things like pregnancy, treatment isn’t necessary because hair loss will stop naturally after your stress subsides.
- If the cause of hair loss is hair styling damaging, treatment options aren’t medicine, but instead stopping the causes that resulted in the hair hair damage.
- Supplements: If the hair damage/loss is caused by nutritional deficiencies, taking supplements in the form of multivitamins or 3-5 mg of biotin could help with reducing the hair loss. Check out our review of the best hair loss supplements for women comparing vitamins from companies like Nutrafol and Vegamour to learn more.
- FDA Approved Treatments for Female Pattern Hair Loss:
Minoxidil: Minoxidil can be used to help treat FPHL, but the medicine must used indefinitely. However, it should not be used if the user is pregnant or breastfeeding. Leading brands that sell minoxidil for women over the counter include hers and Rogaine.
Low Light Laser Products: These include devices like the HairMax Lasercomb, iRestore’s laser cap, and the Theradome LH80 Pro that apply laser therapy to the scalp to help treat female pattern baldness.
Women's hair loss FAQs
How effective is minoxidil and low light laser therapy to prevent women's hair loss?
According to a Harvard Health study, about 60% of the women given minoxidil reported hair regrowth in comparison to the 40% that reported hair growth when given a placebo.
Low Light Laser Therapy on the other hand helped to slow down or stop hair loss in 85% of patients undergoing treatment. Patients also saw new hair growth in 55% of the cases. However, this method can’t help fix long term baldness or revitalize dead hair follicles.
How long do hair loss treatment last for women?
These medicines are NOT a cure for hair loss so as soon as the medication stops the user may re-experience hair loss. However, changes to one’s lifestyle (i.e. diet, sleep schedule, hair styling and changes to habits) can help slow the speed of hair loss. Many women also opt for personalized shampoo and or conditioner blends that promise to thicken their hair before diving into prescription medication.
What are the side effects of minoxidil?
Although fairly rare, Minoxidil can cause irritation in the scalp, as well as hair growth in places other than your scalp like your cheeks and forehead. Minoxidil even works on your eyebrows! Additionally, it my cause dryness, scaling, itching, and/or redness. Definitely see a dermatologist if you experience any discomfort.
What are the side effects of low light laser treatment?
Low Light Laser Therapy on the other hand is not known to have any long term side effects because the light isn’t strong enough to burn your skin. To learn more about the potential side effects of low light laser treatment for hair loss, click here.
What are other ways to prevent hair loss in women?
In addition to the aforementioned minoxidil and laser therapy, there are a few other options:
- Hair transplant surgery where small pieces of skin with hair is taken and put into the bald spots. However, this is a surgery so it comes with the usual risks and it can be difficult if there is a large bald spot.
- Injections pf protein-rich plasma are is made from blood drawn from the patient and they have been used to encourage hair growth.
- Microneedling of the scalp with and without minoxidil
Do personalized shampoo formulations work for hair loss?
While it depends on the root cause of your hair thinning, there are a number of personalized hair care brands that promise to stem hair loss and increase thickness for women. Here are the top personalized shampoos and conditioners for women:
- Prose
- Aura
- Formulate – Read our full review
- Function of Beauty
What are the top hair loss brands for women?
Women's hair loss reviews
Happy Head for Women Review – Does it Work for Female Alopecia?
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Musely Hair Solution Review – Does It Work For Women’s Hair Loss?
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Hair Loss Test At Home: What’s The Best Way To Diagnose Hair Loss Online?
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Keep It Anchored Review – Can It Reduce Hair Loss?
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