FDA-Approved Hair Growth Products

If you’ve recently noticed thinning hair (or if you’ve seen what happened to family members around your age), you may be wondering what your options are to slow or reverse hair loss.

The most common type of hair loss in men is androgenetic alopecia (the medical term for male pattern baldness). There are currently two FDA-approved treatments for male pattern baldness—the medications finasteride (Propecia^®) and minoxidil (Rogaine^®). Additionally, many home low-level laser therapy devices have received FDA clearance for treating hair loss. 

While these treatments aren’t effective for everybody, current research suggests these treatments are often able to slow or even somewhat reverse hair loss. Read on to learn more about these options.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the regulatory body in the United States that makes sure drugs and medical devices are safe and effective before allowing them to be sold to the public.

Two types of treatment are currently FDA-approved and one is FDA-cleared specifically to treat hair loss in men. Let’s look at each of these treatments in more detail.

Finasteride

Finasteride is a medication FDA-approved to treat:

• Male-pattern baldness

• Benign prostate hyperplasia (prostate enlargement not caused by cancer)

Finasteride comes in pills and topical forms. Only the oral medication is currently FDA-approved. The recommended dose for hair loss is usually 1 milligram per day.

Finasteride works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It’s thought that the binding of DHT to receptors in the hair follicles on your scalp encourages male pattern baldness, especially in people who are genetically prone to thinning hair.

To maintain results, it’s important to continue using finasteride once you start. Hair loss usually returns within 12 months of stopping treatment.

Check out our oral finasteride.

Topical Finasteride

Research on the safety and potential effectiveness of topical finasteride is ongoing. Topical finasteride isn’t yet FDA-approved, but some research suggests it may be equally effective as the oral form with a lower risk of side effects.

Topical medications generally cause fewer complications than oral medications because the amount of the medication that enters your bloodstream is usually lower. 

For example, concentrations of finasteride in your blood may be more than100 times lower if you use topical medication compared to oral medication.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a topical medication FDA-approved to treat male-pattern baldness. It can be applied directly to your scalp as a liquid or foam. It acts as a vasodilator, meaning it helps increase blood flow to your scalp.

Boosting blood flow to your scalp may help encourage your hair follicles to enter the growth (anagen) phase. This is the stage of hair growth where your hair actively grows.

Although topical minoxidil is only FDA-approved for male-pattern baldness, it’s also sometimes prescribed off-label to treat other causes of hair loss such as:

• Alopecia areata, an autoimmune form of hair loss

• Chemotherapy-induced hair loss

• Scarring alopecia

• Monilethrix, a rare condition that affects the hair shaft

• Hereditary alopecia or hypotrichosis

Additionally, minoxidil is often prescribed after a hair transplant to aid with hair regrowth.

Oral minoxidil is also FDA-approved, but only for high blood pressure that hasn’t responded to other forms of treatment. 

Low-Level Laser Therapy

Low-level laser therapy is a relatively new treatment for hair loss. It works by applying a weak laser to your scalp that generates heat. This heat may help encourage the growth of hair from hair follicles, although the exact way it works for improving hair growth isn’t known.

Low-level laser therapy is offered at some hair restoration clinics. In recent years, some home devices have also become available, such as:

• Combs

• Wands

• Red-light helmets

• Other handheld devices

Low-level laser therapy has been FDA-cleared since 2007 for male pattern baldness. FDA clearance isn’t the same as FDA approval. Products that are FDA-approved undergo more intensive clinical testing. Products that are FDA-cleared are allowed to be sold to the general public and marketed for treating a specific medical condition without as much evidence.

If you talk to a hair loss specialist about your treatment options, they’ll probably recommend minoxidil and finasteride before other treatments. 

Minoxidil and finasteride have been tested in numerous placebo-controlled clinical trials over decades, and both have been shown to treat hair loss and thinning in relatively safe and effective ways.

Oral finasteride can lead to about a 70 percent reduction in the amount of DHT in your blood. Up to 88 percent of people may see a benefit in slowing hair loss within 3 months. Hair loss generally slows with finasteride but isn’t completely halted.

Minoxidil is most effective when applied within the first five years of the onset of male pattern baldness. Although it can often be an effective treatment, results vary between individuals.

Research on the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy is still ongoing, but some studies have found promising results. In one 2021 review, researchers found a positive effect on hair growth without serious side effects across seven studies. Other research suggests combining low-level laser therapy with minoxidil or finasteride may provide better results than laser therapy alone. 

