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Best Hair Loss Treatment for Women: How to Regrow Hair & Stop Hair Fall

Beauty

If you’re looking for the best hair loss treatment for women to regrow hair, stop hair shedding, and treat thinning hair, then I’m going to tell you what actually works. Stop listening to Instagram reels and Tik Tok videos with girls slathering their scalps with hair oils because they do not have our hair. I’m going to share with you treatments that are based on actual science and case studies.

The treatments and products I’m going to go over with you should be considered your new lifelong hair care routine. These are not treatments you start and stop. This is your routine for life. These products only work with continued use and if you stop, your hair will revert. Think of it this way, at least you can stop wasting your money on hair care products that don’t work.

This article is Part 2 of our Hair Care Series. Part 1 is How to Make Thin Fine Hair Look Fuller and More Voluminous. This article offers different tips on products, styling, cuts, and tricks to make your hair look fuller than it actually is. Part 3 of our series will go over how to take care of our hair & new hair growth. Hair care products that actually work with fine, thin hair to keep our hair healthy, shiny, strong, and frizz-free.

I understand the struggle of having super fine thin hair and hair loss so I truly hope you find this article helpful and informative. I have spent years going through research studies, testing products, and studying ingredients that actually work.

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How Long Does It Take To Regrow Hair?

Now that you understand this is your new haircare routine, everyone always wants to know how long it will take to start regrowing your hair. I want to give you realistic expectations. I’m not trying to sell you a product so this is the truth you need to understand. Hair growth is a long process and this is your routine for life, you cannot quit it or think since nothing has happened in a few months so you’re done.

That is not how this works. Regrowing your hair and finally seeing those amazing results will take you a year. At 1-2 months you may actually experience hair shedding which is completely normal and part of the process. Many people use additional products to keep hair shedding at a minimum or prevent it completely.

Between 3-6 months you will start seeing these little thin sprouts of hair. They are actually quite annoying because they are short, thin, and spike straight in the air. A few months later they grow out to a more tolerable length, and about a year later all the new hair begins to grow completely out and thicken. This is where you can start seeing more density. So make sure you have realistic expectations and are committed to an entirely new hair routine.

Most Common Reasons for Hair Loss

First, let’s look at some of the most common reasons for hair loss. This article is going to go over the best hair loss treatments for women suffering from:

  • Genetically Thin Baby Fine Hair
  • Alopecia
  • Hair Loss after chemo
  • Hair loss from stress
  • Hair Loss after stopping birth control
  • Hair loss from itchy scalp conditions and those suffering from scalp conditions like psoriasis
  • Hair Loss after giving birth

Hair Growth Myths

A topic that really drives me insane is all the videos on social media giving horrible advice. The thing to remember is most of the women making these videos do not have our hair. They were born with nice thick hair. What works for them does not work for us. In fact, it can have the complete opposite effect. Below are some hair growth myths to keep in mind.

Hair Oiling

Do NOT leave oils on your scalp overnight. If you suffer from any type of hair loss it is incredibly important to keep your hair follicles clear. Actual doctors who specialize in hair loss would never advise you to slather oil over your scalp and sleep in it. Leaving oil on your scalp for this long can clog your hair follicles and actually cause hair loss.

Instead, you can massage a light oil into your hair and scalp 1-2 hours before you are about to take a shower. The best hair oils for those who suffer from hair loss are actually grape seed oil, squalane, argan, emu oil, and coconut oil. There are also unique ingredients that may be beneficial for the scalp and hair such as saw palmetto, rosemary oil, and alma.

Here is the squalane I use which is great for the hair and skin. This bottle has twice the amount of The Ordinarys’. Your hair oil does not, and should not break the bank. This is the other hair oil I use which has a handful of beneficial ingredients including coconut oil, rosemary oil, and alma. I shower after my workouts so I just message oil into my scalp, saturate my hair, clip it up in a bun, do my 1 hour workout, and then wash it out (when you oil your hair, you will need to do a double shampoo).

Don’t Wash Your Hair

While you don’t need to wash your hair every day, people suffering from hair loss should not go a week without washing their hair. We don’t want to dry out the hair, but we also need to keep those hair follicles clean and clear.

Instead, wash your hair 2-3 times a week. One day you’ll use a medicated shampoo (More on this later) and the other days a simple PH Balanced shampoo that is incredibly gentle on the hair such as DHS Clear Shampoo or Redken Acidic Bonding Shampoo. Both of these shampoos focus on restoring the PH Balance of the hair which is offset when we wash it with non-filtered tap water.

