What are the different stages of hair loss in alopecia?

The stages of hair loss in alopecia can vary significantly depending on the type of alopecia someone is experiencing. Generally, hair loss progresses through initial thinning, patchy areas, and, in severe cases, complete baldness. For instance, in cases of male pattern baldness, the hair growth cycle may start with a receding hairline followed by thinning at the crown, while in alopecia areata, the hair follicle may suddenly stop producing hair, leading to patchy hair loss. Understanding these stages can help in selecting the appropriate hair loss treatment.

What causes different types of hair loss?

The causes of hair loss can be multifaceted, including genetic factors, hormonal changes, medical conditions, and environmental factors. For example, male pattern baldness is largely hereditary and related to hormones, while alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes the body to attack hair follicles. Additionally, factors such as stress, poor nutrition, and certain medications can also cause hair loss. Understanding the specific cause of your hair loss is crucial for targeting the right treatment.

How long does it take for hair growth to resume after starting treatment?

The duration for hair growth to resume after initiating a hair loss treatment varies widely based on the individual and the type of treatment used. For instance, minoxidil typically shows visible results within 3 to 6 months, while medications like finasteride may take up to a year for new hair growth to become noticeable. It’s important to remain patient and consistent with treatments, as hair growth is a gradual process influenced by the hair growth cycle.

What treatments are available for alopecia?

There are several effective treatments for alopecia, including topical solutions like minoxidil, oral medications such as finasteride, and advanced options like hair transplant surgeries. Topical treatments stimulate hair growth and

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The Timeline for Treating Hair Loss in Men

By Mosh

Start Growing Hair

4 min read

That’s one of the most common questions guys ask when they start to explore hair loss treatment, like hair regrowth prescription medications or over the counter product. Unsurprisingly, they want to know how long it will take before they start to see some results, and how long before they’ll see the best result.

Why are guys so anxious? Because even though we struggle to admit it out loud, hair loss is a big deal. It makes us feel insecure and ugly. But check out ‘What Do Women Really Think About Bald Men?’ in the details article on the subject.

“How long will it take?” is a common question guys ask when they start to explore hair growth treatments.

Unfortunately, we can’t give a precise answer to this question. There are a lot of variables to consider. The timeline varies substantially from one man to another and between treatments.

Genetics plays a critical role. Some men are exceptionally responsive to alopecia treatments. For whatever reason, their bodies respond quickly, and the treatments create a dramatic effect.

A small minority of men don’t respond to treatments at all. This is quite rare, but it happens to some men, especially those with early hair loss or hair loss that happens quickly (from full head to bald in two or three years, for instance).

And of course, there’s a whole spectrum of guys in between. The only way to know what type of role your genetics will play in your treatment’s speed or effectiveness is to start treatments and find out.

Another important variable is whether you stick to the routine. Treating your hair loss is a daily regimen. A missed day here or there won’t have much impact, but if you fail to apply your treatments for weeks or months at a time, you’ll only set yourself back.

Some men find sticking to their routine difficult. Unlike women, most of us guys don’t have much of a daily routine outside of showering, shaving (some days), and brushing our teeth. We’re just not used to spending a lot of time in the bathroom preparing for the day, especially when we need to apply our topical hair loss treatment. So it’s easy to let a couple of days go by without applying your treatment.

Furthermore, the state of your follicles when you start your treatment is another significant factor. If you begin treating your hair loss the moment you notice the slightest thinning, there’s a good chance that you’ll stop the loss and start to grow back some hair.

However, if you wait until your head is nearly bald, many of those follicles are long past the point of being able to grow hair. Even the little vellus hairs will have a hard time turning healthy again without proper hair loss treatment for men.

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The 4 Hair Phases

Before we jump into the typical hair loss treatment timeline, it’s important to talk about hair growth phases. This will help you understand why treatments take as long as they do.

