Transgender hair loss recommendations

Consult a healthcare professional about your hair loss before using new drugs or supplements. Some may cause unwanted side effects or bad interactions with other drugs or conditions. Your body may not respond well to some of these substances, so add new items one at a time.

Overview

Essentials for mild to moderate thinning or recession

• Drugs
  • Prescription androgen blocker
  • Topical preparations
    • minoxidil 5%
    • topical with biotin
• Shampoo with at least one of these
  • ketoconazole
  • pyrithione zinc
  • exfoliants
  • coal tar
• Conditioner with at least one of these
  • caffeine
  • keratin
  • argan oil
  • peppermint
• Devices and tools
  • scalp massager / shampoo brush
  • boar bristle hair brush (or vegan equivalent)
• Supplements
  • biotin
• Foods
• Things to avoid

Some thinning or balding at the crown or frontal recession

You might benefit from hair transplants, but it’s vital to go to someone really good and experienced! There are a lot of inept people performing hair transplants (believe me, I went to one and had to have them removed later).

Some people get low level laser stimulation of the scalp. This can help in some cases.

Significant recession

At a certain point, hair transplant will probably not be a satisfactory option. You might be better off getting a scalp advancement, a scalp reduction, or both. This can even be done prior to transplants.

If surgery is not an option

See hair systems and wigs.

My key recommendations

Prescriptions

• Via physician or endocrinologist:
  • Prescription androgen blocker
• Via physician or dermatologist:
  • Prescription ketoconazole shampoo, gel, or foam (2%)

Non-prescription topicals

• Topical minoxidil (5% foam)
  • Rogaine
  • Generics
• Argan oil
• Amplixin Intensive Biotin Hair Growth Serum
• Biotin Hair Growth Serum by Pureauty Naturals
• Sea Chi Organics Leave-On Moisturizing Treatment & Hair Growth Formula
• Una Oxygenating Treatment
• Laritelle Organic Hair Growth Set

Non-prescription shampoos and conditioners

• Non-prescription ketoconazole shampoo or foam
  • Nizoral A-D (1%)
• Non-prescription pyrithione zinc shampoo
  • Noble Formula Shampoo with 2% Pyrithione Zinc
  • Redken Scalp Relief Dandruff Control Shampoo
• Non-prescription exfoliating shampoo for dry and curly hair
  • Phyto Phythéol Intense Botanical Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
  • Sachajuan Scalp Shampoo
  • Neutrogena T-Sal Shampoo
• Non-prescription zinc and coal tar shampoo
  • Philip B Anti-Flake II Relief Shampoo
• Non-prescription conditioner
  • Hairgenics Pronexa Hair Loss Therapy Conditioner

Devices and tools

• Bristle hair brush
• Scalp massager / shampoo brush
• iRestore Laser Hair Growth System
• Phototherapy comb

Supplements to help reduce hair loss

Some supplements may contain ingredients that can cause nausea, digestion problems, stomach pain, and bad interactions with your drugs. Speak with your healthcare provider if you have a medical condition or food and chemical sensitivities.

• Viviscal tablets
• PHYTO Phytophanère Hair and Nails Dietary Supplement
• HUM Nutrition Hair Sweet Hair
• DrFormulas HairOmega 3-in-1 Hair Growth Vitamins with DHT Blocker
• Nouráge Nourishment for Hair
• Nutrafol
• Multivitamin with iron, niacin
• Biotin
• Spermidine
• Selenium (but not too much)
• Resveratrol
• Arachidonic acid
• Vitamin E (tocotrienols, tocopherols)
• Phytoestrogens (isoflavones, coumestans, lignans)
• Beta-sitosterol

Foods to help reduce hair loss

Some foods may have a small effect in reducing hair loss in some people.

• Fish (especially trout, pollock, herring, mussels, anchovies, swordfish, mackerel)
• Soybeans
• Beans
• Nuts (almonds)
• Seeds (sunflower, flax, chia)
• Avocados
• Sweet potatoes
• Sweet peppers (especially yellow peppers)
• Berries

Resources

Regrowth (regrowth.com)

• Comprehensive site and a good forum.