What has some support
- Correcting a genuine deficiency. Low ferritin, vitamin D or zinc. Test first — this only helps if the deficiency is real.
- Adequate protein. Hair is largely keratin, and severe restriction shows within months.
- Reducing traction and heat damage. Prevents breakage and traction alopecia, which is prevention rather than regrowth, but it is real.
- Treating scalp conditions. Seborrhoeic dermatitis and psoriasis cause inflammation and shedding, and both respond to treatment.
What does not
Rosemary oil, castor oil, onion juice, scalp massage devices, laser combs sold online, and most "hair growth" supplement blends. Some have a single small study; none has evidence comparable to established treatments.
The exception worth noting: scalp massage and oils will not regrow hair, but they do no harm. If they are part of a routine you enjoy, there is no reason to stop — just do not let them replace establishing what is actually causing the loss.
The real cost of ineffective approaches is rarely the money. It is the eighteen months spent on them while a pattern process continues.
Common questions
Does rosemary oil work?
One small study is often cited. The evidence is thin, and it is not comparable to established treatments. It is unlikely to harm.
Does scalp massage help?
It increases local blood flow briefly. There is no good evidence it changes follicle behaviour, though it is harmless.
Are laser caps worth it?
The evidence is mixed and the devices are expensive. Worth discussing with someone who has assessed your scalp before spending.
Can diet alone fix hair loss?
Only where a deficiency is the cause. Diet does not affect androgenetic loss.
Is there anything genuinely free that helps?
Stopping traction, reducing heat damage, and getting a deficiency tested. That is a short but real list.
What an assessment establishes
- 1.Which process is causing the loss
Pattern loss, telogen effluvium, traction and scarring alopecia look similar in a mirror and behave nothing alike. The examination separates them, because the answer decides which routes are worth discussing at all.
- 2.Whether it is stable or still moving
Loss that is still progressing changes what any treatment can hold. It is the difference between planning around a fixed area and planning around one that will keep widening, and it is judged from history and examination rather than a single photograph.
- 3.Which routes are available to you, and which are not
Donor supply, scalp condition, skin type and how the loss is behaving each rule options in or out. You leave knowing what is on the table and what is not, without a price attached to the conversation.