https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/ Dated hair-loss explainers from Guide to Growing Hair. en-gb https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Hair loss has different causes. Male and female pattern loss are common and usually permanent without treatment. Telogen effluvium is a shed after illness, stress or a body change. Alopecia areata is patchy and needs a clinician. Iron deficiency and thyroid disease are blood-test questions. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/alopecia-areata/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/alopecia-areata/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Alopecia areata is a non-scarring, usually relapsing hair loss thought to be autoimmune. It causes smooth patches and can, rarely, affect all scalp or body hair. There is no cure. Mild disease may regrow without treatment. NICE recommends ritlecitinib for severe alopecia areata from age 12 when the company supplies it under a commercial arrangement. Baricitinib is not recommended for routine NHS use. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/hair-loss-in-women/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/hair-loss-in-women/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The common patterned loss in women is female pattern hair loss: thinner hair over the crown and front, a wider parting, and a frontal hairline that usually stays. Other causes include telogen effluvium, iron deficiency, thyroid disease, PCOS and alopecia areata. The NHS says women should not use finasteride. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/iron-deficiency-hair-loss/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/iron-deficiency-hair-loss/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The NHS lists hair loss as a less common symptom of iron deficiency anaemia: you notice more hair coming out when you brush or wash it. See a GP. The usual check is a full blood count, and treatment for a low count is iron tablets for about six months, plus the cause. A ferritin cutoff of 70 is not an NHS threshold. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/male-pattern-baldness/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/male-pattern-baldness/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Male pattern baldness is genetically determined, patterned and progressive. Dihydrotestosterone shortens the growth phase and miniaturises susceptible follicles. NICE CKS says that, in general, 30% of white men are affected by 30, 50% by 50 and 80% by 70. The NHS names finasteride and minoxidil. Both only work while you use them, and they are not routine NHS prescriptions. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/menopause-hair-loss/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/menopause-hair-loss/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Menopause is when periods change and stop because hormone levels fall, usually between 45 and 55, and it can be earlier. Hair thinning at the same age is often female pattern hair loss, which widens the parting. The NHS does not describe hormone therapy on its hair-loss page as a hair-regrowth treatment. A GP can sort out which problem you have. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/postpartum-hair-loss/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/postpartum-hair-loss/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Postpartum hair loss is a telogen effluvium: a shed after the major body change of pregnancy and birth. The British Association of Dermatologists describes that kind of shed as extra hairs falling because the growth cycle was disrupted. It is not the same as female pattern hair loss, though the two can overlap. See a GP if you are worried, tired, or the loss is patchy. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/telogen-effluvium/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/telogen-effluvium/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Telogen effluvium is a shed: more hairs than usual leave the scalp because illness, stress or a major body change has disrupted the growth cycle. The British Association of Dermatologists says it is unusual for the thinning to be severe enough to need a wig. It can sit alongside pattern hair loss. There is no single recovery month. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/thyroid-pcos-traction-and-dandruff/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/causes/thyroid-pcos-traction-and-dandruff/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT An underactive thyroid can cause dry hair or hair loss, and it is treated with levothyroxine. PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) includes hair loss as a symptom. Traction alopecia comes from repeated pulling. Dandruff is flakes and itch, treated with medicated shampoo, and it is not the same as patchy baldness. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/compare/led-vs-laser-for-hair-growth/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/compare/led-vs-laser-for-hair-growth/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT LED and laser devices both appear in the hair-density trials. The useful difference is the beam and the coverage, not the word on the box. In one meta-analysis, comb versus helmet was not a significant difference, and laser-only devices had a larger average than laser plus LED. That is not a finding that LED fails. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/compare/red-light-therapy-vs-minoxidil/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/compare/red-light-therapy-vs-minoxidil/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Minoxidil is a medicine the NHS names for pattern hair loss. Red light is a device the trials have set beside it. In one 2024 trial in men, a 633 nm light protocol and 5% minoxidil both raised hair density over six months, and the difference between the groups was not significant. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Devices for hair growth include red light hats and helmets, laser caps, LED combs, microneedling tools and scalp massagers. They are not NHS treatments. The useful question is which job each one claims to do, and what the research actually measured. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/laser-caps-led-combs-and-scalp-massagers/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/laser-caps-led-combs-and-scalp-massagers/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Laser caps and LED combs aim light at the scalp. Scalp massagers rub the skin. The comparison uses published specifications, the clinical evidence on red light, and UK prices from each brand’s own page. Among the soft hats with a checked UK price, the top pick is the Hat Pro at £372. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/microneedling-for-hair-growth/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/microneedling-for-hair-growth/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT In a 12-week pilot of 100 men with pattern hair loss, weekly microneedling plus twice-daily 5% minoxidil increased mean hair count by 91.4, against 22.2 with minoxidil alone. It is one pilot, in men, using a clinic device with a medicine. It is not NHS care, and it is not evidence that a £20 roller does the same thing. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/red-light-therapy-hats/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/devices/red-light-therapy-hats/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Four red light hats sold in the UK are compared on published specifications, coverage, clinical evidence, prices, warranties and reviews. Our best overall pick is the RedLight Innovation Hat Pro at £372: three red wavelengths, about 80% scalp coverage and a washable cap. Research suggests red light may help with pattern hair loss with consistent use over months. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-red-light-therapy-hat/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-red-light-therapy-hat/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Choose a red light therapy hat by the wavelength, the dose, the coverage, the fit and the kind of proof on the page, not by the slogan. Hair-density trials most often use red light around 630–680 nm. A price only counts in this guide if it is on the brand’s own page. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Hair is made from the food you already eat. The NHS balanced diet includes protein foods, and iron-rich foods matter if you are low in iron. No eating plan on the NHS is a cure for pattern hair loss. Stress and illness can trigger a temporary shed. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/foods-for-hair-growth/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/foods-for-hair-growth/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Hair needs the same food as the rest of you. The NHS says protein foods help the body grow and repair, and it lists meat, fish, eggs, pulses and leafy greens among iron sources if you are low in iron. A balanced diet will not reverse genetic pattern hair loss. It can matter a great deal if the shed is from deficiency or weight loss. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/stress-sleep-washing-and-heat/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/hair-health/stress-sleep-washing-and-heat/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The NHS lists stress and illness among causes of temporary hair loss. It does not set a number of hours of sleep that regrows hair. Dandruff is not caused by washing too little. Repeated tension from tight styles can cause traction alopecia. Heat and bleach damage the fibre you already grew. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The NHS names finasteride and minoxidil as the main treatments for male pattern baldness, and minoxidil for female pattern baldness. Women should not use finasteride. Transplants, PRP and most tablets are not routine NHS care for pattern hair loss. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/dutasteride-and-spironolactone/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/dutasteride-and-spironolactone/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Dutasteride is licensed in the UK for prostate enlargement, not for hair loss. Any use for pattern hair loss is off-label. Spironolactone is mentioned by the NHS for excess facial and body hair in PCOS, not as a routine treatment for scalp hair loss, and it is not for men or for pregnancy. This page gives no dose and no success rate. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/finasteride-side-effects-uk/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/finasteride-side-effects-uk/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Finasteride is a main NHS treatment for male pattern baldness, and women should not use it. The British Association of Dermatologists says decreased libido and erectile problems occur in approximately 2% of men. The MHRA warns that depression, suicidal thoughts and sexual dysfunction can occur, and that sexual problems have persisted after stopping in some cases. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/gp-trichologist-or-dermatologist/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/gp-trichologist-or-dermatologist/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT See a GP if you are worried about hair loss, and before a commercial clinic. A dermatologist is a doctor on the specialist register, usually seen after a referral. A trichologist is a hair specialist who is not a medical doctor unless they also hold a medical qualification. The Institute of Trichologists is a professional body, not the GMC. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/hair-transplant-turkey-vs-uk/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/hair-transplant-turkey-vs-uk/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT A hair transplant is cosmetic surgery, so it is not available on the NHS. It can suit permanent baldness that runs in families, and it is not usually suitable for alopecia areata. Turkish packages advertised online often bundle travel and a hotel, which is not the same thing as a UK consultant episode. A single pound figure would mix unlike quotes. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/oral-minoxidil/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/oral-minoxidil/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Oral minoxidil is a blood-pressure medicine. A 2021 review found 17 studies, with 634 patients, using it as a main hair-loss treatment, mostly for pattern loss. The authors called it effective and well tolerated in healthy people who struggle with the lotion, and said larger trials are still needed. In the UK it is off-label for hair. This page does not give a dose. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/prp-for-hair-loss-uk/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/medical-treatments/prp-for-hair-loss-uk/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT PRP means injecting a concentrated part of your own blood into the scalp. It is not a routine NHS treatment for pattern hair loss. Private clinics offer it. The evidence is a mix of small studies, not a single success percentage. See a GP before a commercial clinic. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/men/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/men/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Most permanent hair loss in men is male pattern baldness, driven by dihydrotestosterone in hairs that are genetically sensitive. The NHS names finasteride and minoxidil as the main treatments. Neither is a cure, and neither is a routine NHS prescription for cosmetic pattern loss. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Natural remedies are not NHS treatments for pattern hair loss. Rosemary oil has one six-month trial against minoxidil 2%. Pumpkin seed oil has one placebo trial in men. Saw palmetto, peppermint, onion juice and green tea do not have an NHS recommendation or a success rate to stand on. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/peppermint-onion-green-tea-and-massage/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/peppermint-onion-green-tea-and-massage/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Peppermint oil, onion juice, green tea and scalp massage are not NHS treatments for pattern hair loss. The evidence is small, preclinical, or too uneven for a success rate. They are not a substitute for seeing a GP about sudden or patchy loss, or for minoxidil where pattern loss is the diagnosis. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/pumpkin-seed-oil-for-hair/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/pumpkin-seed-oil-for-hair/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT In one 24-week trial, 76 men with mild to moderate pattern hair loss took 400 mg a day of pumpkin seed oil or a placebo. Hair counts rose about 40% with the oil and about 10% with placebo. A separate three-month study in 60 women called pumpkin seed oil promising next to minoxidil foam. It is not the same result as minoxidil, and it is not an NHS treatment. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/rosemary-oil-for-hair-growth/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/rosemary-oil-for-hair-growth/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Rosemary oil increased hair count at six months in one randomised trial of 100 people, and it was not significantly different from minoxidil 2% at three or six months. Neither group had changed much at three months. It is a single trial, not an NHS treatment, and not a cure. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/saw-palmetto-for-hair-loss/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/natural-remedies/saw-palmetto-for-hair-loss/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Saw palmetto is a plant extract sold for hair because people associate it with dihydrotestosterone. It is not a licensed hair-loss medicine in the UK, and the NHS does not list it as a treatment for male pattern baldness. There isn’t an agreed efficacy percentage. Finasteride is the medicine that blocks that pathway, and it has its own side effects. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT This is the dated news collection. It explains studies and UK decisions in plain English. It does not announce a 2026 approval unless a regulator has published one. Ritlecitinib is already an NHS option for some people with severe alopecia areata. Several pattern-hair-loss drugs are still investigational. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/new-hair-loss-treatments-2026/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/new-hair-loss-treatments-2026/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT As of 17 October 2026, clascoterone, pyrilutamide and GT20029 are not UK-licensed hair-loss medicines. Ritlecitinib is already a NICE-recommended option for some people with severe alopecia areata. Low-dose oral minoxidil remains an off-label blood-pressure tablet. Exosomes and stem-cell procedures are not standard NHS care. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/ritlecitinib-on-the-nhs/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/news/ritlecitinib-on-the-nhs/ Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT NICE TA958, published on 27 March 2024, recommends ritlecitinib for severe alopecia areata in people aged 12 and over, only if the company provides it according to the commercial arrangement. NICE TA926, published on 25 October 2023, does not recommend baricitinib for routine NHS commissioning for severe alopecia areata in adults. People already on baricitinib may continue until they and their doctor stop. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Red light therapy for hair loss is a home cap or helmet worn for 10 or 15 minutes a day. In pattern hair loss, pooled trials find more hair on average with low-level red light or laser than with a sham device, usually over 16 to 26 weeks. Home caps are not an NHS treatment. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/does-it-work/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/does-it-work/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT For pattern hair loss, yes on average: sham-controlled trials and meta-analyses find more hair with low-level red light or laser than with a sham device. The stronger studies count hairs at about 16 to 26 weeks, and they do not all agree on the size of the change. Those trials were not run on the four shop models in this guide, and they are not a cure. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/nhs-and-uk-regulation/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/nhs-and-uk-regulation/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The NHS does not provide red light hair caps. A GP will not prescribe one, and the NHS hair-loss page names minoxidil and, for men, finasteride instead. FDA clearance is a US market status, not an NHS or MHRA decision. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/side-effects/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/red-light-therapy-for-hair/side-effects/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT In sham-controlled trials of low-level red light for pattern hair loss, serious harm is not the main finding, and follow-up is months rather than decades. Manufacturers still list temporary redness, scalp irritation and sometimes headache. A sudden, patchy or frightening shed is a reason to see a GP, not a sign to keep going. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT These are UK reviews of four red light hair devices, compared on the price and specification each brand publishes. Best overall is the RedLight Innovation Hat Pro at £372. Best budget is Beauty Pie at £332, best cordless is HigherDOSE at £449, and best premium helmet is CurrentBody at £649.99. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/beauty-pie-all-systems-grow-cap/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/beauty-pie-all-systems-grow-cap/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The Beauty Pie All Systems Grow cap is our best budget pick at £332, with 125 LEDs at 655 nm, a stated 20 mW/cm² and 10-minute sessions. Beauty Pie says this device has not had an independent clinical test. The UK page listed it as out of stock when checked in October 2026. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/currentbody-led-hair-growth-helmet/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/currentbody-led-hair-growth-helmet/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Growth Helmet is our best premium helmet, at £649.99, with 120 red LEDs at 620–660 nm, 10-minute sessions and two sizes. CurrentBody reports a 31-person study over 84 days whose summary does not describe a sham helmet. The UK product page listed it as out of stock when checked on 18 October 2026. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/higherdose-red-light-hat/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/higherdose-red-light-hat/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The HigherDOSE Red Light Hat is our best cordless cap, at £449, with 120 LEDs at 650 nm, 5 mW/cm² and a 10-minute session. Fit is described as flexible, with no centimetre range and no coverage percentage. The growth figures on the page come from a survey of 28 users, not a controlled trial. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/redlight-innovation-hat-pro/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/reviews/redlight-innovation-hat-pro/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The RedLight Innovation Hat Pro is our best overall pick: three red wavelengths, 80% scalp coverage and a washable everyday cap, for £372. Research suggests red light may help with pattern hair loss with consistent use over months. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Most people do not need a hair supplement for pattern hair loss. The NHS expects biotin, zinc and iron to come from food unless a blood test shows a problem. Nutrafol, Viviscal and Hairburst are brand supplements, not NHS treatments. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/best-supplements-for-hair-growth-uk/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/best-supplements-for-hair-growth-uk/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Iron, vitamin D, biotin and zinc are compared here with NHS guidance. The useful supplement corrects a shortage a clinician has found. For everyone else, the NHS expects iron, zinc and biotin from food, and it advises 10 micrograms of vitamin D in autumn and winter for bones. Nutrafol, Viviscal and Hairburst are brand supplements sold for hair. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/biotin-for-hair/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/biotin-for-hair/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Biotin does not have an NHS role as a hair-growth treatment for people who are not deficient. The NHS says gut bacteria make biotin and a varied diet covers what you need. The US National Institutes of Health says deficiency is rare, and that hair claims rest at best on a few case reports. High doses can interfere with blood tests. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/vitamin-d-zinc-collagen-and-marine-protein/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/supplements/vitamin-d-zinc-collagen-and-marine-protein/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT The NHS advises most adults to consider 10 micrograms of vitamin D in autumn and winter for bones, not as a hair treatment. Zinc should come from food: about 9.5 mg a day for men and 7 mg for women, and not more than 25 mg in supplements unless a doctor advises it. Collagen and marine protein are not NHS treatments for pattern hair loss. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Topical minoxidil is a medicine the NHS names for pattern hair loss in men and women. Ketoconazole shampoo is an NHS option for dandruff, not a hair-growth drug. Caffeine shampoos and peptide serums are cosmetics. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/best-shampoo-for-hair-loss-uk/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/best-shampoo-for-hair-loss-uk/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT For dandruff, the NHS says to use a shampoo with ketoconazole, coal tar or salicylic acid for up to four weeks. For pattern hair loss, the named treatments are minoxidil and, for men, finasteride. Caffeine shampoos and peptide serums are cosmetics. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/does-minoxidil-work/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/topical-treatments/does-minoxidil-work/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Yes, minoxidil can work for pattern hair loss, and the NHS names it as a main treatment. It does not work for everyone, it only works while you use it, and it is not always available on the NHS. NICE says men usually buy the 5% solution or foam themselves. https://guidetogrowinghair.com/women/ https://guidetogrowinghair.com/women/ Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Hair loss in women is often female pattern hair loss, a widening parting with the frontal hairline kept. It can also be a shed after pregnancy, illness or low iron. The NHS says minoxidil can be used for female pattern baldness, and that women should not use finasteride.