How does PH affect the hair?

When the PH of your hair too alkaline is causes the cuticle of the hair to remain open which causes hair to be dry, frizzy, and dull.

Use Tons of Dry Shampoo

Just like oils, dry shampoo also leads to a ton of build-up on the scalp. It is NOT cleaning your hair, it is making it dirtier. It’s ok to use dry shampoo if you need to get ready, your hair looks greasy, and you didn’t have time to wash it. However, make sure you wash your hair that evening. Do not let all that build-up sit on your scalp for days as you continue piling up. It will clog your hair follicles and cause more hair loss. You will also need to use more shampoo to get all the gunk out which just causes more dryness and breakage.

Serums

No matter what anyone says, popular hair serums like The Ordinary & Vegamour, will NOT regrow your hair. They do not contain any clinical ingredients backed by scientific journal studies. All of these hair brands conduct what is called a “clinical trial”. These are their own trials, of their own product, based on surveys conducted by volunteers to which they have given free products. These are not legitimate controlled studies.

Hair Growth Over 6 Months

How to Stop Hair Fall & Hair Shedding

Now that we’ve gone over some common hair growth myths, it’s time to discuss the best hair loss treatment for women, beginning with how to stop hair fall and hair shedding. Hair fall and hair shedding are typically caused by off-balance hormones, side effects from medication, genetics, stress, and environmental factors such as wearing certain hairstyles or brushing your hair wrong.

In order to regrow hair, we also need to stop hair shedding and there are a few ways we can do this by using DHT blockers. These will also help to reduce hair shedding experienced from using Minoxidil.

Easy & Quick Changes to Stop Hair Fall

These first few tips are actually environmental factors you might be doing to make your hair fall worse. These changes can be implemented quickly and easily.

Silk Pillowcases

First start using a silk pillow case, as the friction from a regular pillow case can cause hair damage and pull at your hair, especially if you’re a wild sleeper like I am. I love my pillow case so much, I eventually bought two fancy silk pillow cases ones so they would look nice when I made the bed, but there are plenty cheaper ones as well.

Hair Brushing

Next, you need to re-learn how to brush your hair. Always start from the bottom and slowly work your way up. When you brush from the top, any tangles are pulled to the bottom of your hair. If you’ve ever had a knot and then you pull it, it tightens until it’s extremely difficult to untangle. In the case of your hair, it snaps off.

Also, make sure to wash your brush at least every 2 weeks. I use this nifty hair cleaning tool to make sure I get all of the hair out, then I use this brush cleaner to make my brushes look brand new again. This is also to prevent dust and hair products to build up on your scalp.

Princess-Jasmine-Hair

Hair Styling

If you wear your hair in high ponytails or tight bun every day, your hairline will start to recede. Instead, use a loose hair clip, wear your hair down, or put your hair in a braid. When you are sleeping, the best hairstyle is to put your hair in a braid, twist, or Princess Jasmine style side ponytail.

What is DHT & What Are DHT Blockers

Now that we’ve gone over some simple changes you can make, it’s time to talk about real treatment options, beginning with DHT blockers. DHT is a hormone that when in excess, caused hair loss. It is also the hormone responsible for developing the male reproductive organs.

Dutasteride

This is why women are so limited with their hair loss treatments. Most hair loss treatments are DHT blockers, but in women of childbearing age, taking these treatments can cause the male reproductive organs to not develop properly. This is especially true with Dutesteride. This medication stays in the system for weeks, which is too long for women who might accidentally become pregnant.

However, for non-childbearing women who are post-menopausal, Dutasteride can be a very good treatment option which has shown positive effects during research studies for women’s hair growth.

Finasteride (Propecia)

Finasteride, also known as Propecia, is the most common hair loss treatment prescribed for men. Finasteride suppresses scalp DHT levels by 43% at 28 days, up to 65% at 42 days of treatment with finasteride 5 mg daily in patients with AGA. Case reports and series using various regimens showed increased hair density and reduction of hair shedding in pre and postmenopausal women with or without hyperandrogenism. Finasteride is often used in women who do not respond to Minoxidil.

