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There are hair loss treatments for both men and women but the best treatment for each individual may be different. The effectiveness of treatment will depend on the person's expectations and the cause of hair loss.
In men who have androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), hair loss occurs in a typical pattern on the forehead area and at the crown of the head. In women with androgenic alopecia (female pattern baldness), hair loss occurs throughout the entire scalp with overall thinning of hair. Both types of hair loss are hereditary.
Prescription treatments such as Propecia only work on hereditary hair loss so that's what we'll deal with on this page.
The most common type of hair loss, androgenic alopecia, is caused by genetics. Treatments are intended to prevent hair loss, promote hair growth, and cover bald areas of the scalp. It's rare that people can regrow a full head of hair. But improvements are possible: hair loss can be halted and some hair may even regrow, depending on the individual and the treatment chosen.
The main treatments that are effective for hair loss caused by heredity include:
Surgery tends to be more expensive than drug treatments and it can involve multiple surgeries and risk of infection. Hair surgery also involves a certain amount of discomfort and there is a chance that not all of the transplanted hair follicles will remain healthy.
Medication for treating hereditary hair loss slows down the thinning process and increases coverage of the scalp by enlarging existing hairs. The FDA-approved medications currently being prescribed for hereditary hair loss include:
People taking Propecia should not expect to regrow a full head of hair but hair coverage tends to improve on the top of the head and at the middle front (not temples). It's important to know that when you stop taking Propecia, hair loss resumes.
So as long as you want to keep the regrown or thickened hair, you need to continue taking Propecia. A majority of Propecia users report that their hair stopped falling out and in some cases new hair grew back.
Learn more about Propecia and how it works here: Propecia FAQ
