Dr Xavier's Award Winning Medical Aesthetic Clinic Southampton

Patient Education Page:
Topical and Oral Medication-Based Hair Regrowth Solutions

Our experience makes yours!

"Our clinic has been helping patients with many aspects of their health and wellness for 19 years and we have won a variety of awards over that time."

We offer such a comprehensive range of specialist tools and treatments because we are, first and foremost, a doctor and nurse led medical clinic and not a trichology service. Trichologists do specialise in hair, but they are generally not medically qualified so the range of treatments and services they are able to offer are more limited.

Meet: LUIS COSTA

RN, INP, MSC (DIST), PGCTLHE, BSC, FHEA
Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Our Senior Nurse Luis has been treating patients for hair loss successfully for a number of years and you will be under his care for your hair treatment. More details about Luis and his experience can be found below.

CONSULTATION AND ASSESSMENT:

At our clinic, the starting point for every patient's personal hair regrowth journey is a full medical consultation with our senior nurse practitioner Luis Costa.

Your consultation time with Luis is an important opportunity for you to find out ALL the options available and suitable for you following a full medical assessment and scalp examination.

The consultation is also an important opportunity for you to have all your questions answered and then afterwards take time to reflect, then decide on your options. Only then are you able to make an informed decision about which treatment or course of treatment is best for you.

DIAGNOSTIC SCREENING AND TESTS:

We also recommend that you consider a Fagron TrichoTest™ DNA test because the results from this can help determine which medications and supplements you are genetically predisposed to respond to better than others.

It also helps ensure you are not throwing your money at medications that are not best suited to you and are not destined to work for you.

For an example of the in-depth DNA report that you receive click here for a template example.

In addition, it may be useful for you to also have a blood and hormone profile test to help determine or identify any underlying or related health conditions that may be affecting your hair and scalp health.

ON-GOING SUPPORT AND MONITORING:

All our hair loss / hair regrowth treatments, are fully medically supervised and monitored to track your progress.

Hair Loss / Hair Regrowth Medications
Look beyond the online hype.

Today, awareness of medications and supplements commonly used for hair loss / hair regrowth / balding / receding hairlines and hair thinning such as finasteride (Propecia), minoxidil (Rogaine), dutasteride, latanoprost, biotin, spironolactone, primrose oil etc is very much in the press, news and all-over social media, so there is huge publicity surrounding them.

These treatments have certainly revolutionised the options available to people seeking hair regrowth before having to resort to hair transplantation surgery such as Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), but these are prescription medicines and, despite all the hype from "influencers" on social media they should not be chosen lightly without a thorough understanding of the potential side-effects.

Alarmingly, on the internet and on social media it is easy to find non-medically qualified people offering hair loss medications for sale, which is illegal. Sadly, even some legal online providers of these medications provide it with the bare minimum of patient information, a lack of discussion about the potential risks versus benefits, and often zero medical support, supervision or monitoring for patients taking them.

This page is intended to act as a simple patient resource page and does not replace the importance and need for a full medical consultation that is needed to help you decide on ALL your hair loss options.

To book a general hair loss consultation please contact us on 02380 637638 or CLICK HERE to complete the online contact form.

How to Choose a Provider for Hair Regrowth Treatments

Despite seeing hair loss treatments all over social media please remember that first and foremost they are medical treatments (no matter how much gloss an "influencer" may add!). One patient's experience can be very different to the next, so it is important that you are correctly assessed for treatment by a medical practitioner who is able to give you all the information needed for you to make an informed decision. We recommend that whoever you choose, it is more prudent to choose one that is:

What are Effective Alternatives?

There are so many companies out there offering so many hair regrowth / loss options. There are so many 'angles' and so many offers that can result in so much confusion. And what happens?

• We don't know what treatment, or supplement, or Instagram influencer or TikTok'er to follow!
• Do we opt for surgery, medical treatments, oral or topical medications?
• Do we take supplements, and if so which ones? Do we change our diet? What hair care do we use?

There is an endless list of choices which can often end up confusing us! We know that a confused mind does nothing or makes bad choices or spends our hard-earned money on the wrong choices. Our aim is to help you cut through all that noise and confusion and help you find the solutions that work BEST for you. Hair loss medical treatments are clearly an effective treatment for some, and a great alternative to surgery in many cases, but whatever you do gather all the information with the help of a medical professional and consider the risks versus the benefits and take your time to reflect.

Understanding Hair Loss Medications: Risks and Benefits

We believe in empowering patients with knowledge. This page provides information about the risks and benefits of common hair loss medications. It's essential to remember that this information is for educational purposes only and does not replace a personalised consultation with our medical professionals. Individual results and experiences may vary.

1. TOPICAL MINOXIDIL (E.G., ROGAINE):

• Benefits:
  • Can stimulate hair growth in both men and women.
  • Available over-the-counter.
  • Relatively easy to use.
    
    
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Scalp irritation or dryness.
  • Initial shedding of hair (telogen effluvium).
  • Unwanted hair growth in other areas.
  • Rarely, systemic side effects like changes in heart rate.
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • Requires consistent, long-term use.
  • Results may take several months.
    
    

2. ORAL FINASTERIDE (E.G., PROPECIA) (FOR MEN):

• Benefits:
  • Effective in slowing or stopping male pattern baldness.
  • Can promote hair regrowth.
    
    
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Decreased libido.
  • Erectile dysfunction.
  • Ejaculation problems.
  • Rarely, breast tenderness or enlargement.
  • Potential impact on PSA levels (prostate-specific antigen).
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • Prescription medication.
  • Not for use in women.
  • Requires regular monitoring.
    
