Start with the cause, not the treatment list
Hair loss treatments are not interchangeable because hair loss has different causes. Pattern hair loss, temporary shedding, autoimmune loss, scalp disease, medication effects, and nutritional or thyroid problems can require very different decisions. A clinician can help identify the cause, especially when loss is sudden, patchy, painful, inflamed, or accompanied by other symptoms.
For gradual pattern hair loss, treatment plans often combine a core medical option with consistent follow-up. The table below shows where the main guides on this site fit; it is a planning map, not a recommendation for any individual person.
| Option | Typical role | Format | Useful tracking context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minoxidil | Established option for female and male pattern hair loss | Topical; oral use requires clinician supervision | Applications or doses, missed days, shedding notes, monthly photos |
| Finasteride | Prescription DHT-focused option used mainly for men; selected use in women requires specialist guidance | Prescription | Dose, schedule, side effects, pregnancy precautions, long review window |
| Spironolactone | Prescription anti-androgen option often discussed for female pattern hair loss | Prescription | Prescribed dose, changes, side effects, clinician reviews, photos |
| Microneedling | Supportive scalp-stimulation procedure used in some combination plans | Session based | Session dates, device or depth details where relevant, scalp response |
| PRP | In-clinic procedure sometimes used as part of a broader plan | Appointment series | Session dates, follow-ups, photos across the treatment series |
| Hair transplant | Surgical redistribution of donor hair for suitable candidates | Procedure and recovery | Aftercare, shedding phase, follow-ups, repeatable regrowth photos |
| Red light therapy | Device-based option used by some people alongside another plan | Repeated device sessions | Actual session completion, device schedule, maintenance, photos |
Choose the right guide for your routine
How to use this library
Hair loss information online is often fragmented across forums, clinic pages, product pages, and anecdotal timelines. This library is designed to do three things:
- Give you a factual, practical overview of the main treatment categories.
- Show what each treatment adds to a broader plan.
- Connect each treatment to a clear tracking workflow inside Track Hair.
If you are new to the subject, start with the hair loss causes, types and tracking guide and then read the specific treatment pages that match your current plan or the options you are discussing with a clinician.
A practical framework
Minoxidil
Usually the most accessible starting point. It is commonly used as a topical treatment and sometimes as an oral treatment under clinician supervision. Read the minoxidil guide.
In Track Hair, minoxidil should be its own routine with application timing, missed days, shedding notes, and photo checkpoints. That makes it easier to separate “I was inconsistent” from “I followed the plan and need to review the result.”
Finasteride
Often an important medical option for men with androgenetic alopecia because it targets DHT, the hormone involved in follicle miniaturization. It may also be discussed off-label for selected women, but it is not appropriate during pregnancy or when pregnancy is possible. Read the finasteride guide.
In Track Hair, prescription treatments can be tracked with dose, schedule, notes, and long review windows so conversations with a clinician are based on a clearer record.
Spironolactone
Often discussed for women with female pattern hair loss when a clinician thinks androgen sensitivity is relevant. It is a prescription medication, so the useful tracking questions are not just “Did I take it?” but “What schedule was prescribed, what changed, what did I notice, and what should I review with my clinician?” Read the spironolactone guide.
In Track Hair, spironolactone can sit beside minoxidil, finasteride, supplements, procedures, and photo checkpoints as its own routine. That makes it easier to keep female hair loss planning specific instead of forcing every plan into a male-pattern template.
Microneedling
Usually used as a supportive treatment rather than a standalone answer. Session timing, irritation, and coordination with topicals matter. Read the microneedling guide.
In Track Hair, session-based treatments sit beside daily treatments instead of being buried in freeform notes.
PRP
An in-clinic option that some clinicians use as part of a broader plan. Results vary and it is best understood as one component of a multi-step strategy. Read the PRP guide.
In Track Hair, PRP can be planned around appointment dates, follow-up windows, and photo comparisons across the full treatment series.
Hair transplant
A procedural option for suitable candidates when medical therapy alone is not enough or when redistribution of donor hair makes sense. Read the hair transplant guide.
In Track Hair, transplant recovery can be treated as a timeline with aftercare, shedding, follow-up, and regrowth milestones rather than a folder of disconnected photos.
Red light therapy
A device-based option that some people use alongside a broader regimen. Consistency and expectations matter. Read the red light therapy guide.
In Track Hair, device routines can be tracked by actual session completion and reviewed alongside the rest of the plan.
Build a record you can review
Whichever options belong in your clinician-guided plan, keep the start date, prescribed or intended schedule, missed days, changes, side effects, and repeatable photos together. The hair loss progress-photo guide explains how to create a reliable baseline, while the hair loss tracker app comparison shows which types of tools preserve different parts of that record.