What to do about hair loss? Pills, medication, or diet – what works best?

Are you wondering what to use for hair loss? Excessive hair loss is rarely just an isolated aesthetic issue; more often, it serves as a signal from the body indicating internal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, or an underlying medical condition. While many over-the-counter products are available, the key to effective treatment lies not in random supplementation, but in an accurate diagnosis and addressing the root cause.

What are the causes of hair loss?

Physiological hair loss averages between 50 and 100 hairs per day. Exceeding this limit, along with noticeable thinning of the hair, indicates a pathological process. The most common causes include:

• Androgenetic alopecia: Genetically and hormonally determined (hypersensitivity of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone – DHT), leading to the miniaturization of hair.
• Endocrine disorders: Thyroid diseases (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), hormonal fluctuations following childbirth or during menopause.
• Metabolic deficiencies: Low levels of ferritin, iron, zinc, vitamin D3, or protein.
• External factors and lifestyle: Chronic stress leading to telogen effluvium, restrictive diets, and mechanical or chemical damage to the hair shaft structure.

Pharmacotherapy and topical preparations: Aminexil and Minoxidil

In cases of significant hair loss, at-home care is insufficient. Doctors most often turn to proven active ingredients with clinically demonstrated efficacy:

• Minoxidil: A topically applied medication that strongly stimulates microcirculation in the scalp, prolongs the hair growth phase (anagen), and effectively reverses the process of miniaturization. However, it requires regular, long-term use.
• Aminexil: A molecule used in professional lotions and serums that counteracts the stiffening of collagen around the hair root, preventing the premature death and shedding of hair follicles.
• Oral medications (e.g., finasteride): Used primarily in men for androgenic alopecia under strict medical supervision; they inhibit the conversion of testosterone into DHT.

The role of supplementation and micronutrients in the diet

Dietary supplementation is intended to address deficiencies in essential building blocks, such as sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine and cystine), biotin, iron, zinc, and selenium.

• Iron and ferritin: They are responsible for the proper oxygenation of the hair matrix.
• Zinc and sulfur: They participate in the synthesis of keratin – the main structural protein of hair.
• Biotin (vitamin H): Regulates the activity of sebaceous glands and stimulates the growth of new structures.

It should be noted that an excess of certain vitamins (especially fat-soluble ones, such as A or E) or the uncontrolled combination of supplements can have the opposite effect to the one intended and exacerbate hair loss.

Herbal medicine and natural support

Preparations based on plant-derived ingredients serve as a valuable supplement to therapy. Extracts from field horsetail (a source of bioavailable silica), stinging nettle (which regulates sebum secretion), and rosemary improve blood circulation in the scalp and strengthen the anchoring of hair follicles within the tissue.

Advanced in-office therapies at PT CLINIC

When traditional pharmacotherapy and supplementation prove insufficient, modern aesthetic medicine and trichology offer treatments with high biological efficacy:

• Scalp needle mesotherapy: Delivering nourishing cocktails, vitamins, and amino acids directly to the area around the hair follicles.
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy: Utilizing growth factors contained within the patient’s own blood to promote intensive regeneration and activate dormant hair follicles.