# Guide to Growing Hair

> Hair loss advice for women and men. A UK publication on hair loss for women and men.

Guide to Growing Hair explains hair loss for women and men, using NHS, NICE, the British Association of Dermatologists, MHRA pages and published studies. It is published by Edely Amad, who is based in the UK. Red light hats are one section, alongside causes, medicines, supplements and everyday care.

## Key pages

- [The clear guide to hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/): A UK guide to hair loss for women and men: causes, medicines, devices, supplements and what the evidence actually says.
- [Causes and conditions](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/): Male and female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, postpartum shedding, menopause, thyroid, iron and dandruff.
- [Devices for hair growth](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/): Red light hats, laser caps, LED combs, microneedling and scalp massagers: what each one does and what the research shows.
- [Hair health and nutrition](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/): Diet, protein, iron-rich food, stress, sleep and scalp care for hair, based on NHS advice rather than superfood lists.
- [Medical treatments](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/): Finasteride, dutasteride, oral minoxidil, spironolactone, PRP and hair transplants, plus who does what in the NHS.
- [Men’s hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/men/): A UK starting point for male pattern baldness, finasteride, minoxidil, transplants and red light hats.
- [Natural remedies](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/): Rosemary oil, pumpkin seed oil, saw palmetto, peppermint, onion juice, scalp massage and green tea, with the evidence stated plainly.
- [Red light therapy hat reviews in the UK (2026)](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/): Four red light therapy hats reviewed for UK shoppers, compared on wavelengths, published output, coverage, session time, published clinical evidence, UK price, warranty and returns.
- [Research and news](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/): Plain-English explainers on new and upcoming hair-loss treatments, dated so the collection can be updated. RSS included.
- [Supplements and hair growth](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/): UK advice on biotin, iron, vitamin D, zinc, collagen and branded hair supplements, without invented scores.
- [Topical treatments](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/): Minoxidil, ketoconazole shampoo, caffeine shampoos and peptide serums, explained for UK readers.
- [Women’s hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/women/): A UK starting point for hair loss in women: female pattern loss, postpartum shedding, menopause, iron and when to see a GP.
- [RedLight Innovation Hat Pro: our best overall pick](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/redlight-innovation-hat-pro/): Our best overall red light hat. The Hat Pro is £372, with TripleWave at 615, 635 and 650 nm, about 80% coverage, a washable cap and a 54–62 cm fit.
- [Beauty Pie All Systems Grow LED cap review](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/beauty-pie-all-systems-grow-cap/): Beauty Pie All Systems Grow LED cap review: £332, 125 LEDs at 655 nm, 20 mW/cm², and a footnote that this device was not independently tested.
- [HigherDOSE Red Light Hat review](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/higherdose-red-light-hat/): HigherDOSE Red Light Hat review: £449, cordless, 120 LEDs at 650 nm and 5 mW/cm², with a 10-minute session and a 28-person user survey.
- [CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet review](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/currentbody-led-hair-growth-helmet/): CurrentBody LED Hair Growth Helmet review: £649.99, 120 red LEDs at 620–660 nm, two UK sizes, and a 31-person study summary.
- [Red light therapy for hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/): A UK guide to red light therapy for hair loss: what it is, who the trials studied, and how it sits next to minoxidil and the NHS.
- [Alopecia areata](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/alopecia-areata/): Alopecia areata is patchy, non-scarring hair loss. Mild patches may regrow. Severe disease has a NICE decision on ritlecitinib.
- [Best red light therapy hats in the UK (2026)](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/red-light-therapy-hats/): Four red light therapy hats sold in the UK, compared on wavelengths, published output, coverage, session time, published clinical evidence, October 2026 prices, warranty and returns.
- [Best shampoo for hair loss in the UK (2026)](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/best-shampoo-for-hair-loss-uk/): Pharmacy shampoos for dandruff compared with caffeine and peptide washes, using NHS advice on dandruff and pattern hair loss.
- [Best supplements for hair growth in the UK (2026)](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/best-supplements-for-hair-growth-uk/): Iron, vitamin D, biotin and zinc compared with NHS guidance, and with the branded hair supplements sold in the UK.
- [Biotin for hair](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/biotin-for-hair/): Biotin deficiency is rare. The NHS says a varied diet covers it. Supplements are not an NHS treatment for pattern hair loss.
- [Does minoxidil work?](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/does-minoxidil-work/): Minoxidil is an NHS treatment for pattern hair loss. It does not work for everyone, and it only works while you keep using it.
- [Does red light therapy work for hair loss?](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/does-it-work/): Does red light therapy work for hair loss? What sham-controlled trials and meta-analyses found for pattern hair loss, and what they did not study.
- [Dutasteride and spironolactone](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/dutasteride-and-spironolactone/): Dutasteride is a prostate medicine, not a UK hair-loss licence. Spironolactone on the NHS PCOS page is for excess facial and body hair.
- [Finasteride side effects](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/finasteride-side-effects-uk/): Finasteride for male pattern hair loss can affect sex drive, erections and mood. UK sources are the NHS, BAD and the MHRA.
- [Foods for hair growth](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/foods-for-hair-growth/): Protein, iron-rich foods and a normal varied diet support hair. They do not replace treatment for pattern hair loss.
- [GP, trichologist or dermatologist](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/gp-trichologist-or-dermatologist/): Start with a GP. A dermatologist is a specialist doctor. A trichologist is not a doctor unless they are also a doctor.
- [Hair loss in women: the causes](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/hair-loss-in-women/): Female pattern hair loss, shedding, iron, thyroid, PCOS and postpartum change. What UK sources actually say.
- [Hair transplant: Turkey and the UK](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/hair-transplant-turkey-vs-uk/): The NHS does not fund cosmetic hair transplants. A Turkey package and a UK clinic fee are not the same quote.
