I’ve Tried Everything for Hair Loss — What Should I Do Next?

There comes a point with hair loss when you can feel as though you’ve tried everything.

You’ve changed shampoo. Taken biotin. Bought hair vitamins. Tried scalp oils. Perhaps you’ve used minoxidil, finasteride or microneedling. You’ve spent more money on serums than you’d care to admit. You’ve taken photographs of your hairline, stared at your crown under bathroom lights and convinced yourself that it looks better one week and worse the next.

And yet your hair is still thinning.

So what are you supposed to do when nothing seems to work?

Oddly enough, the answer may not be to try something else. Before adding another product to the bathroom shelf, it’s worth going back over what you’ve already done and asking a more useful question: why hasn’t it worked?

Sometimes the treatment really wasn't effective. Sometimes it wasn't used for long enough. Sometimes expectations were unrealistic. And sometimes people spend years treating a type of hair loss they don't actually have.

First, do you know why you’re losing your hair?

This sounds obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to skip.

Hair loss isn't one condition. Male pattern baldness, female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes and hair breakage can all result in hair looking thinner, but they don't necessarily respond to the same things.

Even the way you lose hair can provide clues. A man gradually receding at the temples and thinning at the crown is experiencing something quite different from somebody suddenly shedding hair all over the scalp following an illness or a period of severe stress.

And you don't necessarily have to see lots of hair falling out to be losing density. Individual hairs can gradually become finer through follicular miniaturisation, making the scalp increasingly visible without an alarming amount of hair appearing in the shower.

We've looked at this phenomenon in more detail in My Hair Isn't Falling Out, So Why Is It Getting Thinner?.

If your hair loss is sudden, severe, patchy, accompanied by scalp inflammation or simply doesn't fit an obvious pattern, it's worth speaking to your GP or a dermatologist. Continuing to experiment with products when you don't know what you're treating can become an expensive way of getting nowhere.

Have you actually given anything long enough?

Hair moves at an infuriatingly slow pace.

That's particularly difficult when you're worried about losing it. Three weeks can feel like an eternity when you're checking your hairline every morning, and it's very easy to decide something isn't working before you've really given it a chance.

Then you see another treatment. The reviews sound promising, so you switch.

Two months later, you switch again.

By the end of the year, you've technically tried five different hair-loss products, but you may not have properly tested any of them.

Many approaches to hair loss need to be judged over months rather than weeks. Hair grows in cycles and visible changes in density don't happen overnight. Constantly changing your routine also makes it almost impossible to work out which part, if any, is helping.

This is particularly relevant if your thinning has been going on for several years. As we discussed in My Hair Has Been Thinning for 3 Years – Is It Too Late to Do Anything About It?, the length of time you've been losing hair matters, but it doesn't automatically mean you've missed your chance to do anything about it.

What matters more is understanding what's happening and being realistic about what can still be achieved.

Maybe you’re measuring success the wrong way

This is something that doesn't get discussed enough.

Ask someone whether their hair-loss treatment is working and they'll often immediately look for new hairs. If they haven't regrown their old hairline, they assume it has failed.

But regrowth isn't the only useful outcome.

If your hair was rapidly deteriorating and that deterioration slows considerably, that's meaningful. If excessive shedding settles down, that's meaningful too. Existing hairs becoming stronger or thicker-looking can improve overall density even without hundreds of new follicles suddenly appearing.

And with progressive pattern hair loss, simply maintaining substantially more hair than you might otherwise have lost can be a worthwhile result.

This doesn't mean lowering the bar until every treatment can be declared a success. It means deciding what you're actually trying to achieve before judging whether you've achieved it.

If the expectation was to recreate the hair you had at 18, almost everything is going to look disappointing.

Have you been relying on something that was never likely to solve the problem?

The hair-loss industry doesn't make this particularly easy.

Shampoos can make hair feel thicker. Conditioners can reduce breakage. Hair fibres can disguise visible scalp. Supplements can provide nutritional support. Minoxidil is a medicine used to treat certain forms of hair loss.

These things don't all do the same job.

Biotin is a good example. It has become so closely associated with hair growth that it's often one of the first things people buy when their hair starts thinning. Yet genuine biotin deficiency is uncommon, and taking enormous doses doesn't mean somebody with pattern hair loss is suddenly going to reverse it.

We recently took a detailed look at this in Does Biotin Actually Help Hair Loss — Or Are We Wasting Our Money?. The evidence for high-dose biotin in otherwise healthy people with hair loss is considerably less impressive than its reputation might suggest.

That doesn't make biotin useless. It's an essential nutrient and has a legitimate place in hair health. The problem comes when one ingredient is expected to fix a complicated problem involving genetics, hormones, age or illness.

The same logic applies elsewhere. If you've spent three years switching between shampoos, oils and cosmetic treatments while experiencing progressive androgenetic alopecia, it doesn't necessarily mean you're unusually resistant to hair-loss treatments.

You may simply have been asking the wrong products to do the wrong job.

What if you’ve tried minoxidil and it didn’t work?

Minoxidil is one of the established treatments for pattern hair loss, but established doesn't mean guaranteed.

Some people respond better than others, and results can vary considerably. Consistency also matters, as does using it for an appropriate period and continuing treatment if you want to maintain its benefits.

If you've genuinely given minoxidil a fair trial and seen little benefit, don't automatically assume the answer is the next miracle serum advertised to you on social media.