    

3. ORAL SPIRONOLACTONE (FOR WOMEN):

• Benefits:
  • Can address hormonal hair loss in women.
  • May be effective for conditions like androgenetic alopecia.
  
  
  
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Diuretic effect (increased urination).
  • Menstrual irregularities.
  • Breast tenderness.
  • Potassium level changes.
  • Must not be taken during pregnancy.
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • Prescription medication.
  • Requires regular monitoring.
    
    

4. ORAL DUTASTERIDE (FOR MEN):

• Benefits:
  • Similar to Finasteride, it inhibits the production of DHT, but it blocks both type 1 and type 2 5-alpha-reductase enzymes, potentially leading to a greater reduction in DHT levels.
  • May be more effective than Finasteride in some individuals for slowing or stopping male pattern baldness.
  • Can promote hair regrowth.
    
    
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Decreased libido.
  • Erectile dysfunction.
  • Ejaculation problems.
  • Breast tenderness or enlargement.
  • Similar to Finasteride, it can affect PSA levels, which is important for prostate cancer screening.
  • Possible increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • Prescription medication.
  • Not for use in women.
  • Requires regular monitoring.
  • Longer half-life than finasteride, therefore side effects can last longer after cessation of use.
    
    

5. BIOTIN (VITAMIN B7):

• Benefits:
  • Biotin is essential for various bodily functions, including healthy hair, skin, and nails.
  • It may be beneficial for individuals with a diagnosed biotin deficiency.
  • Widely available over the counter and can also be given as an intramuscular booster shot injection.
    
    
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Generally considered safe, but high doses may cause mild digestive upset.
  • Important: Biotin can interfere with certain laboratory tests, particularly thyroid function tests. It's crucial to inform your doctor about biotin supplements before undergoing any blood work.
  • There is limited scientific data supporting it's use in people that are not biotin deficient for hair growth.
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • While often touted for hair growth, its effectiveness is primarily observed in individuals with a clinically diagnosed biotin deficiency, which is relatively rare.
  • It is not a primary treatment for common hair loss conditions like androgenetic alopecia.
  • It is important to discuss Biotin supplement use with a doctor.
    
    

6. TOPICAL LATANOPROST:

• Benefits:
  • Originally used for glaucoma, some studies suggest that topical latanoprost may promote hair growth, particularly in the eyelashes and scalp.
  • May increase the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle.
  • Topical application is relatively easy.
    
    
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Eye irritation (if it comes into contact with the eyes).
  • Changes in iris pigmentation (if it comes into contact with the eyes).
  • Scalp irritation or redness.
  • Limited long-term studies on scalp hair regrowth.
  • Results can vary widely.
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • While promising, research on latanoprost for scalp hair regrowth is still ongoing, and more studies are needed to confirm its efficacy.
  • Its use for hair regrowth is considered off-label.
  • Requires consistent, long-term use.
  • It is important to discuss the use of latanoprost with a medically qualified professional.
    
    

7. ORAL SPIRONOLACTONE (FOR WOMEN):

• Benefits:
  • Effective in addressing hormonal hair loss in women, particularly when related to androgen excess (e.g., in conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome or androgenetic alopecia).
  • Works by blocking androgen receptors, reducing the effects of androgens on hair follicles.
  • Can help improve hair density and reduce hair shedding.
    
    
• Risks/Side Effects:
  • Diuretic effect (increased urination).
  • Menstrual irregularities (e.g., spotting, changes in cycle).
  • Breast tenderness.
  • Potassium level changes (requires monitoring).
  • Dizziness or light-headedness.
  • Fatigue.
  • Must not be taken during pregnancy due to the risk of birth defects.
    
    
• Important Notes:
  • Prescription medication.
  • Primarily used for women.
  • Requires regular monitoring of blood pressure and potassium levels.
  • May take several months to see noticeable results.
  • It is very important to discuss the use of this medication with a medically qualified professional
    
    

8. OTHER ORAL/TOPICAL MEDICATIONS:

• General Risks and Considerations:
  • Allergic Reactions: Any medication can cause allergic reactions. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience symptoms like rash, itching, or swelling.
  • Drug Interactions: Inform your doctor about all medications you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
  • Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Some hair loss medications are contraindicated during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Always consult with your doctor.
  • Individual Variation: Results and side effects vary from person to person.
  • Importance of Consultation: A thorough consultation is essential to determine the most appropriate medication and dosage for your individual needs.
    
    
• BENEFITS OF HAIR LOSS MEDICATIONS (GENERAL):
  • Slowing or stopping hair loss progression.
  • Stimulating hair regrowth.
  • Improving hair density and thickness.
  • Boosting self-confidence.
    
    

Conclusion:
We understand that choosing a hair loss treatment can be a difficult decision. Our team at is dedicated to providing personalised consultation, a full treatment plan with all your relevant and available options, ongoing care and guidance. We encourage you to schedule a consultation to discuss your specific concerns and explore the best treatment options for you.

Start Your Hair Restoration Journey - book a consultation with us.

A consultation is your time with Luis, who has years of experience in helping people improve their scalp and hair health.

We have a very wide range of different treatments and therapies, so it is an important opportunity for you to find out ALL the options available and suitable for you following a full medical history and assessment.

It is also an important opportunity for you to have all your questions answered and then take time afterwards to reflect, then decide on your options.

Click here to contact us.