Hair loss is something that millions of people struggle with. For some people, it is just a minor cosmetic change with no real impact on their lives (or, for some, even a positive impact as they may look great bald). For others, it is a devastating change that impacts their confidence, social activities, and much more.

Treating hair loss is also notoriously difficult because it can be caused by a variety of things, including hormones, genetics, medications, stress, age, and more. In many cases, there are multiple factors that all contribute to the loss of hair.

If you’ve ever spent time on the internet or watched TV, you know that there are an endless number of treatment options for hair loss, most of which make sensational claims about how effective they are. Unfortunately, most of them range from entirely ineffective to only having positive results in certain situations.

Learning more about the various options that are out there, and what the current science says, can help those struggling with hair loss to decide what, if any, treatments they want to try.

Microneedling

Microneedling is an intimidating option, but it may actually be somewhat effective. This is a treatment where very small needles are stuck into the scalp to try to stimulate the regrowth of hair. The most convincing studies found that microneedling combined with treatments such as minoxidil produces the best results.

It is highly recommended that those who want to try microneedling do it with an experienced dermatologist, as using poorly sterilized or improperly used tools can cause a variety of skin problems.

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy is where a specialized red light is used to stimulate the skin. This treatment is commonly used for a variety of skin conditions, though there is limited evidence that it is effective. Red light therapy is FDA-cleared, but that only means that it is safe, not that it works.

One advantage of red light therapy is that it can be done easily from home. There are many products, ranging from masks to hairbrushes to handheld devices that allow the user to apply the light to the specific area where it is needed. This is one of those treatments where there is very little proof that it works, but it is also unlikely to cause harm as long as the instructions on a given product are followed.

Rosemary Oil

Rosemary oil is touted by many to be a cure-all for just about anything you can imagine. Once again, however, there is no evidence that applying rosemary oil to the scalp will cause any harm, so some people try it and hope for the best.

here was a study in 2022 that found that gel with rosemary oil in it had a similar effect to minoxidil, but that was on rats who only lost their hair due to a hair removal cream, so it is hard to say that it would work in a normal situation.

MicroRNA

A relatively new option that is showing promise is the use of MicroRNA. A study found that microRNA-205 (MiR-205) seemed to promote hair regrowth in mice. It worked by softening up the stem cells in the hair follicles so that the hair regrows naturally. Additional testing is needed, and a method of applying that treatment safely to humans, but this treatment does give hope to many who struggle with hair loss.

Other Options

There are many other options out there to consider as well. Understanding that when it comes to natural treatment options, there is very little regulation in place, and marketers can make lots of claims without much supportive evidence. This makes it very difficult for people to know what to try.

Fortunately, real scientific research is being done in this area, with several different potential treatment options being tested. Hopefully, a real cure for hair loss will be available in the future.

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