This is where it may be worth revisiting the diagnosis and discussing other appropriate options with a doctor, pharmacist or dermatologist.

For men with androgenetic alopecia, finasteride is another established medical option, although its mechanism, benefits and potential adverse effects need to be considered separately.

The important point is that “this treatment didn't work well for me” and “nothing can be done about my hair” are not the same conclusion.

For women, it can be particularly complicated

Female hair loss can be frustrating because several things may be happening at once.

Genetics can play a role, but so can iron deficiency, thyroid problems, stress, illness, pregnancy, ageing and hormonal changes. Perimenopause and menopause can also coincide with noticeable changes in density, shedding and the width of the centre parting.

We've covered the hormonal side of this in Menopause Hair Loss: Why Your Hair Is Thinning (And What You Can Do About It).

For a woman who has been buying different shampoos, vitamins and serums for years without knowing why her hair is thinning, another product may not be the most sensible next purchase. A proper assessment could be considerably more useful.

Sometimes the breakthrough isn't discovering a new treatment. It's finally discovering what you're treating.

Have you gone too far in the other direction?

There's another version of “I've tried everything”.

You really are using everything.

Minoxidil. A supplement. Extra vitamins. Ketoconazole shampoo. Microneedling. Rosemary oil. A peptide serum. Scalp massage. Another topical somebody recommended online. Perhaps several of them applied within hours of each other.

Before long, your bathroom resembles a small hair-loss laboratory.

Apart from the cost and inconvenience, there's an obvious problem: if your hair improves, how do you know what helped? And if your scalp becomes irritated or your shedding changes, how do you know what caused it?

A sensible hair routine doesn't need to contain every treatment ever associated with hair growth. It needs to contain things that make sense for you, each with a clear purpose.

More isn't automatically better.

Where do hair supplements fit into all of this?

Hair supplements occupy an awkward position because they're often expected to do things they were never designed to do.

A supplement isn't a substitute for an established medical treatment for pattern hair loss. Nor can taking a supplement correct every hormonal, genetic or medical cause of thinning.

That doesn't make nutritional support irrelevant.

Hair follicles require nutrients to function normally, and deficiencies in certain nutrients can affect the hair. The more sensible way to view a specialist hair supplement is therefore as one possible component of a wider hair-health routine, rather than a miracle treatment for baldness.

There's also a substantial difference between a basic high-dose biotin tablet and a specialist multi-ingredient hair formula.

If you're considering supplementation, we've looked at that question separately in What Is a Good Hair Supplement to Try for Thinning Hair? [LINK TO YOUR NEW ARTICLE]. That guide explains what to look for and compares some of the better-known specialist approaches.

And this is where a product such as HR23+ can fit.

HR23+ takes the broader approach, combining vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanical extracts rather than relying on one headline ingredient. But it should still be viewed for what it is: a specialist hair supplement designed to provide nutritional and botanical hair support, not a guaranteed cure for every type of hair loss.

That's an important distinction, particularly for somebody who already feels they've “tried everything”.

The answer isn't to pretend one more supplement is going to magically solve the problem.

It's to decide whether supplementation actually has a sensible place in your routine.

Readers who want to examine the background to HR23+ rather than simply take marketing claims at face value can use the HR23+ Hair Loss Research & Evidence Centre, which brings together ingredient research, documented case studies, historical customer outcomes and the brand's approach to evidence and transparency. The site also explicitly states that these customer experiences aren't clinical proof and that HR23+ itself has not yet been evaluated in a published independent clinical trial.

Try doing something surprisingly simple: write it all down

If you've been tackling hair loss for years, try making a list.

Write down what you've used, roughly when you started it, how long you continued, how consistently you used it and what happened while you were using it.

Then look at the list.

You may discover something interesting.

Perhaps you've tried an enormous number of products, but very few coherent strategies.

Maybe you've used minoxidil three separate times but never for more than eight weeks. Perhaps you've taken five different supplements but constantly changed between them. Maybe you've spent hundreds of pounds on shampoos despite having obvious pattern hair loss. Or perhaps you've been judging everything solely by whether your hairline moved forwards.

Photographs can help here too, provided they're actually comparable. Try to use the same room, lighting, angle, hairstyle and approximate hair length. Memory is surprisingly unreliable when you're looking at your own hair every day.

The aim isn't to obsess over tiny changes.

It's to get a clearer picture of what has actually happened.

And know when to stop experimenting

There comes a point when another Google search, TikTok video or hair-loss article isn't what you need.

If your hair loss is sudden, severe, patchy or unexplained, or you have scalp pain, inflammation, scaling or other symptoms, seek medical advice. The same applies if you're concerned there may be an underlying health or nutritional issue.

A GP or dermatologist may be able to identify something that another bottle of shampoo never will.

And even with straightforward pattern hair loss, professional advice can be useful when you've spent years trying different approaches without understanding why you're getting nowhere.

So, what should you actually do next?

If you feel you've tried everything for hair loss, don't immediately try something else.

Go backwards first.

Work out the most likely reason you're losing hair. Look objectively at what you've already tried. Ask whether each treatment was appropriate, whether you used it consistently and whether you gave it enough time. Decide what a realistic result would actually look like.

Then simplify.