Another double-blind study of 30 postmenopausal women with FPHL( Female Pattern Hair Loss) treatment was compared using Finasteride with Minoxidil, compared to just using Minoxidil alone. Each participant was randomized to receive either topical 0.25% finasteride combined with topical 3% minoxidil or topical 3% minoxidil solution as monotherapy for 24 weeks. To determine efficacy, the hair density and diameter were measured, and global photographic assessment was conducted at baseline and 8, 16, and 24 weeks

By 24 weeks, hair density and diameter had increased in both groups, and finasteride/minoxidil was significantly superior to minoxidil solution in terms of hair diameter. In other words, combining both treatments made the hair thicker and denser.

Finasteride is also not recommended in women who plan on becoming pregnant or who are breastfeeding. However, unlike Dutasteride, Finasteride has a very short half-life. It leaves the system in 3-4 days.

If you are interested in trying a formulation that combines Minoxidil and Finasteride, you can use Maxogen X which contains Minoxidil (7.0%) with Finasteride (0.15%), enhanced with Azelaic acid (1.5%), Retinoic Acid (aka, tretinoin 0.025%) and Caffeine.

Spironolactone

For all other women, Spironolactone is the standardly prescribed treatment for hair loss. Not only is it used for hair loss, but it is also prescribed for acne. Spironolactone is actually a medication used to treat high blood pressure however it is prescribed off-label for female hair loss. Spironolactone is an anti-androgen that can not only help prevent further hair loss but with consistent use can also help with hair growth and hair density. This medication is often paired with additional hair growth treatments to improve its effects.

Spironolactone Studies show that to be effective, women should take between 100mg and 200 mg. You also should not be trying to get pregnant while on this medication and should you become pregnant you need to immediately stop.

You can also find topical Spironolactone, but I prefer to take it orally as the topical is a cream and can cause scalp buildup. If you leave a comment, I am also happy to send you an email and share where I get mine.

Nizerol-for-fungal-acne-treatment

Ketoconazole (Nizoral)

Ketoconazole is actually an anti-fungal and I also recommend its use if you’re suffering from possible Fungal-Acne. In five human studies (total of 318 participants). Murine studies demonstrated a significant increase in the mean ratio of hair regrowth to denuded areas in the ketoconazole treatment groups compared to controls.

Ketoconazole is the main active ingredient in the shampoo Nizoral, which you should shampoo with once a week. It also helps numerous scalp conditions like Psoriasis and itchy scalp.

How to Regrow Hair with Science-Based Treatments

Currently, there are only two hair loss treatments that contribute to regrowing the hair. The first has been approved for over counter use by the FDA for many years. The second however is harder to find and is becoming a more common ingredient in specialized hair loss treatments for women.

Minoxidil-hair-loss

Minoxidil for Hair Growth

Minoxidil is the only topical treatment approved by the FDA for the use of regrowing hair. Every woman who is experiencing hair loss or hair thinning should immediately begin using this product because it is a long process to regrow your hair. You need to begin thinking of this as part of your daily treatment. Pretend it’s your daily hair serum.

How to use Minoxidil

Minoxidil works best when it is in a formulation with other beneficial ingredients like retinol, caffeine, and alezaic acid. The Minoxidil I order is called Dualgen Minoxidil and is formulated with 5% Minoxidil, 5% Alezaic Acid, 0.8% Biotin Complex, 0.025% Retinol, and 0.001% Caffeine. The additional ingredients make it work faster and more effectively.

Apply the Dualagen Minoxidil in the morning! This is very important as if the Minoxidil gets on your pillow and face, you will grow facial hair. This particular formulation is quick drying and good for sensitive scalps so you can use it in the morning and then do your hair as you normally would.

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How to manage Minoxidil Hair Growth

Growing a bunch of new baby hairs is a great sign, but it can also be annoying when they’re sticking straight up in the air. To deal with this issue, I’ve found 3 solutions. In the picture above, you can see what new hair growth looks like. A cluster of small baby hairs sticking straight up. This way you know it is hair growth, not hair damage which it can easily be confused for.

  1. Use a glossing conditioner that smooths the hair cuticle and helps dramatically reduce frizz. The two I really like are the Loreal Glossing Conditioner with the In Shower Acid Glaze and John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette Color Enhancer .
  2. Use a good leave-in conditioner to restore moisture and shine. For thin, fine hair, I found the Olaplex Bond Intense Moisture Mask to produce the best and most dramatic results. My hair was very smooth and frizz-free. Surprisingly this is the only product from their entire line which I’ve liked.
  3. Paul Mitchel Super Skinny Serum which is great for frizz and humidity
  4. Got2B Hair Glue: For this product, you use the smallest amount, rub between your fingers and just lightly use it only on any flyaways that are still sticking up (it works much better than gel or hair spray). It also does not leave your hair hard or have any residue.

