Hair Loss: The Two Treatments That Work, and the Aisle of Ones That Don't

Summary

For androgenetic (pattern) hair loss there are exactly two-and-a-half proven levers — **topical minoxidil**, an **oral 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor** (finasteride or, off-label, dutasteride, for men), and **correcting a genuine telogen-effluvium trigger** like low ferritin, thyroid disease, crash dieting, or the postpartum shed — while the entire surrounding aisle (biotin in people who aren't deficient, "DHT-blocking" shampoos sold as standalone cures, saw palmetto, "hair growth" gummies) is largely unsupported by quality evidence; the finasteride sexual-side-effect fear is **real but low in ab