You may end up keeping some things in your routine and dropping others. You may decide that nutritional support has a place alongside another treatment. You may realise that something you dismissed after six weeks never really had a fair chance. Or you may conclude that you've reached the point where professional advice makes more sense than another experiment.

Hair loss is complicated, which is precisely why throwing everything at it can make the situation even more confusing.

Sometimes the best next move isn't finding the newest treatment.

It's finally making sense of everything you've already tried.

What Is a Good Hair Supplement to Try for Thinning Hair?

If your hair is starting to look thinner, taking a hair supplement can seem like an obvious place to start. The difficult part is choosing one.

There are now hundreds of hair supplements available, ranging from inexpensive biotin tablets to premium formulas costing well over £70 a month. Most promise stronger, thicker or healthier-looking hair, but the formulas — and the thinking behind them — can be very different.

So, what is actually a good hair supplement to try for thinning hair?

For someone looking for a non-prescription option, a good starting point is a multi-ingredient hair supplement designed specifically for thinning and shedding rather than a basic multivitamin with “hair” written on the label. HR23+, Viviscal, Nutrafol and TRX2 are among the more established specialist options, although which one makes most sense will depend on what you want from it, your budget and the type of hair loss you are experiencing.

First, work out why your hair is thinning

Before buying any supplement, it is worth remembering that thinning hair is not a condition in itself. It is a symptom, and there are many possible causes.

Male and female pattern hair loss are extremely common, but increased shedding can also occur following illness, major stress, rapid weight loss, hormonal changes, pregnancy, certain medications or nutritional deficiencies.

This matters because no hair supplement can fix every cause of hair loss.

If your hair loss is sudden, severe, patchy or accompanied by scalp symptoms, or you simply cannot explain why it is happening, speak to your GP or a dermatologist rather than relying on supplements alone.

For gradual thinning or increased shedding, however, some people choose a specialist hair supplement as part of their wider hair-care routine.

What should you look for in a hair supplement?

One of the easiest mistakes is assuming that a larger dose of one famous “hair vitamin” automatically means a better product.

Biotin is the obvious example.

Biotin plays a role in normal hair health, but biotin deficiency is relatively uncommon. Taking enormous doses of it does not automatically make hair grow faster, particularly if you already get enough through your diet.

A more comprehensive hair supplement will usually take a broader approach.

Depending on the formula, this can include vitamins and minerals alongside botanical extracts, amino acids or other ingredients selected specifically with hair in mind.

It is also worth looking beyond the front of the bottle. Check the full ingredient list, recommended daily dose, monthly cost and how long the manufacturer suggests using the product.

Hair changes slowly. A supplement promising dramatic regrowth in a fortnight should immediately raise an eyebrow.

So, which hair supplements are worth considering?

There isn't one supplement that will be the best choice for everybody. Four of the better-known specialist options are HR23+, Viviscal, Nutrafol and TRX2.

HR23+ — a comprehensive non-prescription option

HR23+ Hair Growth Supplement is a UK-developed multi-ingredient supplement that has been available since 2015 and is aimed at both men and women experiencing thinning hair and increased shedding.

Rather than centring the formula around biotin alone, HR23+ combines a wider range of hair-supporting nutrients and botanical ingredients, including saw palmetto, nettle leaf, horsetail and pumpkin seed extract.

That makes HR23+ particularly interesting for somebody who wants a broad, non-prescription hair supplement rather than a simple vitamin tablet.

It is taken daily and is generally positioned as a longer-term addition to a hair-loss routine rather than a quick fix.

Best suited to: Men and women looking for comprehensive daily hair support from a multi-ingredient, non-prescription formula.

Viviscal — a long-established hair supplement

Viviscal is one of the best-known names in the category and has been around for decades.

Its approach differs from HR23+. One of the defining features of Viviscal is its proprietary marine complex, alongside additional nutrients used to support healthy hair.

Its long history and widespread availability are obvious advantages, although anyone avoiding marine-derived ingredients will need to take that into consideration.

Best suited to: People who want a well-established supplement with a marine-based formulation.

Nutrafol — a premium wellness-led approach

Nutrafol has become one of the most recognisable premium hair supplement brands, particularly in the United States.

Its formulas take a broader wellness-based approach, with different products targeted towards particular groups and life stages. The brand places considerable emphasis on factors such as stress, hormones and ageing alongside nutritional hair support.

The obvious drawback is price. Nutrafol sits at the expensive end of the hair supplement market, so the ongoing monthly cost should be considered before starting.

Best suited to: People who want a premium, wellness-focused formula and are comfortable with the higher ongoing cost.

TRX2 — a more focused alternative

TRX2 is another established supplement specifically marketed towards people experiencing thinning hair.

Its formulation is comparatively focused and takes a different approach from the larger multi-ingredient formulas offered by brands such as HR23+ and Nutrafol.

That may appeal to someone who doesn't necessarily want an extensive botanical formula.

Best suited to: People looking for a specialist hair supplement with a relatively focused formulation.

What is a good hair supplement for men?

For men experiencing gradual thinning around the temples, hairline or crown, it is important to understand that this pattern often indicates androgenetic alopecia — male pattern hair loss.

Supplements are not equivalent to established medical treatments for male pattern hair loss.

However, men who specifically want a non-prescription supplement may prefer a formula containing more than basic vitamins and minerals. HR23+ is one option to consider because its multi-ingredient formulation includes botanical extracts such as saw palmetto, nettle and pumpkin seed alongside its nutritional ingredients.