However, some studies have also reported lackluster results. For example, in a 2023 clinical trial, researchers found low-level laser therapy to be a safe treatment but it didn’t promote extra hair growth compared to minoxidil in the group of 54 men in the study. 

Combining finasteride and minoxidil seems to be more effective than either treatment alone. This is why doctors often prescribe both medications together. 

We offer both products together in one convenient spray. Check out our combination minoxidil and finasteride spray.

Male pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss in men. If your hair loss has another cause, your doctor might recommend other treatments. 

Some other medications that doctors may recommend include:

• JAK inhibitors. These medications are a potential treatment for alopecia areata. They may indirectly treat hair loss by blocking Janus kinase enzymes, which play a role in hair growth. One example is Litfulo^™ (ritlecitinib), which may be prescribed to treat severe alopecia areata. People with this condition develop hair loss due to their immune system attacking their hair follicles. 

• Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation and may be used to ease an autoimmune reaction caused by conditions such as psoriasis and alopecia areata. 

• Other psoriasis treatments. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that can cause patchy hair loss on the scalp. Doctors may prescribe medications to treat psoriasis that may also support hair growth. 

Hair Transplants

A hair transplant involves taking hair follicles from one part of your scalp and implanting them into other parts. The procedure can help cover balding areas or a receding hairline. Various techniques and devices have been cleared or approved by the FDA for hair transplants. 

Two of the most common techniques include:

• Follicular unit transplantation (FUT). This technique involves taking a strip of hair follicles from the back of your scalp and transplanting them into balding areas.

• Follicular unit extraction (FUE). FUE involves removing individual hair follicles from parts of your scalp with good coverage and transplanting them into balding areas.

Hair transplants are especially helpful for people with slow rates of hair loss. However, they can be expensive and the results can depend on factors such as the skill of your surgeon.

Read more about hair transplants.

Some products or procedures marketed for hair loss have not yet been approved by the FDA. Here are some examples. 

Topical Finasteride

As mentioned above, finasteride is currently only FDA-approved in its oral form. Research examining the benefits of topical solutions looks promising. 

Dutasteride

This medication works similarly in your body to finasteride. 

Some research suggests dutasteride might be more effective than finasteride, but more research is needed. 

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) 

Platelet-rich plasma or PRP is a treatment that involves drawing blood and spinning the sample to concentrate a type of blood cell called platelets. Platelets have natural healing properties, and researchers are interested in learning more about how they may be able to treat many conditions, including hair loss. 

Our understanding of the potential benefits of PRP for hair loss is still in the early stages, but some research looks promising for treating male-pattern baldness. 

Supplements

Some supplements may offer benefits for hair loss if you’re nutrient deficient, but otherwise they’re unlikely to have any effect. 

For example, biotin may offer some benefit for hair health if you’re deficient. Check out our guide to biotin for hair growth if you’re curious.

Many supplements containing natural ingredients are touted as potential hair loss treatments, including rosemary, olive oil, and pumpkin seed oil. But most (if not all of these) haven’t undergone adequate or high-quality clinical studies to prove their effectiveness. 

Saw Palmetto

This herbal extract is a common ingredient in men’s hair loss shampoo.

There’s some evidence to suggest saw palmetto can help your body regulate DHT levels and may help treat hair loss, but more and better studies are needed.

When you start seeing hair loss symptoms, it’s a smart and safe choice to go with treatments that have FDA approval. You know what else is smart, safe, and responsible? Talking to a healthcare provider about hair loss.

• Only two treatments—minoxidil and finasteride—are approved by the FDA to treat hair loss due to androgenic alopecia.

• Topical finasteride isn’t yet FDA-approved, but some researchers think it may be equally as effective as a topical treatment with fewer side effects.

• Some low-level laser therapy devices are FDA-cleared for treating hair loss. This therapy may help promote new hair growth, but research is still ongoing. 

• Many men struggle with hair loss and male-pattern baldness. But male-pattern baldness isn’t the only cause of hair loss. It can also be triggered by problems such as autoimmune conditions or other underlying medical conditions.

Our guide to DHT and male hair loss is a great next read if you’ve already been diagnosed with male-pattern baldness. You can also explore hair-thickening products for men if you’re looking for a fuller head of hair.

If you haven’t been diagnosed yet, consider doing a quick hair loss assessment. The worst-case scenario is a confirmation of what you already know. The best-case scenario is that you identify a problem and still have time to treat it.