Best Hair loss treatment for men 2021 – The Big Three

Categorized as Hair Care

Last Updated on March 27, 2022 by Rei

You might be wondering with all the promise of a cure for hair loss, is there any real proven by science treatment out there that really works? Here we will discuss the best hair loss treatment for men in 2020.

Spoiler: We would not be discussing here non scientifically proven ways for managing hair loss.

More that half of men would experience hair loss by the age of 50.

Table of contents

FINASTERIDE (PROPECIA)

Finasteride 1 mg
Propecia – Finasteride 1 mg

The backbone of all hair loss treatment for men, the good old Propecia. With all the fear surrounding this drug, it’s still the undisputed king of hair loss treatment for men, even in 2020. If you spend just a day in one of the hair loss forums around the internet, you probably read one or two users warning you not to take this medication.

You probably think, why would anyone keeps on suggesting this drug if my d*ck is going to fall off! Well, don’t worry, none of your d*cks is going to fall off when taking this drug! Jokes aside, the fear surrounding this drug only affects a very small percentage of people taking it.

Even those that do experience said side effects, more often than not, are just psychological. The chances of you getting those side effects are extremely low. And even if you do experience those side effects, stopping the medication would stop the side effects.

So to those who spread the fear for this drug, stop, just stop. Those people who spread unnecessary fear about this drug are robbing those who have a chance to save their hair.

We will discuss every question you may have about this drug like how long it takes for Finasteride to work? How much is Finasteride? Does Finasteride work? So that after reading this article, hopefully, you will better understand that this drug is not that scary after all.

For those of you who do experience side effects, you should try the topical Finasteride. Or wait for Breezula, trials have shown very positive results so far.

What is Finasteride? How does Finasteride work?

Finasteride, often called by its brand name Propecia is a 5α-Reductase inhibitor. It suppresses the amount of DHT in your body by as much of 70%. Most of the time, it slows down the hair loss and even completely reverses the hair loss if taken early.

Why do I need to suppress DHT?

People suffering from male pattern baldness or Androgenic Alopecia (AGA) are sensitive to DHT, hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT begin to shrink, and each time they fall out, they will become thinner and thinner until they can’t be seen anymore.

Finasteride works by suppressing this DHT in your body so that it won’t miniaturize your hair follicles.

So this is all great, but where do I get/buy Finasteride? How much is finasteride?

You can get it by going to a doctor and asking for a prescription for Finasteride. I would recommend getting the 5 mg generic version to save a lot of money.

Here in my country, we have a 5 mg generic version that costs $ 0.44 per pill. Then I cut those into 4; each pill now costs $ 0.11 * 365 = $40.15 if you plan on taking it every day for a year.

You could also get it online; there are a lot of places that sell prescription drugs online. Just be careful that you buy on a reputable seller. Otherwise, you might end up buying a fake. But what I would suggest is go to a doctor and ask for a prescription.

The most common way people take it is 1 mg a day. Some would take 1 mg every other day—others 0.5 mg at first to test if they would get side effects. But according to The hair loss show, you can take 1 mg of Finasteride 3 times a week. This is personally what I do; I cut the 5 mg pill into 4 then take it every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

How long does it take for Finasteride to work?

Some would see results in as little as three months. But I would recommend taking it at least a year before deciding whether it’s working for you or not.

But for others, it would just stop the hair loss, but don’t worry. That’s exactly what Finasteride does best. So if your one of those people who halt their hair loss, still consider it a win!

What would happen if I missed taking a dose of Finasteride?

If you missed taking a dose of Finasteride, don’t worry too much about it. Just continue the next day or continue on your next dose. Stressing over it would do more harm than good.

You would potentially take this drug for life (or until you don’t care about balding anymore), so missing a dose is not really a big deal.

What I would recommend is putting it next to your toothbrush. Every time you brush your teeth just take a pill.

Here are some of the results from Finasteride

Before

MINOXIDIL (ROGAINE)

Rogaine – 5% Minoxidil Topical Solution

Let me introduce you to the second member of the big three. Often called by its brand name Rogain, an FDA approved drug that was originally meant for high blood pressure. But when patients noticed that their hair is starting to grow, puzzled by this side effect, the scientist who developed Minoxidil began conducting research for the possibility of minoxidil for treating hair loss.

And the rest is history, now we have this amazing drug that promotes hair growth.