Viviscal, Nutrafol and TRX2 offer alternative approaches.

The right choice ultimately depends on whether you want supplementation alone or intend to combine it with other approaches to hair loss.

What is a good hair supplement for women?

Hair thinning in women can be particularly difficult to self-diagnose because there are so many potential triggers.

Gradual widening of the parting can occur with female pattern hair loss, while diffuse shedding may be associated with stress, hormonal changes, illness, low iron levels or other factors.

That makes identifying the possible cause especially important.

For women who still want a general non-prescription supplement, HR23+ and Viviscal are two established options designed for use by women as well as men, while Nutrafol offers formulas targeted specifically towards different female life stages.

Women experiencing unexplained or substantial shedding should consider discussing it with their GP, particularly before assuming that a supplement is all they need.

Is biotin enough for thinning hair?

Usually, there is little reason to assume that taking more biotin alone will solve unexplained hair thinning.

Biotin is important for normal health, and a genuine deficiency can affect the hair. But deficiency is relatively rare.

This is one reason specialist formulas tend to contain multiple ingredients rather than simply supplying an extremely large dose of biotin.

If you are comparing products, the quality and relevance of the overall formula matter more than the number printed next to biotin on the label.

How long should you try a hair supplement?

Hair supplements need to be judged over months rather than days.

Hair grows in cycles, so even when somebody responds well to a particular routine, changes are unlikely to happen overnight. Reduced shedding may be noticed before an obvious cosmetic difference in density.

As a practical rule, around three months is a much more sensible initial assessment period than a few weeks, unless the product's directions or a healthcare professional advise otherwise.

Taking photographs under the same lighting, from the same position and with the same hairstyle can also give you a far better indication of change than repeatedly checking the mirror.

Can you use a hair supplement with minoxidil?

Many people use nutritional supplements as one part of a broader hair-loss routine.

A supplement and topical minoxidil work in fundamentally different ways, so using a hair supplement does not automatically mean that other approaches have to be excluded.

The important distinction is that a supplement should not be presented as a replacement for a medicine with evidence for treating pattern hair loss.

Anyone taking medication, managing a medical condition, pregnant or breastfeeding should check the suitability of a supplement with an appropriate healthcare professional before starting it.

Which hair supplement should I choose?

If you simply want a straightforward answer, there are several credible approaches.

HR23+ is a strong option for someone looking for a comprehensive, non-prescription multi-ingredient hair supplement. Viviscal makes sense for people attracted to its established marine-complex approach, while Nutrafol offers a broader premium wellness proposition. TRX2 provides another specialist alternative with a more focused formula.

But don't choose purely on marketing.

Look at what is actually inside the product, how much it costs per month, whether the recommended routine is realistic for you, and whether the supplement is appropriate for the kind of thinning you are experiencing.

Most importantly, give any sensible hair-loss routine enough time to judge it properly.

Thinning hair rarely changes overnight — in either direction.

Quick Answers

What is a good supplement to try for thinning hair?

For people looking specifically for a non-prescription hair supplement, established options include HR23+, Viviscal, Nutrafol and TRX2. HR23+ may particularly appeal to people looking for a broad multi-ingredient formula rather than a basic biotin supplement.

Do hair supplements regrow lost hair?

Hair supplements should not be assumed to regrow hair in every person. Results will depend heavily on the cause of the thinning, and supplements are not substitutes for clinically established treatments for conditions such as androgenetic alopecia.

Are hair supplements only for women?

No. Some specialist hair supplements, including HR23+, are formulated for both men and women, although the underlying causes and patterns of hair loss can differ between the sexes.

How quickly do hair supplements work?

Hair changes slowly. It is generally more realistic to assess a hair supplement over several months rather than expecting visible changes after a few days or weeks.

Is an expensive hair supplement necessarily better?

No. Price alone tells you very little about whether a supplement is suitable. Compare the formula, recommended dose, monthly cost and the purpose of the product rather than assuming that the most expensive option must be the most effective. 

Does Biotin Actually Help Hair Loss — Or Are We Wasting Our Money?

Reader Question:

“Every hair supplement seems to contain biotin and I keep seeing high-strength biotin tablets advertised for hair growth. Does taking more biotin actually make your hair grow faster? And can you take too much?”

Our Answer

Biotin might be the most famous “hair vitamin” in the world.

It might also be one of the most misunderstood.

Walk into almost any health-food shop and you'll find bottles containing enormous doses of biotin promising stronger, thicker or healthier-looking hair. Search online for hair-growth supplements and you'll see the same ingredient appearing again and again.

So you'd be forgiven for assuming there must be very strong evidence behind it.

There isn't.

What Is Biotin?

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a water-soluble B vitamin involved in several metabolic processes within the body.

And there is a genuine connection between biotin and hair.

Biotin deficiency can cause thinning hair and hair loss.

That's important, because it's probably one of the reasons biotin acquired its reputation as the hair-growth vitamin.

But true biotin deficiency is uncommon. The US National Institutes of Health notes that biotin deficiency is rare and that severe deficiency has not been reported in healthy people eating an ordinary mixed diet.

Somewhere along the way, the hair industry appears to have made a rather large leap:

Biotin deficiency can cause hair loss → therefore taking lots of extra biotin must grow more hair.

