The Best Hair Growth Products for Men, According to Doctors

While Finasteride is effective, it’s usually found in a pill form and can carry some pretty serious side effects. There is some evidence that topical finasteride, however, can be effective with a lower risk of side effects, which is why this spray may come in handy for those who don’t want to take the risk. This double whammy of FDA-approved ingredients both shown to control hair loss attacks hair loss in ways a single-ingredient treatment can’t.

Testing notes: Unlike other topicals, the thing we like best from our testing of this spray is that you only need to apply it once a day. It’s easier to remember that way and easier to stay consistent (which is key to any hair loss treatment). Like other sprays, it can make your hair a little bit greasy, especially if you use other styling products, but we found that applying it right after the shower on clean hair helps to keep this to a minimum. The spray formula is convenient but if you’re spraying it onto areas that have hair, you’ll still want to massage it in a bit to make sure it reaches the scalp properly.

This soothing scalp serum not only helps to balance your scalp and control itch and irritation, but it also contains apple stems cells which help to extend the growth phase of hair follicles to reduce shedding and slow thinning. Think of it as more of a preventative or maintenance step. It likely won’t regrow hair, but can help you keep the hair you have.

Testing Notes: Even if you’re not experiencing active hair loss, we found that this scalp treatment can help balance your scalp, reduce oiliness or dryness and overall just help it feel healthier (and by extension your hair, too). The serum is thin and spreads easily and we found that the dropper is handy to help get the serum directly onto your scalp no matter how much hair you have. The directions say to apply 1-2 pipettes but we found that around 3 is best for complete coverage (maybe we just have large heads) which would lower the amount of time the products lasts. Apply it on clean hair right after the shower for best results and, while the brand advises to use it “as needed,” we found that every day is ideal for best results.

Read more: Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men

This innovative spray acts as a two-in-one product because it not only contains ingredients that block DHT (which causes male pattern hair loss) but it also acts as a styling product to help add volume and texture to your hair. Add in scalp-healthy ingredients to help balance and stimulate hair follicles and you have an all-around great hair thinning product. Plus, it’s portable.

Testing Notes: Okay, yes, this stuff does help to retain and regrow hair (we did see some visible improvement even after about a month). But what we found we liked best in our testing versus other similar hairsprays is that it feels the best in your hair. In fact, it can help instantly add volume and texture the way a stying spray can, which allows it to pull double duty in your routine. You’ll still need to make sure you get it down to the scalp, which can take some massaging but its ability to replace a styling product, too, make it worthwhile. Plus, the small size is easier to take on the go than other products which is always a plus.

Overwhelmingly, all our experts recommended 5% minoxidil as the best treatment for Male Pattern Hair Loss. It’s FDA-approved and clinically-proven to stop shedding and help regrow hair. Rogaine, the original minoxidil treatment, remains the go-to especially because it’s widely available at most drug stores. Pick up the foam, says Dr. Kash, because it’s easier to control and less likely to drip onto your face (if it does, wash it off quickly to avoid weird hair patches). Unlike the solution, the foam doesn’t contain propylene glycol, which can cause an allergic reaction for some people.

Read more: Reason for Hair Loss

Apart from minoxidil, finasteride is the other gold standard in hair loss treatment and can be “more effective,” says Dr. Goldman. It’s also highly studied, including actual hair count studies and studies showing the increased hair count was maintained after two years, he says. The downside is that it’s only available by prescription and should always be used under the care of a doctor, as there can be side effects like bloating, chills, and decreased sex drive among others. Hims allows you to consult with a doctor online and order finasteride right to your door, without killing time in a waiting room or trekking to the pharmacy.

Read more: Best Hair Products for Men

If you’re looking for a double whammy of both minoxidil and finasteride, Keeps has you covered. They offer both as a combo and you can even add on other products like thickening or dandruff-controlling shampoo. They only offer FDA-approved hair loss medications (no snake oil here) and an easy consultation with a doctor is necessary before purchasing finasteride since it’s prescription only. The only downside is that for regulatory reasons, the medical consultation may not be available in your states, in which case you’d only be able to purchase minoxidil. Overall, however, the products are easy to use and even easier to get.

Testing notes: With all the different options out there, what we like best about Keeps is that they offer a variety of delivery options and types of products with various ingredients so you can choose a custom kit with exactly what you want and will actually use (compliance is the biggest make-or-break factor in hair loss products, after all). If you’re not sure what you need, advice from a doctor is key here as they can not only offer you their recommendations but also tweak your product selection throughout the process to make sure you have exactly what you need.

Read more: Best Subscription Boxes for Men

Take a quick quiz about your hair and lifestyle and MDHair customizes a treatment kit for you using their dermatologist-developed products based on your answers. Taking into account not only your genetics, but also lifestyle factors that could be contributing to hair loss, they provide a well-rounded approach that other similar companies don’t. There’s the classic minoxidil serum, but also medicated shampoo and hair supporting supplements using natural ingredients. Used together, they can address multiple hair loss factors, which a single product usually can’t. You can also add more products to your kit as needed or buy them individually.

Testing notes: The idea behind MDHair is similar to other customizable kit services out there, but what we like is that they have options with natural ingredients beyond just your standard minoxidil. We wouldn’t recommend forgoing minoxidil completely if you really want something that is going to work, but the option to combine a minoxidil product with other things like scalp serums, shampoos and supplements that also contain natural ingredients is a big plus.

Since it’s hard to tell exactly what kind of hair loss you have, especially if your thinning doesn’t follow the typical Male Pattern Hair Loss patterns, it can be hard to figure out what to do about it. An ingestible supplement like this works from the inside to target common factors that could contribute to hair loss like inflammation, environmental factors and stress. Using naturally-derived ingredients, Nutrafol targets these underlying issues to help keep the hair you have and potentially get back the hair you’ve lost. Just remember, you may need to pair it with something like minoxidil for best results.

“There is more evidence that supplements like Viviscal seem to stop hair loss,” says Dr. Goldman, but he’s quick to note that more research needs to be done on what particular ingredients are actually responsible. Viviscal is packed with collagen and other hair friendly ingredients like vitamin C, zinc and flax seed which help to regulate the hair life cycle. Take a pill morning and night to help support growth. Supplements like this “can be a good supporting player,” says dermatologist Dhaval Bhanusali, MD, but are best used in combination with another treatment.

Read more: Best Supplements for Men

There are a lot of LED systems out there that target hair growth, but Dr. Kash recommends a helmet because it’s way easier to use than other devices like combs. Just put it on your head, power it on, and you’re good to go. Like other LED devices, the red lights inside the cap stimulate blood flow to the scalp and reduce inflammation, both of which help to support hair growth. Dr. Kash recommends this FDA-cleared cap specifically because it’s high quality for a relatively low price (compared to other similar models). Her biggest tip: you have to really commit to using it every day to see the best results.

Don’t consider a shampoo your primary defense against hair loss, but there is some evidence that they can help when combined with other treatments like serums or oral supplements. The natural ingredients in this trichologist-developed DHT blocking shampoo (DHT being the main cause of Male Pattern Hair Loss) can help augment the effects of other medications like minoxidil and finasteride to reduce shedding and facilitate new growth.