Wondering What To Do if Your Hair Is Thinning? We Asked the Experts

I experienced intense hair loss after each of my three pregnancies. It was a bit frightening the first time because no one warned me about it. Now, in my middle age, I’m noticing my hair thinning and a bit of hairline recession. It’s hard because I had such thick hair growing up; my formerly huge ponytail circumference is now laughably tiny. I’ve tried various fixes over the years, from questionable supplements to smelly oils. I never saw any real results until I consulted a doctor specialising in perimenopause who ran some blood tests and found I had slightly elevated free testosterone levels. I was essentially experiencing male pattern hair loss. Now, thanks to a daily dose of saw palmetto, I’m seeing new hair growth for the first time in years.

That doesn’t mean you should run out and grab a bottle of saw palmetto — the point is that until you seek professional assistance to get to the root of what’s causing your thinning hair, you likely won’t see much improvement.

Dermatologists are typically the best health professionals to consult for thinning hair, but a primary care provider can also be a good starting point to rule out underlying health problems. Many telehealth providers specialize in hair loss and can make care more accessible and streamlined. Telehealth providers can order blood tests, and often, you can send photos of your scalp for them to examine. They can also write prescriptions and suggest complementary over-the-counter options that are appropriate for your situation.

Be wary of providers that push expensive proprietary blends or that seem to offer everyone the same solution. “It should be a full-time, board-certified hair restoration physician, not a rotating panel of generalists or AI-bots writing the same prescription for everyone,” cautions Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, IAHRS, FISHRS, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon in Boca Raton, Florida.

Look for supplements with the fewest ingredients, or buy single-ingredient supplements so you can pinpoint which one is helping (or which is causing side effects). “No supplement should have 80 or more active ingredients,” cautions Jessica Weiser, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Weiser Skin MD in New York City and Aspen, Colorado. Supplements should be backed by independent studies and preferably third-party tested to ensure the label matches the contents.

Tools can be used on their own, but they typically work best as a complementary treatment. LED light therapy and dermarollers can encourage the absorption and increase the effectiveness of topical solutions like serums or minoxidil. Look for LED devices that are FDA-cleared, and dermarollers with 0.25-mm to 0.5-mm needles; longer needles increase the risk of injury and infection and should not be used at home.

“Shampoo sits on the scalp for a short period of time, so it’s not going to regrow hair in the way a treatment can,” says Smith. “What it can do is create the right environment for growth. A healthy, balanced scalp, free of buildup, inflammation, and irritation, is foundational. I think of shampoo as support, not a solution. The right formula can absolutely improve scalp health and, over time, the quality of the hair coming in. But if you’re looking to actually stimulate growth, you need to go deeper into treatments that work at the follicular level.”

Serums, for instance, remain on the scalp for much longer periods than shampoos, so they’re more likely to be absorbed.

The sooner you seek help, the better. “Hair follicles are quite responsive when the root issue is addressed early, but they’re also sensitive to prolonged disruption, which is why getting a clear diagnosis sooner rather than later actually affects outcomes,” notes Smith. When possible, see an in-person provider so they can perform a microscope evaluation of your hair follicles.

Low-level light therapy (LLLT) stimulates hair growth through a process known as photobiomodulation. “The light works by stimulating the mitochondria in skin cells to produce more ATP (energy) molecules ... which can in turn reactivate dormant hair follicles and drive an increase in the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle,” explains Weiser. “This results in more effective and more rapid growth of the hair within each hair follicle.” The light can also help reduce inflammation and stimulate circulation in the scalp and hair follicle to further support scalp health and hair growth, Weiser notes.

Weiser suggests using devices that are FDA cleared, as it implies safety and efficacy while showing that the company is invested in the quality of the product. She recommends using an LLLT helmet three to five times a week.