Part 3 of our Haircare series will focus on how to maintain healthy, strong, frizz-free hair for those with very thin fine hair or in the process of going through new hair growth. Remember, new hair growth does not grow in thick. It grows in very thin and becomes denser over time.

Latanoprost-hair-loss

Latanoprost For Hair Growth

The next hair loss treatment for women is Latanoprost which is not available over the counter. This ingredient is similar to Bimatoprost which is the main ingredient of Lattise. Both of these are used to regrow eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. It is also shown in studies to help hair density and darken the hair. A few prescription formulas have started adding this into their formulations, but I originally discovered the company I order my minoxidil from when I was searching for this product.

While going through research studies, Latanoprost immediately caught my eye. I use the generic version of Latisse for my eyelashes, and they are huge. I started also applying it to areas of my hair line and all of those areas began growing more hair and filling in so I knew it worked.

The Latanoprost study concluded that:

Latanoprost significantly increased hair density (terminal and vellus hairs) at 24 weeks compared with baseline and the placebo-treated area. Latanoprost could be useful in stimulating hair follicle activity and treating hair loss.

American Academy of Dermatology

How to use Latanoprost

Latanoprost dries and absorbs very quickly, so this is the formula you will use in the evening. Just fill the eyedropper and add it all over the scalp, then rub it in and let it dry.

microcurrent-high-frequency-hair-loss-treatrment

Microcurrent Electrical Scalp Stimulation

Microcurrent electrical scalp stimulation sounds more intimidating than it actually is and you can purchase the device to use at home. Do you know how people constantly recommend massaging the scalp to promote hair growth? Well, this is 100x more effective than just rubbing your scalp.

A high-frequency device emits electrical microcurrents which stimulate the hair follicles. It also combines red light therapy which is also being researched for its possible positive effects on hair growth. In studies, using electrical stimulation accelerates the onset of black pigmentation, increases the number of hair follicles, and skin thickness.

Instead of spending 10 minutes massaging your scalp, purchase a high frequency device. This comes with a comb attachment you just run through your hair for a few minutes a day. A bonus is that these devices have also been shown to improve the skin by kill acne-causing bacteria, increase skin thickness, and collagen production. It’s a win, win!

Iron Supplements for Women’s Hair Loss

Iron supplements are also commonly used as a hair loss treatment for women. Iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss in women, and iron supplements can help to address this issue. A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that iron supplements were effective in promoting hair growth in women with iron-deficient anemia. Given that this is so common with women, it does not hurt to add an iron supplementation to your daily routine.

Hair Loss Treatment Overview

  1. Make sure you aren’t causing breakage. Change to a silk pillowcase, brush from ends to roots, & sleep with your hair in a braid.
  2. Wash 1x per week with Nizoral, and 2-3x per week with PH-balancing shampoos like DHS Clear Shampoo or Redken Acidic Bonding Shampoo.
  3. Take Spironolactone to block DHT and androgens causing hair fall
  4. AM use Dualagen Minoxidil
  5. PM use Latanoprost
  6. Instead of just a scalp massage, comb through the hair with a microcurrent high-frequency device

Thing to Remember

The most important thing to remember is that you need to stick with it. People always freak out during the hair shedding phase, but this is completely normally. Your hair is shedding because the hair growth cycle has been accelerated and all that hair shed is making room for additional hair growth.

Using Spironolactone and Nizoral can help reduce the shedding phase, but when you are on a hair loss treatment for women based on prescription products, you want to see hair shed.

In Part 3 of our articles focusing on thin, fine hair and women with hair loss I will be going over how to take care of our hair type and the best products to use. That article will focus on keeping our hair as healthy as possible.

Discover More Beauty Tips

CHEERS!

DSC_1770 cropSondra Barker
I created this site for purveyor of exceptional eats and escapes; our team is always on a journey to find the perfect bites in the most wonderful places.

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Sondra Barker of Cuisine and Travel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to recommendations on Amazon.com. All Products recommended are from my own opinions and experiences.

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