Quick answer
Hair loss is a symptom with several possible causes, and the cause decides what actually helps — there is no single treatment for all of it. The common pattern-type thinning (androgenetic) is managed with a combination of approaches that may include medical treatments, in-clinic options such as PRP, and addressing any underlying cause; some hair loss is temporary and recovers, some is medical, and advanced cases may be better suited to a surgical opinion. What none of these are is a guaranteed “cure”. The first and most useful step is an assessment to work out why you are losing hair — sometimes including blood tests or a word with your GP — because that is what determines the right plan.
Searches for hair-loss treatments are huge, and the market is full of bold promises. This guide takes the honest route: what actually causes hair loss, what genuinely helps each type, and where the claims outrun the evidence. If you are specifically interested in PRP, our PRP for hair loss guide covers that in detail.
Why the cause matters more than the treatment
Reaching for a treatment before understanding the cause is the most common mistake. The same “thinning hair” can come from very different sources, and each responds to something different:
| Type / cause | What it looks like | What tends to help |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern (androgenetic) | Gradual thinning at the crown or hairline; often runs in families | Combination approach: medical treatment, in-clinic options such as PRP, over time |
| Temporary shedding (telogen effluvium) | Sudden, diffuse shedding after illness, stress, childbirth | Often recovers as the trigger resolves; support the cause |
| Medical / nutritional | e.g. thyroid changes, low iron | Treating the underlying condition — via your GP |
| Autoimmune / scarring | Patchy loss, or loss where follicles are gone | Specialist assessment; scarring loss cannot be revived |
The main options for pattern hair loss
For the common pattern type, the realistic approaches are usually combined rather than used alone:
- Medical treatments — there are evidence-backed pharmacy and prescription-only medicines used for hair loss (for some people). These are prescribed or supplied and monitored by a doctor or pharmacist after assessment; we can talk you through whether they are appropriate and, where relevant, direct you to the right route.
- PRP — injections of your own platelets into the scalp, with promising but still-developing evidence for selected people; see the PRP guide.
- Treating an underlying cause — where bloods reveal something like low iron, that comes first.
- Hair transplant — a surgical option for suitable, more advanced cases; we would refer rather than provide this.
What to be wary of
Hair loss attracts more marketing hype than almost any concern — serums, devices and “miracle” regrowth claims. Be cautious of anything promising guaranteed regrowth, and favour an honest assessment of the cause over a product bought on a promise. Realistic aims are usually to slow loss and modestly improve density, not to restore a hairline that is already gone.
When to see your GP
Sudden, patchy or rapidly worsening hair loss, or hair loss alongside other symptoms, is worth raising with your GP, as it can point to a medical cause that needs treating in its own right. A cosmetic plan should only follow once anything medical has been considered.
Cost
Because the right plan depends on the cause, so does the cost. As a guide, PRP is around £325 per session or £870 for a course of three; other approaches, and any medical treatment, are discussed and priced according to your plan and confirmed at consultation. These are guide prices and do not commit you to treatment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best treatment for hair loss?
There isn’t one — it depends on the cause. Pattern hair loss is usually managed with a combination over time; temporary and medical causes need a different approach, which is why assessment comes first.
Can hair loss be reversed?
Some can be slowed or partly improved, and temporary shedding often recovers — but hair loss where follicles are gone (scarring) cannot be revived, and no treatment guarantees regrowth.
Could my hair loss be medical?
Possibly — low iron, thyroid problems and other conditions are common contributors, which is why assessment and sometimes blood tests come before treatment.
Does PRP work for hair loss?
It may help selected people with pattern hair loss, though the evidence is still developing and it is not a cure. See our PRP guide for the detail.
Are hair-loss medicines worth it?
Evidence-backed medicines help some people, but they are prescribed or supplied and monitored by a doctor or pharmacist after assessment, with their own benefits and risks to weigh up.
Do hair serums and devices work?
Most over-the-counter serums and gadgets are heavily marketed with limited evidence. An honest assessment of the cause is a better starting point than a product bought on a promise.