Those aren't the same thing.

Does Biotin Actually Grow Hair?

This is where things get surprisingly thin.

A 2024 review looked specifically at the scientific evidence for oral biotin supplementation and hair growth.

Despite biotin being one of the world's most popular hair supplements, the researchers found just three studies that met their criteria.

The highest-quality study was double-blind and placebo-controlled. It involved women with diffuse alopecia taking 10mg of biotin daily — and found no significant difference in hair growth between the biotin and placebo groups. The other two studies involved very specific patient populations and did not provide convincing evidence for biotin either.

The researchers concluded that there's a considerable gap between the public perception of biotin as a hair-growth supplement and the quality of evidence actually supporting it.

That's rather remarkable when you consider how heavily biotin is marketed for hair.

But Haven't Studies Shown That Biotin Helps Hair?

There are reports of people experiencing improvements after taking biotin.

But there's an important catch.

An earlier review examined published cases involving biotin and improvements in hair or nails. In every case identified by the researchers, the person had an underlying condition associated with poor hair or nail growth.

The authors concluded that biotin may be beneficial where there is an acquired or inherited deficiency or certain specific conditions, but there wasn't sufficient evidence to recommend supplementation for otherwise healthy individuals.

And this distinction matters.

If somebody is deficient in biotin, replacing what their body is missing makes perfect sense.

But that doesn't mean somebody with perfectly adequate biotin levels will grow twice as much hair by taking ten, twenty or fifty times more.

So Why Is Biotin In Nearly Every Hair Supplement?

Because biotin does matter to hair.

That's where we think the argument sometimes swings too far in the opposite direction.

Finding that high-dose biotin isn't a miracle treatment doesn't suddenly make vitamin B7 useless.

Biotin is an essential nutrient. Deficiency can affect the hair.

The problem is the idea that biotin should be treated as a standalone treatment for hair loss.

Hair follicles are considerably more complicated than that.

Genetics, hormones, age, illness, stress, nutritional status and the normal hair-growth cycle can all influence what happens on your scalp.

Someone experiencing androgenetic alopecia isn't going to overcome their genetic susceptibility to hair loss simply by swallowing an enormous biotin tablet every morning.

Likewise, somebody experiencing telogen effluvium following illness or severe stress hasn't necessarily developed a biotin deficiency.

Can Taking Too Much Biotin Cause Hair Loss?

This is another claim that has started circulating online.

At present, there isn't good evidence that taking high doses of biotin directly causes hair loss.

So if you've read that “too much biotin makes your hair fall out”, we'd be cautious about accepting that as fact.

Interestingly, the NIH hasn't established an upper intake limit for biotin because evidence of direct toxicity from high intakes in humans is lacking.

That doesn't mean taking enormous quantities is necessarily a good idea, though.

Because there is one potentially serious problem with high-dose biotin that has nothing to do with your hair.

The Problem With High-Dose Biotin

Biotin can interfere with certain laboratory tests.

And this isn't an internet theory.

The FDA has specifically warned that high levels of supplemental biotin can interfere with some laboratory tests and potentially produce falsely high or falsely low results.

Tests involving certain hormones and cardiac markers can be affected, depending on the testing method being used. The NIH also notes that even a single 10mg dose has been shown to interfere with some thyroid-function tests when testing took place within 24 hours.

That's worth knowing because high-strength hair supplements can contain amounts of biotin vastly greater than normal dietary requirements.

So while we wouldn't worry that a large dose of biotin is secretly making you bald, we also don't see much sense in megadosing a nutrient simply because the word HAIR is printed on the bottle.

More Isn't Automatically Better

This is probably the most important point.

Nutrition doesn't always work on a more = better basis.

If your body is deficient in something required for healthy hair growth, correcting that deficiency can be extremely important.

But once your body has enough of that nutrient, taking dramatically more doesn't necessarily produce dramatically more hair.

Think of it as a missing component.

If the component isn't there, the machine can't function properly.

Once it's there, throwing another hundred identical components into the machine doesn't make it work a hundred times better.

And that's essentially our problem with the obsession surrounding biotin.

It takes one genuine relationship — biotin deficiency can affect hair — and turns it into a much bigger marketing claim:

Biotin grows hair.

The evidence simply isn't that straightforward.

Should A Good Hair Supplement Still Contain Biotin?

We think so.

We just wouldn't choose a hair supplement because it contains a massive dose of biotin.

There's an important difference.

We'd rather see biotin used as one component of a broader formulation containing relevant vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other ingredients than see somebody rely entirely on a high-strength biotin tablet as their hair-loss strategy.

It's one reason we've previously rated multi-ingredient hair supplements such as HR23+ more highly than simple standalone biotin products.

Biotin has a place in a hair-support formula.

It just shouldn't be expected to do all the heavy lifting.

The Verdict

So, does biotin help hair loss?

If you're deficient in biotin, correcting that deficiency could absolutely matter to your hair.

If you're already getting enough biotin, however, there is currently little convincing evidence that taking huge additional doses will suddenly make your hair grow faster, reverse pattern baldness or transform thinning hair.

And despite another popular internet claim, there isn't good evidence that high-dose biotin itself directly causes hair loss either.

Perhaps biotin doesn't need to be thrown out of the hair-growth conversation.

It just needs to be put back in its proper place.