Each hair on your body goes through four distinct phases:

Anagen – This is when your hair grows. It lasts two to seven years.
Catagen – This is a regression phase where the hair follicle shrinks. It lasts about ten days.
Telogen – This is a resting phase where a hair sits around doing nothing. It lasts about three months before the follicle releases and sheds the hair. 10-15% of your hairs are in this phase at any time.
Exogen – At the end of the resting phase, the hair will gradually detach from the follicle and fall out.

These phases tell us that preventive alopecia treatments are linked closely to the way hair grows. If a hair is in the telogen phase, you may have to wait until it enters the anagen phase to start growing, even if you started treatment months earlier.

A General Timeline

All of those variables aside, we can give you a general idea of how long treatments take to work and what you’ll see along the way. It also depends on your treatment regime, stage of hair loss and other factors that can be covered off with a medical professional.

Months 0 to 3

You shouldn’t expect to see much during the first few months. This is when we counsel our customers to try not to think about results. Instead, focus on turning your regimen into a habit that you manage quickly every day.

There’s a good chance you’ll see some shedding during this period. Shedding is when old hairs break away and fall out. You may feel like your treatments are ruining your hair, but that’s not the case.

Baldness treatments can force follicles into the beginning of a new anagen stage, even if the follicle is already in an anagen phase. It’s like a fresh restart to grow under the new conditions.

So it’s quite possible to see healthy hairs fall out of your head, but it doesn’t mean that follicle has stopped producing a hair forever. It just means the phases are being adjusted. Shedding is generally seen as a positive sign that your treatment will work.

Make sure to take some pictures when you start your treatment for male pattern baldness to compare later. Try to snap a couple photos every month.

Months 3 to 6

During this period, you should start seeing some results. The shedding should stop and your existing hairs should appear thicker. (That is, each hair shaft should appear healthier. You won’t have more hair at this point.)

You may start to see small white or transparent hairs in balding areas of your scalp. These are vellus hairs.

Vellus hairs could be older hairs that are miniaturizing as the DHT chokes their follicle, or they could be brand new hairs sprouting due to your treatments. This is why having photos from before your your treatment will help you determine if the treatments are working.

Months 6 to 12

By the ninth month, you should know for sure if your prescribe plan works. This gives all your hairs time to complete their telogen phase, start an anagen phase, and poke through your scalp.

You’ll see the final results of your treatment around the end of the year. Some guys take a little longer, but a year is about average.

Of course, if you failed to apply your treatment for more than a few days throughout the year, your results may take longer. If you stopped using your treatment plan for more than a month, you might have to start from the beginning again.

Keep in mind, however, that not every guy can regrow hair. Sometimes stopping hair loss is the best result you’ll get it. If you don’t see new hairs, that doesn’t mean your treatments don’t work. They could be keeping your hair loss at bay.

Compare what you see in the mirror to your early photos. If you look about the same, your treatment works. If you stop using your hair loss treatment, your DHT levels will rise, and your follicles will starve of the growth factors, which will trigger more hair loss.

You’ll also continue to go through phases of significant shedding. Shedding is normal, but growback treatments tend to align the hair phases so that they might shed all at the same time. Again, this is normal.

Consistency and Patience are Key

We wish there were a magic pill you could take to regrow your lost hair overnight, but that isn’t the case. Advances in hair loss science happen every year, but we aren’t there yet.

The key to getting the most value out of your hair loss preventive journey is to start early and apply it consistently every day. Try not to stress yourself out by thinking about it too often. Focus on other ways to cope with your hair loss, change your lifestyle to help your hair, and find ways to enjoy your life.

The sooner you start your treatment, the sooner you’ll stop your hair loss and start regrowing. Every day you wait makes it harder to get the cosmetic results you crave. Start your hair regrowth journey right away

Also, Mosh doesn't just provide male pattern baldness programs; we also service other men's health programs, such as weight loss plans, mental health support and skin care treatments as well as sexual health treatment for erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation.

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