From Thinning to Thriving
Hair thinning is not uncommon after menopause, when using weight loss injection medications, and during stress. If the thinning is mainly across the parting, crown and top of the scalp, female-pattern hair loss is a common possibility.
The aim of this programme is to nutritionally support the hair follicle nutritionally with non-drug approaches to stimulate and retain hair growth.
Step One:
Check in with your GP to investigate hair thinning or loss. Blood tests for ferritin/iron, thyroid, vitamin D, B12/folate, zinc may be suggested.
1. Red-Light Therapy
Of the non-drug support option, re-light therapy is most supportive of clinical evidence.
Research has investigated red-light devices for both male and female pattern hair loss, and systematic reviews of randomised trials have found evidence that it can increase hair density.
A 2024 successful trial in women with female-pattern hair loss used a 655 nm helmet for 20 minutes every other day alongside Minoxidil.
Minoxidil is an over-the-counter and prescription medicine used in the UK to treat hair loss in men and women.
Of course I recommend Dr. Kucera’s Carnosine supplement 2x capsules twice daily to support the body at the systemic level repairing damaged protein structures and desensitised receptors.
Continue for six months.
2. Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil applied topically is one of the more interesting natural topical treatments, although the evidence is considerably less extensive than for minoxidil and/or red-light therapy.
Use a diluted roamer scalp product and apply it regularly, gently massaging it into the areas where thinning is occurring.
My grandmother made up fresh rosemary hair rinses for a beautiful hair shine. Pour boiling water over fresh rosemary and allow to soak. When cooled, strain and use as a last rinse after washing hair.
3. Gentle Scalp Massage
Spend approximately 4–5 minutes each day gently massaging the scalp with your fingertips.
There is a small study supporting this idea. Nine men performed four minutes of standardised scalp massage each day for 24 weeks. Hair thickness increased, although hair density and growth rate did not significantly improve, so scalp massage shouldn’t be presented as a proven hair-regrowth treatment.
I used a home made mix of essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, rosemary, menthol, and massaged into my scalp for two consecutive nights before sleep until I observed new tuffs of hair growth at around three months.
4. Make Protein a Priority
The word protein comes from the Greek and means, ‘of first importance’.
Hair is predominantly composed of the protein keratin, so adequate dietary protein is important.
Include a good protein source at each meal, such as:
Eggs • fish • meat • poultry • Greek yoghurt • cottage cheese • milk • cheese • pulses
Don’t use the same foods on a daily basis. Aim for a varied diet supporting adequate protein and energy.
Collagen and gelatine provide particularly high amounts of glycine and proline.
Consider collagen and/or gelatine as nutritional support rather than the principal hair-regrowth treatment.
5. Include Nutrient-Dense Foods
Try to obtain your micronutrients predominantly from food.
Regularly include eggs, dairy products, seafood and fresh oily fish, meat where desired, fruit—such as kiwi and oranges—and plenty of vegetables.
Foods rich in iron are important if your iron intake is low. You can purchase iron with other organ meats as a powdered nutritional supplement.
Avoid ingesting high doses of iron, zinc, selenium or vitamin A for hair loss and Biotin without a genuine deficiency.
Months 1–2: Routine
Take photographs of your centre parting, temples and crown in good natural light. This is useful to monitor improvements.
Start red light therapy and diluted rosemary oil scalp massage.
Check food and nutritional intake.
Months 3–4: Observations
Repeat the same photographs.
Note changes such as reduced shedding, short new hairs around the parting, improved coverage or slightly thicker-looking existing hairs.
Remember hair is slow growing so its a good thing to be patient.
Months 5–6: Result
Continue the programme.
At six months, repeat your photographs and compare them with earlier ones.
This is much more reliable than trying to remember how your hair looked six months earlier.
A Simple Daily Routine
Morning: Eat a protein-rich breakfast and maintain a nutritious diet throughout the day.
During the day/evening: Use your red-light device according to its tested schedule.
Evening: Apply your diluted/formulated rosemary treatment as directed and gently massage the scalp for approximately 4–5 minutes.
Every month: Take photographs and note whether shedding appears to be improving.
Avoid
Expensive hair gummies, high doses of biotin, onion juice, or multiple “hair-growth” supplements.
Evidence
Natural treatments are worth trying, but they shouldn’t be oversold.
The strongest evidence-based treatment for female-pattern hair loss remains Minoxidil; a Cochrane review of randomised trials found substantially better reported hair regrowth with minoxidil than placebo.
If this natural programme produces little or no improvement after six months, I would recommend you consult with a dermatologist.
Key published studies
Panahi Y et al. SKINmed. 2015;13(1):15–21 — rosemary oil versus 2% minoxidil.
Koyama T et al. Eplasty. 2016;16 — standardized scalp massage and hair thickness.
Gentile P, Garcovich S. Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery. 2024;26(2):228–235 — systematic review of low-level light/laser therapy.
Jiang Y et al. Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy. 2024;45:103966 — 655 nm low-level laser therapy in female-pattern hair loss.
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