Useful nutrient? Yes.

Important if you're deficient? Absolutely.

Miracle hair-growth treatment? No.

Can Pumpkin Seed Oil and Saw Palmetto Help with Extreme Hair Loss?

Reader question:
“Has anyone tried pumpkin seed and palmetto to help with extreme hair loss?”

Yes, both pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto are commonly used in hair supplements, and there is some evidence suggesting they may help — particularly when hair loss has an androgenetic (pattern hair loss) component.

However, if you're experiencing extreme or sudden shedding, it's important to understand what is causing it first.

Pumpkin Seed Oil for Hair Loss

Pumpkin seed oil is one of the more interesting natural ingredients for hair loss.

A placebo-controlled study in men with androgenetic alopecia found that those taking pumpkin seed oil for 24 weeks experienced significantly greater improvements in hair count than the placebo group.

There has also been research specifically involving women. A small clinical trial in women with female pattern hair loss found improvements after three months of topical pumpkin seed oil treatment, although more research is needed.

What About Saw Palmetto?

Saw palmetto is another popular ingredient, largely because of its potential anti-androgenic activity.

A systematic review found encouraging results from several studies involving oral and topical saw palmetto products for androgenetic alopecia and other forms of thinning, although the researchers stressed that the evidence isn't yet strong enough to put it in the same category as established hair-loss treatments.

So, can pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto be taken together?

They frequently appear together in hair supplements and can make a sensible combination, particularly as part of a broader hair-support routine.

But I wouldn't rely on these two ingredients alone for extreme hair loss.

Heavy shedding can have many triggers, including stress, rapid weight loss, illness, hormonal changes, low iron/ferritin, thyroid problems, nutritional deficiencies and certain medications. If one of these is driving the shedding, addressing that trigger is likely to be far more important than simply adding another supplement.

Our View

Pumpkin seed oil: 👍 Promising
Saw palmetto: 👍 Worth considering
Using both: 👍 A sensible combination

There's enough evidence behind both ingredients to make them worth considering, and a recent review of clinical trials into supplements for androgenetic alopecia also found encouraging results for pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto. However, larger and better-quality studies are still needed.

For significant hair loss, we'd generally favour a comprehensive hair supplement containing these ingredients alongside other useful vitamins, minerals and botanical extracts, rather than taking pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto in isolation.

And remember: hair treatments are slow. Whatever approach you choose, think in terms of months rather than weeks before judging whether it's helping.

The Hair Loss Survival Kit: 6 Treatments to Help Stop Hair Loss in Women

Female hair loss can be frustrating for one very simple reason: there often isn't one obvious thing to fix.

Hormonal changes, menopause, stress, illness, nutritional deficiencies, genetics, scalp conditions and styling habits can all play a part. Sometimes several things are happening at once.

That's why a good hair loss routine doesn't have to revolve around one supposedly miraculous serum or shampoo. A better approach is to look at hair growth, nutrition and scalp health together.

So, if we were putting together the ultimate Hair Loss Survival Kit for women, these are six things we'd want inside.

1. HR23+ Hair Restoration Supplement

We'd start from the inside.

HR23+® is a daily hair supplement formulated for men and women experiencing excessive shedding, thinning and weak hair growth. It combines vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanical ingredients in one formula designed to provide broad nutritional support for healthy hair.

This can be particularly relevant for women because changes in diet, hormones and nutritional requirements can sometimes coincide with periods of increased shedding.

That doesn't mean every case of female hair loss is caused by a vitamin deficiency. It isn't. And supplements can't correct an underlying medical or hormonal condition.

But good nutrition is fundamental to normal hair growth, which makes a well-formulated supplement a logical foundation for a wider hair-care routine.

The important word here is consistency. Hair grows slowly, so this isn't something to take for ten days before deciding whether it's working.

2. Derma Roller / Microneedling

Microneedling has become an increasingly popular addition to hair-loss routines.

A derma roller contains rows of tiny needles that create controlled micro-injuries as it passes over the scalp. This stimulates the skin's natural repair response and is being studied for its potential role in encouraging hair growth.

Some clinical research has produced encouraging results, particularly when microneedling has been used alongside established hair-growth treatments.

That doesn't mean attacking your scalp with a roller every night.

Microneedling needs to be done carefully and hygienically. Needle length, frequency and pressure all matter, and the device should be properly cleaned between uses.

More irritation does not equal more hair growth.

3. Scalp Massage Shower Brush

The little pink scalp brush might be the least glamorous treatment in the box, but it's one of the easiest to incorporate into your routine.

Use it while shampooing to gently massage the scalp and work the shampoo through the roots.

Scalp massage is sometimes promoted online as a cure for hair loss because it supposedly increases blood flow to the follicles. We'd be wary of taking that claim too far. There isn't strong evidence that massaging your scalp will reverse female pattern hair loss.

Its real benefit is much simpler.

A scalp brush can help with thorough cleansing, product distribution and removing build-up, while giving the scalp a gentle massage at the same time.

And unlike most things associated with treating hair loss, it's actually rather relaxing.

4. Nizoral (Ketoconazole) Shampoo

Healthy hair needs a healthy scalp.

Nizoral contains ketoconazole, an antifungal ingredient primarily used to treat dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. If your hair loss is accompanied by itching, flaking, excessive oiliness or scalp irritation, addressing those problems makes sense.