- [How to choose a red light therapy hat](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-red-light-therapy-hat/): How to choose a red light therapy hat in the UK: wavelength, dose, coverage, fit and what kind of evidence the brand is actually showing you.
- [Iron deficiency and hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/iron-deficiency-hair-loss/): Hair loss can be a symptom of iron deficiency anaemia. The NHS treats proven deficiency with iron tablets and food, not with a guessed ferritin number.
- [Laser caps, LED combs and scalp massagers in the UK (2026)](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/laser-caps-led-combs-and-scalp-massagers/): Laser caps, LED combs and scalp massagers compared by the light they emit, the published evidence, and the UK prices on each brand’s own page.
- [Male pattern baldness](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/male-pattern-baldness/): Male pattern hair loss is common, genetic and progressive. NICE describes the hormone mechanism and the treatments the NHS will not routinely prescribe.
- [Menopause and hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/menopause-hair-loss/): Menopause is a hormone change, usually between 45 and 55. Hair loss at that age may be female pattern loss, and a GP should separate the two.
- [Microneedling for hair growth](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/microneedling-for-hair-growth/): A 12-week pilot in 100 men found more hair when weekly microneedling was added to 5% minoxidil. It is not a licence for a home roller.
- [New hair loss treatments](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/new-hair-loss-treatments-2026/): A 17 October 2026 explainer. Several widely discussed drugs are not UK-licensed hair-loss medicines on the sources we checked.
- [Oral minoxidil](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/oral-minoxidil/): Low-dose oral minoxidil is an off-label blood-pressure tablet some specialists use for hair. It is not a dose to copy.
- [Peppermint, onion, green tea and massage](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/peppermint-onion-green-tea-and-massage/): Peppermint oil, onion juice, green tea and scalp massage are home remedies, not NHS hair-loss treatments.
- [Postpartum hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/postpartum-hair-loss/): Shedding after pregnancy is a form of telogen effluvium. UK guidance describes the mechanism without a made-up recovery month.
- [PRP for hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/prp-for-hair-loss-uk/): Platelet-rich plasma is offered privately for hair loss. It is not a routine NHS treatment.
- [Pumpkin seed oil for hair](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/pumpkin-seed-oil-for-hair/): One 24-week trial in 76 men found pumpkin seed oil increased hair count more than placebo. A smaller study in women is only promising.
- [Red light therapy side effects for hair](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/side-effects/): Red light therapy side effects for hair: redness, headache, shedding, eyes, pregnancy and when to stop. What the trials reported, in plain English.
- [Red light therapy, the NHS and UK regulation](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/nhs-and-uk-regulation/): The NHS does not provide red light hair caps. What UKCA, CE and FDA clearance mean for hair devices in Great Britain.
- [Ritlecitinib and JAK inhibitors](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/ritlecitinib-on-the-nhs/): NICE recommends ritlecitinib for severe alopecia areata from age 12, under a commercial arrangement. Baricitinib is not routinely commissioned.
- [Rosemary oil for hair growth](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/rosemary-oil-for-hair-growth/): One six-month trial found rosemary oil and minoxidil 2% both increased hair count, with no difference between them. That is the evidence.
- [Saw palmetto for hair loss](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/saw-palmetto-for-hair-loss/): Saw palmetto is not a licensed UK hair-loss medicine and not an NHS alternative to finasteride.
- [Stress, sleep, washing and heat](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/stress-sleep-washing-and-heat/): Stress and illness can trigger temporary hair loss. Washing does not cause dandruff. Heat and tight styles are a traction problem.
- [Thyroid, PCOS, traction and dandruff](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/thyroid-pcos-traction-and-dandruff/): An underactive thyroid, PCOS, tight hairstyles and dandruff each change hair in a different way. The NHS pages say how.
- [Vitamin D, zinc and collagen](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/vitamin-d-zinc-collagen-and-marine-protein/): Vitamin D and zinc have NHS daily amounts. Collagen and marine protein do not have an NHS hair-loss licence.
- [What is telogen effluvium?](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/telogen-effluvium/): Telogen effluvium is extra shedding after illness, stress or a body change. The British Association of Dermatologists explains it without a fixed recovery clock.
- [LED or laser for hair growth](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/compare/led-vs-laser-for-hair-growth/): LED or laser for hair growth: what the trials actually compared, why a laser beam covers the scalp differently, and which UK caps are LEDs.
- [Red light therapy or minoxidil](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/compare/red-light-therapy-vs-minoxidil/): Red light therapy or minoxidil: what a 2024 trial found when the two were compared, and what happened when a laser comb was added to minoxidil.
- [About this guide](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/about/): Guide to Growing Hair is a UK publication on hair loss for women and men: causes, medicines, supplements and devices.
- [Contact](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/contact/): Write to hello@guidetogrowinghair.com. This site does not take orders and it is not a clinic.
- [Editorial policy and disclosure](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/disclosure/): What a recommendation on Guide to Growing Hair means, and where a commercial relationship with a reviewed brand would be written down.
- [Editorial standards](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/editorial-standards/): Editorial standards for Guide to Growing Hair: who publishes the site, how a page is sourced, and what a new page has to include.
- [How we review](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/how-we-review/): How Guide to Growing Hair reviews red light hats: manufacturers’ published specs, UK prices, warranties and the clinical research.
- [Privacy notice](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/privacy/): Privacy notice for Guide to Growing Hair. Edely Amad is the data controller. The site is hosted by Cloudflare, Inc.

## Optional

- [RSS](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/rss.xml): Dated articles, newest first.
- [Image credits](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/image-credits/): Product photographs, diagrams, sources and licences.
- [Full text index](https://guidetogrowinghair.com/llms-full.txt): Direct answers, takeaways, questions and sources for every page.