The only FDA approved medicines for males are
Minoxidil solution 5% 1ml twice per day & Tablet Finasteride 1mg-5mg OD/BD
Some patient might develop allergic reaction to the carrier compound of minoxidil thus needs evaluation if patient complains
Tablet Finasteride at the above low does not cause any side effects but at higher doses can lead to genital and reproductive problems.
Minoxidil 1-5% recommended
HRT – Hormone replacement therapy, this needs proper planning and check ups before suggesting anyone, thus usually not advised by most of the doctors. Main stay of treatment is anti androgens.
Vitamins & minerals- in Indian context where 70-80% females are either anemic or malnourished, these are the main stay of hair loss treatment in females. But there is limit to everything thus needs monitoring
PRP- (we don’t support) This stands for Platelet Rich Plasma, after collecting few ml of blood from the patient in a test tube the blood is centrifuged, the plasma which is separated along with platelet is injected in the balding area. This is done at frequent intervals.
The problem which we feel with this technique is, if the pathology is supposed to be inherent and due to a circulating hormone called as DHT (Di hydro Testosterone) then how few injections of some activating agents present in platelets can reverse it or stop it. Even if this is helpful then also it can be maximum for few weeks to few months, but definitely not for long periods. We have abundant patients who had been duped by this procedure with no results.
PRP can be helpful in fist full of patient with limited conditions of hair loss like Telogen Effluvium and few more, but surely not in Male or Female Pattern baldness. Also this cannot be helpful by any means to accelerate or increase the result of good hair transplant surgery.
Meso therapy (we don’t support)- These are injections of few vitamins and activating enzymes which are injected on the scalp at frequent intervals, but does not work in pattern baldness, thus with our experience we don’t support and don’t promote it
Derma Rollers (partial support)- works in few patients of Telogen Effluvium not in pattern baldness
Oils and shampoos for hair loss is again a big No, No, No from our end