Ketoconazole has also attracted interest in hair-loss research, including its possible effects on androgen-related pathways. The evidence isn't strong enough to treat Nizoral as a standalone hair-growth treatment, though.

We'd look at it primarily as a useful scalp treatment within the wider routine.

It doesn't necessarily need to be your everyday shampoo either. Nizoral can be alternated with a gentler shampoo according to the directions for the product you're using.

5. Rosemary Oil Serum

Few natural hair treatments have generated as much attention in recent years as rosemary oil.

And unusually for a viral hair-growth ingredient, there is at least some research behind it.

One small clinical study comparing rosemary oil with 2% minoxidil in people with androgenetic alopecia reported increases in hair count in both groups after six months. That's interesting, but one study certainly doesn't establish rosemary oil as equivalent to minoxidil, and you'll often see the findings exaggerated online.

We'd therefore put rosemary oil in the promising rather than proven category.

A properly formulated rosemary scalp serum can nevertheless make a sensible addition for women looking for a topical, non-drug option to complement the rest of their routine.

Just remember that essential oils can irritate the skin. Pure rosemary essential oil shouldn't simply be poured directly onto the scalp; use an appropriately formulated or diluted product and stop if irritation develops.

6. Biotin Shampoo

Biotin has become almost synonymous with hair products.

You'll find it in supplements, shampoos, conditioners, serums and just about anything else that can fit the words "biotin" and "hair growth" on the same label.

The reality is less exciting.

Biotin is an essential B vitamin involved in normal biological processes, and genuine biotin deficiency can affect the hair. But deficiency is relatively uncommon, and there isn't good evidence that simply covering a healthy scalp in biotin will regrow thinning hair.

So why put a biotin shampoo in our survival kit?

Because you still need a shampoo.

A good biotin shampoo formulated for thinning hair can provide a gentler everyday cleanser between Nizoral washes. Judge it primarily on how well it cleanses your scalp and leaves your hair looking and feeling, rather than expecting the biotin itself to reverse hair loss.

Sometimes a shampoo is allowed to just be a good shampoo.

How the Women's Hair Loss Survival Kit Fits Together

The idea isn't that you need six different treatments fighting for space on your bathroom shelf.

Each has a slightly different role.

HR23+ provides nutritional hair support from within. Microneedling provides targeted scalp stimulation. Rosemary oil serum offers a topical botanical approach. Nizoral helps manage dandruff and certain inflammatory scalp conditions, while the scalp massage brush helps with cleansing and scalp care. Finally, the biotin shampoo gives you a straightforward everyday shampoo between ketoconazole washes.

It's a rounded routine rather than six versions of the same thing.

But there's an important caveat with female hair loss.

Find Out Why Your Hair Is Falling Out

Women shouldn't automatically assume that thinning hair is simply genetic.

Female pattern hair loss is common, but increased shedding can also occur after pregnancy, during perimenopause and menopause, following significant illness or stress, after rapid weight loss, or alongside deficiencies and certain medical conditions.

That makes the pattern and timing of your hair loss important.

Gradual widening of the centre parting may suggest female pattern hair loss. Large amounts of shedding across the whole scalp can point towards telogen effluvium. Completely smooth patches of missing hair need a different conversation again.

If your hair loss is sudden, severe, patchy, unexplained or accompanied by other symptoms, speak to your GP or a dermatologist rather than relying solely on cosmetic products.

Is This the Ultimate Women's Hair Loss Kit?

It's certainly a strong starting point for women who want a predominantly non-medical approach.

More established medical treatments are available. Topical minoxidil, for example, has considerably stronger evidence for female pattern hair loss than rosemary oil or biotin shampoo and is worth discussing when appropriate.

But not every woman wants to start there.

This survival kit takes a broader approach: nutritional support, scalp care, microneedling, a promising botanical topical and a sensible shampoo routine.

No miracle oil. No shampoo claiming to regrow three inches of hair overnight. No twenty-step routine that becomes impossible to maintain after a fortnight.

Just six practical additions to a hair-loss routine, each there for a reason.

Because when you're dealing with hair loss, a sensible routine you can actually stick to beats a cupboard full of miracle cures.

The Hair Loss Survival Kit: 6 Treatments to Help Stop Hair Loss in Men

There is no shortage of hair loss treatments for men. The harder part is knowing which ones are actually worth using.

Search online and you will find everything from £10 miracle shampoos to supplements, scalp oils, laser helmets, prescription drugs and increasingly questionable treatments promoted on social media. Trying everything at once isn't necessarily the answer.

A sensible hair loss routine should cover several bases: support healthy hair growth, keep the scalp in good condition, stimulate the follicles and, where appropriate, use a proven growth treatment.

So, if we were putting together the ultimate Hair Loss Survival Kit for men, what would actually go in it?

Here are our six picks.

1. HR23+ Hair Restoration Supplement

We’ll start with the nutritional side of the routine.

HR23+® is a daily hair supplement developed specifically for men and women experiencing hair loss, thinning and poor hair growth. Rather than relying heavily on one fashionable ingredient such as biotin, it combines a broad range of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanical ingredients intended to support normal, healthy hair growth.

Supplements aren't magic, and they won't reverse every type of hair loss. But hair is metabolically active tissue, and nutritional support can form a useful part of a wider routine, particularly when shedding, weak growth or dietary factors are involved.

