Thinning Hair in Men
Understanding hair thinning
Connect to a doctor todayThinning that occurs all over the head can be due to stress or a specific medical condition. Sometimes, pattern hair loss can also be diffuse (occurring all over the scalp). A doctor can help diagnose the exact cause.
Thinning focused at the crown is usually the result of pattern hair loss, a progressive condition driven by the hormone DHT. This type of hair loss can benefit from medical treatment with agents like finasteride, dutasteride and minoxidil.
These terms are used interchangeably, but people tend to associate balding with the final, advanced stages of hair loss when there are definite areas of bare or very sparsely covered scalp. Thinning can lead to balding, if left untreated.
It doesn’t have to. Pattern hair loss is partly determined by genetics, so there’s no way to completely prevent it from happening. However, studies show that early prevention and treatment can help slow it down.
Can hair grow back after thinning?
Provided thinning hair is identified and treated early, hair regrowth is possible. If you’re experiencing pattern hair loss, treatments that focus on lowering DHT levels like finasteride and dutasteride can be helpful. Individual results will vary, but many men will notice improvements in hair thickness after approximately 6 months of consistent treatment. This could take more or less time depending on the severity of your hair loss and how your body responds to treatment.
Common questions about hair thinning
Can stress cause overall hair thinning in men?
Yes, in fact stress-related hair loss has its own clinical term: telogen effluvium. This type of hair loss can be triggered by a significant physical or emotional event and changes in hormones like cortisol. Once the body regains balance, thinning usually stops and hair grows back over time.
Can iron deficiency cause hair thinning?
There’s no conclusive evidence on whether iron deficiency is linked to thinning. Inadequate iron levels can affect the delivery of oxygen to cells and normal cell functioning (Lin et al, 2023). These effects don’t specifically affect hair cells, but because they grow so quickly, the effects can be more visible.
How does low vitamin D contribute to hair loss?
Vitamin D is believed to play a role in the hair growth cycle, the growth and development of hair cells and lowering skin inflammation. Several studies have shown a link between low vitamin D levels and more severe thinning (Saini & Mysore, 2021)
How does protein intake affect hair thinning?
Protein intake can have an impact on hair health. Proteins and their associated amino acids are the building blocks of hair and there is research linking protein deficiency and other forms of malnutrition to shedding and poor hair quality. That said, inadequate protein levels will have impacts that affect the entire body, not just hair.
Treatment options for men with thinning hair
Wondering what the best treatments are for regrowing thinning hair? To treat hair loss effectively, you need to know the root cause. For most men experiencing pattern hair loss (also known as androgenetic alopecia) controlling DHT levels is a priority. Here is a quick overview of some of the more common treatments for male pattern hair loss and what you can expect.
Start your consultationHow effective is finasteride for hair thinning?
Oral finasteride is FDA and Health Canada approved at a dosage of 1 mg a day for the treatment of thinning hair in men. It’s a type of medication called a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, and it works by blocking DHT production to help lower DHT levels. Compounded topical formulations that contain finasteride can also be prescribed by a doctor, but these are not FDA or Health Canada approved. In terms of efficacy, one study reported that approximately 87% of patients responded positively to treatment with finasteride (Sato & Takeda, 2012). A newer related drug called dutasteride is also gaining attention as a stronger DHT blocker, with a similar safety profile. Dutasteride hasn’t been approved (in any form) to treat hair loss, but available data suggests that it works just as well (if not better in some cases) than finasteride.
Does minoxidil work for thinning hair?
Topical minoxidil is another FDA and Health Canada approved option for treating male hair loss, available without a prescription at concentrations of 2% and 5%. Minoxidil helps promote thicker hair by improving oxygen and nutrient delivery to the scalp and stimulating active growth. About 40-60% of men will experience some hair regrowth taking topical or off-label oral minoxidil (Asilian et al., 2023). Studies show that combining minoxidil with finasteride can significantly increase regrowth.
Can dutasteride help with thinning hair?
Research has shown that oral dutasteride can reduce DHT levels at the scalp by about 90% (Rittmaster et al, 2008). It belongs to a class of drugs which treats thinning hair by lowering DHT levels. Unlike finasteride, dutasteride blocks two forms of the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT, which is one of the reasons why it's considered a more potent treatment.
In one year-long open-label study, 0.5mg oral dutasteride was found to improve hair loss in 76% to 85% of patients (Tsunemi et al., 2016).
Learn more
What are the chances of reversing male-pattern baldness?
If you’re genetically at risk for hair loss you can’t completely prevent it from happening, but using the right treatments can make a difference in delaying the process. One long-term study involving finasteride found that men who treated their thinning during the early to moderate stages of hair loss showed more improvement than those who waited longer to treat it (Yanagisawa et al., 2019). The same study also reported that more than 90% of men who persisted with treatment were able to improve or prevent the progression of their hair loss compared to men in the placebo (no treatment) group.
What lifestyle changes can help prevent hair thinning?
What vitamins are needed for hair growth?
All vitamins are needed for our bodies to function properly but there are few that have been studied specifically for their role in hair growth.
Are there any natural remedies to stop hair thinning?
Natural remedies or ingredients probably won’t replace the need for medicated treatment, but saw palmetto is an example of an ingredient that shows some promise.
Does wearing a hat cause hair loss?
Contrary to popular belief, wearing hats doesn’t directly cause hair loss. The bigger issue is scalp hygiene which can have long-term impacts on hair health.