Also called: Alopecia
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Hair Loss
You lose up to 100 hairs from your scalp every day. That's normal, and in most people, those hairs grow back. But many men -- and some women -- lose hair as they grow older. You can also lose your hair if you have certain diseases, such as thyroid problems, diabetes, or lupus. If you take certain medicines or have chemotherapy for cancer, you may also lose your hair. Other causes are stress, a low protein diet, a family history, or poor nutrition.
Treatment for hair loss depends on the cause. In some cases, treating the underlying cause will correct the problem. Other treatments include medicines and hair restoration.
It sits within Skin, Hair and Nails.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Hair Loss
721 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Upadacitinib Tablets in Adult and Adolescent Participants in Japan With Alopecia AreataAbbVie
- Serum Ferroptosis Biomarkers (GPX4, MDA) in Alopecia AreataIstanbul Training and Research Hospital
- A Study in Young People and Adults to Learn About the Medicine Ritlecitinib for Treatment of Patchy Hair Loss, Known by the Medical Term as Moderate Alopecia AreataPfizer
- Tirzepatide for Treatment of CCCAJohns Hopkins University
- Facial Papules in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA)University of Miami
- Clinical Evaluation of a Nutraceutical Supplement for Hair Growth, Hair Loss and Skin Improvement in Human Volunteers Versus PlaceboOlistic Research Labs S.L.
Research already completed
- A Clinical Study to Evaluate the Safety, Effectiveness and In-Use Tolerability of Hair Growth and Scalp Health Serum in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Hair Thinning.NovoBliss Research Pvt Ltd
- Effects of a Web-Based Alopecia Education Program in Women With Breast CancerGulay Akman
- Ritlecitinib for Cicatricial AlopeciaEmma Guttman
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Hair LossMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Treatments and Therapies
- Hair TransplantsAmerican Society for Dermatologic Surgery
- How to Treat Hair LossAmerican Academy of Dermatology
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Hair Loss: Who Gets and CausesAmerican Academy of Dermatology
Living With
- Experiencing Hair Loss? Your Hair Care MattersAmerican Academy of Dermatology
- Living with Alopecia AreataNational Alopecia Areata Foundation
Related Issues
- Chemotherapy and Hair Loss: What to Expect during TreatmentMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Do You Have Hair Loss or Hair Shedding?American Academy of Dermatology
- Hair Loss (Alopecia) and Cancer TreatmentNational Cancer Institute
- Stress and Hair Loss: Are They Related?Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Genetics
- Alopecia areata: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
- Androgenetic alopecia: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: AlopeciaNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: HypotrichosisNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Hypotrichosis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Hair Loss, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.