For men who don't want to jump straight to prescription medication, HR23+ also offers a non-prescription option that can sit alongside topical treatments such as minoxidil.

How to use: Take consistently every day according to the product directions. Hair growth is slow, so don't judge any supplement after a couple of weeks.

2. Derma Roller / Microneedling

It might look like an instrument of torture, but the humble derma roller has become one of the more interesting additions to the male hair loss toolkit.

Microneedling involves passing very fine needles over thinning areas of the scalp, creating controlled micro-injuries. This triggers the skin's normal repair response and may help create a more favourable environment for hair growth.

There is also clinical evidence suggesting that microneedling can improve results when combined with minoxidil compared with minoxidil alone, although treatment protocols vary and more research is still needed.

The important bit is not to overdo it. More needles, more pressure and more frequent sessions do not automatically mean more hair. Poor technique can simply leave you with an irritated scalp.

And don't apply minoxidil immediately after deeper microneedling unless you've been specifically advised to do so.

3. Scalp Massage Shower Brush

This is probably the simplest item in the kit.

A silicone scalp massage brush can be used in the shower while shampooing to gently work across the scalp and through the hair.

Don't expect scalp massage alone to regrow a receding hairline. Evidence for massage as a meaningful treatment for male pattern baldness is limited. That's not really why we'd include one.

Its main value is scalp care.

It can help distribute shampoo, loosen product build-up and make it easier to thoroughly cleanse the scalp. And frankly, it feels pretty good too.

Just use it gently. Your scalp isn't a kitchen floor.

4. Nizoral (Ketoconazole) Shampoo

Nizoral is primarily an anti-dandruff treatment containing ketoconazole, an antifungal medication.

So why does it appear in so many men's hair loss routines?

Because scalp health matters.

Dandruff, seborrhoeic dermatitis, itching and inflammation can make an already difficult hair-loss situation worse. Ketoconazole can be particularly useful for men who have an oily, flaky or irritated scalp alongside their thinning.

There has also been research into ketoconazole and androgen-related hair loss, but it shouldn't be presented as an alternative to established treatments such as minoxidil or finasteride. Think of it primarily as a scalp treatment that complements the rest of the routine.

It also doesn't need to replace your normal shampoo completely. Follow the instructions for the particular strength you're using.

5. Minoxidil Foam

If there is one heavyweight in our non-prescription survival kit, it's minoxidil.

Topical minoxidil is one of the best-established treatments available for male pattern hair loss and is widely available in 5% formulations for men.

It works differently from supplements, shampoos and scalp treatments by acting directly on the hair-growth cycle. With continued use, it can help some men maintain existing hair and stimulate thicker growth, particularly around thinning areas of the scalp.

There are two things every new user should know.

First, results take time. Think in months, not weeks.

Second, some users experience increased shedding when they first start treatment. That can understandably cause panic, but an early shed doesn't necessarily mean the treatment is making your hair loss worse.

The bigger drawback is commitment. Minoxidil isn't generally something you use for three months, achieve your result and put back in the bathroom cabinet. Benefits usually depend on continued treatment.

6. Saw Palmetto Shampoo

Finally, we'd throw in a good everyday shampoo.

Saw palmetto is commonly found in men's hair-loss products because of its proposed interaction with pathways involved in DHT, the androgen strongly associated with male pattern baldness.

However, this is where expectations need to remain realistic.

A saw palmetto shampoo is not a substitute for finasteride, and shampoo remains on the scalp for a relatively short period before being washed away. Claims that a shampoo can simply "block DHT" and reverse male pattern baldness should therefore be treated cautiously.

What it can provide is a convenient cleansing shampoo formulated specifically with thinning hair in mind.

Used alongside Nizoral on different wash days, it gives you a straightforward shampoo rotation without pretending that shampoo alone is going to rescue a Norwood 5.

Putting the Hair Loss Survival Kit Together

The strength of this routine isn't any single bottle or gadget. It's that each component has a different job.

HR23+ provides nutritional hair support. Minoxidil is the principal topical growth treatment. Microneedling provides another form of follicular stimulation. Nizoral helps manage scalp conditions such as dandruff. The scalp brush helps with cleansing and scalp care, while a saw palmetto shampoo provides an everyday thinning-hair shampoo between ketoconazole washes.

You don't necessarily need all six, either.

Hair loss treatments should be chosen according to why you're losing your hair. A man with straightforward androgenetic alopecia has different needs from someone suddenly shedding hair after illness, severe stress, rapid weight loss or a nutritional deficiency.

That's also why unexplained, sudden, patchy or unusually aggressive hair loss is worth discussing with a GP or dermatologist rather than simply throwing products at it.

So, Is This the Ultimate Men's Hair Loss Kit?

For a non-surgical, predominantly non-prescription approach, it's a very strong place to start.

There are more aggressive options. Prescription finasteride is one obvious omission and remains one of the major evidence-based treatments for male pattern hair loss, but it requires a separate conversation about suitability, potential adverse effects and medical guidance.

Our Hair Loss Survival Kit is deliberately broader.

It combines one of the most established topical treatments with nutritional support, microneedling and sensible scalp care. No miracle cures. No shampoo that's supposedly going to grow your entire hairline back by Friday.

Just six useful tools that approach thinning hair from different angles.

And if you're going to fight hair loss, you might as well come prepared.