Scientists are not exactly sure how minoxidil promotes hair growth. Nevertheless, minoxidil is an FDA approved treatment for hair loss. Don’t worry too much that scientists are not sure how this works; millions of people worldwide use minoxidil. It is even used to grow a beard!

There are two types of minoxidil currently being sold in the market. The liquid and foam type, personally I used the liquid type because it’s cheaper. But many people don’t like liquid minoxidil because it’s not that easy to apply as it tends to drip down on your forehead and neck. Some say that liquid causes flaking and dry skin. But me personally, I don’t experience any of that, so I’m sticking with liquid for now.

How to apply Minoxidil?

Pfizer (The manufacturer of Rogaine) recommends that you apply 1 ml of minoxidil two times per day to the affected area. And you should wait at least 4 hours before washing it off.

The hair loss show recommends that you can take minoxidil one times a day since minoxidil has a half-life of 22 hours.

How long do I have to wait to see the result?

Because of how long the normal hair cycle, I would recommend waiting at least 6 months to expect any noticeable result. Although some users report seeing results as early as three months, this is very rare, and it’s unlikely that AGA is the cause of these reports.

Would Minoxidil work on the whole head?

Although you would see on the labels that it is only recommended to apply on the back of the head or the vertex, it would work in the whole head. The reason for this is because the conducted research is only on the vertex. But rest assured, a LOT of users reported minoxidil working everywhere! They even apply it to get a full beard!

Would liquid Minoxidil works better that foam?

Some would say that liquid is better than foam, but they are the same when it comes to its effects in my experience. What I notice, though, is that its easier to apply foam that liquid. Liquid minoxidil tends to drip especially when applying only in the hairline.

Another thing to consider when picking between liquid and foam is your sensitivity to Propylene glycol, this article says that users report mild irritation when applying liquid.

This is likely caused by the ingredient that helps the scalp better absorb the active ingredient of minoxidil called Propylene glycol.

KETOCONAZOLE SHAMPOO (NIZORAL)

Nizoral Shampoo
Nizoral Shampoo 1%

Last, but certainly not the least is ketoconazole shampoo or its most popular brand Nizoral is the third member of the big three.

Nizoral is most commonly advertised as an anti-dandruff treatment. Its active ingredient Ketoconazole is said to help promote hair growth and reduce hair loss when used in conjunction with minoxidil and finasteride.

In one small study consisting of 15 people with AGA, found that ketoconazole may be able to improve hair regrowth.

It is believed that scalp inflammation is one of the factors to consider in order for hair to regrow. Due to the effects of ketoconazole as an anti-inflammatory, sebum reduction, and anti-androgen qualities it’s an excellent addition for our fight with hair loss.

Nizoral is available in two versions 1% and 2%, both would be effective, but you may need a prescription to get the 2% version. I suggest getting whatever available OTC as Nizoral is just a nice addition to your hair loss regime.

What are the side effects of Ketoconazole?

According to this article, side effects includes:

  • mild skin itching or irritation,
  • dry skin,
  • abnormal hair texture,
  • scalp pustules,
  • oiliness and dryness of hair and scalp,
  • rash,
  • hives,
  • application site reactions, or
  • headache

How long till I see result from ketoconazole?

Ketoconazole alone would probably not regrow hair on its own and should be used in conjunction with finasteride and minoxidil. Ketoconazole works best as an anti-inflammatory drug, which in turn helps to promote hair growth.

Don’t expect results from using ketoconazole alone as this drug can only do wonders when used together with the other two.

How to apply nizoral shampoo?

Apply it like how you would apply your shampoo. Just make sure that you leave it for at least 5 minutes and no more than 10 minutes, then just simply wash it off.

CONCLUSION

After all this time, the big three is still the best hair loss regime for men fighting hair loss. Many people suffering from hair loss would agree that there is not enough attention and research regarding hair loss because it is seen as just a cosmetic issue. The physiological effects of hair loss, especially when sufferers experience hair loss young is devastating. Its all you would think about. Every time you look in the mirror, it reminds you of what’s happening.

With all the snake oil remedies surrounding the internet that promises to “cure” hair loss, we need to be more informed on the only true hair loss treatment for men.

If you have any questions or suggestions comment down bellow. Please share this article and thank you for reading.

By Rei Garnet

I've been a hairstylist and worked for salons for over 8 years and I want to share my passion and knowledge with a wider audience. My goal is to give everyone the best hair they could possibly have.