Finasteride and Minoxidil have been the cornerstone of treatment for androgenetic alopecia (aka male pattern baldness) for decades, with few alternatives coming close in terms of safety, efficacy and accessibility. But this year there have been a few developments in the world of hair restoration that signals some new medicines that might compete with Finasteride and Minoxidil in years to come.
Many are still in the experimental stage, being tested in labs or in animal studies, while others have started reaching clinics. Still, their long-term effectiveness has yet to be proven. Below, we’ll introduce some of the most exciting advancements this year.
Regenerative therapies: PRP and AMT
Regenerative therapies aim to harness the body’s own healing potential to encourage hair growth. These treatments are performed in a clinic by a trained medical professional and typically use the patient’s own cells to stimulate growth, which are becoming more and more popular this year.
PRP (Plasma Rich Platelet) therapy involves injecting a patient’s own blood back into their scalp, which is thought to stimulate hair growth. A blood sample is taken from the patient and treated to make it more concentrated in ‘platelets’, which are ordinarily responsible for forming blood clots when we injure ourselves and promote healing by releasing ‘growth factors’ which help repair damaged tissue. That’s basically the idea behind using PRP for hair growth: the sample is rich in growth factors, which stimulate the growth pathways of the cells in the hair follicle, which is believed to extend the anagen (growth) phase. The treatment protocol tends to involve three sessions once-a-month, followed by maintenance sessions every 3-6 months to keep up results. However, the treatment is yet to be standardized, so different clinics might recommend different schedules.
In a similar way to PRP, AMT (Autologous Micrografting Technology) involves taking a sample of tissue from the patient’s scalp and extracting stem cells and growth factors, then injecting them back into the scalp. Doing this is thought to stimulate the dermal papilla cells, which sit at the base of the hair follicle and play a crucial role in hair growth. Just like PRP, this may have the potential to revitalize dormant hair follicles. So far, there have been a few small-scale human trials carried out, including two this year. Only 30 people were studied altogether, but results were promising.
These procedures may work best in combination with established treatments like Finasteride and Minoxidil, to target hair loss from multiple angles: preventing hair loss while encouraging regrowth. Also, although they are both available from clinics across the UK currently, the long-term results are still up in the air.
Still being developed: Stevioside and PP405
The road to a drug being discovered to receiving marketing authorisation follows a set, regulated pathway. After discovery, a drug is typically tested in lab conditions and on animals, before it reaches the ‘clinical’ testing stage. The clinical stage usually consists of three phases to learn about the drug’s safety, identify side effects, effectiveness. Phase III is usually the largest trial, used to compare the new drug to similar or standard treatments.
The results from these trials are usually published in journals where they are peer-reviewed by experts to evaluate the reliability of the trials. Once the drug is made available to the public, there is another stage, known as Phase IV, or post-marketing surveillance, where researchers continue to monitor the long-term safety and efficacy of the medication based on real-world use.
One exciting but unlikely development is a natural sweetener called Stevioside which you might expect to find more on supermarket shelves than as a hair loss treatment. But this sweet substance has recently undergone animal studies, including one this year on mice. The sweetener was combined with Minoxidil in something called a ‘dissolving microneedle’ which early studies indicate helps improve the absorption of Minoxidil.
The study on mice showed promising results, by helping hair follicles re-enter the anagen (growth) phase and notably increasing hair coverage in the treatment area. But as of the end of 2025, there’s no news of any human trials planned. Stevioside is just one example of novel delivery systems, aka ways drugs can be made more precise and targeted, so they can get where they’re needed and do what they need to do.
Another new treatment called PP405 topical gel has recently completed Phase II trials this year. It is considered a regenerative therapy as it is designed to reactivate dormant follicles by directly targeting the cellular pathways which regulate hair growth, particularly in the dermal papilla cells. The potential to awaken follicles which haven’t been growing hair for a while is significant, as it could open the door to regrowth for men who have more advanced hair loss. It met a certain standard of safety and clinical improvement comparable to current treatments for AGA, and has received approval for Phase III clinical trials next year, which is a promising sign.
Could AI be the cure for hair loss?
Given the nature of hair loss as a visual condition, it seems well-suited to AI exploration for diagnosis. This year, an AI model created successful treatment regimens for 27 women with hair loss. The women took pictures of their scalps with their smartphones, uploaded them through the MDhair mobile app and the AI model recommended personalised treatment plans. The AI model had been trained on 47,000 scalp images to recognise and diagnose patterns of hair miniaturisation.
The women’s hair loss was measured at baseline, week 12 and finally week 24 – the results showed hair shedding had decreased by 32.4% after 24 weeks. So beyond just diagnosing the issue, AI could assist in recommending personalised treatment plans based on individual factors like age, severity of hair loss, hormonal profile, and so on. In a different 2023 pilot study, an AI-based analysis system showed high accuracy in diagnosing hair loss, matching the diagnosis of a human dermatologist in 28 out of 30 cases (94%).
One of the main problems with hair loss treatments that AI can help overcome is patient adherence to treatment. By enabling patients to measure their progress with objective data, rather than relying on looking in the mirror and crossing their fingers, can help motivate patients that their treatment is helping and makes them more likely to stick with it, rather than giving up because they feel it’s not working.
AI is already being used as an aid in hair transplants, by analysing hair density to identify viable donor grafts. While the transplant itself still requires a skilled surgeon to perform the procedure, this goes to show how AI is being used as a complement to improve and streamline existing treatments.
What should you do in the meantime?
A lot of the treatments mentioned above are still in the development stage, or don’t have studies to back up how well they work in the long run. Hair loss often responds best to early intervention, so it’s best to act as soon as possible once you’ve noticed signs of thinning to stop it in its tracks. So, while you wait for the above to hit the shelves, there are clinically proven options such as Finasteride and Minoxidil which have been working to stop men’s hair loss for decades, which may also be able to help you.
If you’re wondering what the best approach is, take our free consultation which offers personalised treatment recommendations based on your stage of loss and lifestyle.
All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.
