Regrowing hair on a bald spot is often possible. You may need to try more than one type of treatment to get the results you want. Be patient and consider all your options as you approach this very common concern.

Hair loss is a common development for people of all genders. But a bald spot can still trigger feelings of embarrassment and frustration while also affecting your self-confidence.

Causes of hair loss can vary widely, including:

  • stress
  • certain hair care practices
  • medical conditions that are inherited or are related to the body’s immune system
  • hormone levels
  • skin health
  • cancer treatment

In many cases, treatments are available to help regrow hair on a bald spot or thicken hair growth where thinning has occurred. But it’s important to rely on proven treatment methods, and to be wary of products and treatments that make big promises with little scientific data to support them.

Sometimes, simple home remedies can produce good results, but you may need over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications to regrow hair if home treatments aren’t working for you.

If these approaches aren’t effective, medical or surgical procedures may be necessary. Read on to learn more about what causes a bald spot, how to treat it yourself, and when you may need medical treatment.

Natural hair growth methods typically focus on improving circulation in the scalp or promoting hair follicle health and restoring hair quality.

Many products associated with hair growth are found in the home and are often used for other purposes. Here are some options:

Rosemary oil

Rosemary oil has anti-inflammatory properties and helps improve circulation, so it may have propertiesTrusted Source for treating hair loss.

Rub a small amount gently on your bald spot each night or consider using natural shampoo containing rosemary oil.

Peppermint oil

Peppermint oilTrusted Source is used to treat headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and other illnesses. According to a 2024 review of studies, it showed promise in treating some types of hair loss in mice, but little to no research has been done on people.

It’s considered safe to use topically in low doses. Rub some peppermint oil into your scalp with your fingers or use shampoo with peppermint oil.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is usually thought of as a skin treatment for wound healing and burn relief.

A few older studies, such as one published in the Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research notes that aloe vera’s anti-inflammatory properties and many enzymes, minerals, and other healthy ingredients may make it an effective hair growth treatment.

It’s considered safe to use not the scalp, but no direct benefits for hair growth have been confirmed to date.

To use it, massage it into your scalp before shampooing your hair. Try mixing it with wheat germ oil and coconut milk.

Massage

Requiring no products, a vigorous scalp massage is one of the simplest ways to help boost circulation in the scalp and stretch hair follicle cells to promote thicker hair growth. However, there is no research suggesting that a massage will increase hair growth.

To try it, firmly (but gently) press your fingers against your scalp and rub them across your scalp for at least 5 minutes.

Tips to Naturally Regrow Your Hair

Home Remedies For Hair Regrowth
If you’re trying to regrow hair you’ve lost or improve your hair, try some of these natural remedies with proven benefits.
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There’s no shortage of OTC products promising to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it down. Some are more established and well regarded than others.

Here are some trustworthy OTC treatments for bald spots:

Minoxidil

One of the most widely used and proven treatments is minoxidil (Rogaine and various generic products).

It’s available in liquid, foam, or shampoo options. Stronger forms of minoxidil are also available by prescription.

Minoxidil may cause side effects like skin irritation or unwanted hair growth on skin near the scalp. If minoxidil does restore hair growth, it must be used regularly or its effects will start to wear off.

Collagen-based products

Collagen, a protein found in the skin and elsewhere in the body, is also associated with hair growth and thickening hair that has started thinning due to androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern hair loss).

Look for shampoos, conditioners, ointments, or serums that contain collagen. Try using them when you bathe or rub them into your scalp. It’s also available in an injectable form.

Collagen-based supplements may also help, but there’s little to no evidence that these work for hair growth.

Vitamin supplements

Certain vitamins and minerals are associated with hair growth, including:

Taking high doses of any supplement may put you at risk for complications.

Discuss your concerns with a doctor before starting any new supplements, as these are not closely monitored by the FDA and may contain ingredients not listed on the label or higher amounts of active ingredients.

Before recommending a medication or procedure to treat your bald spot, your doctor will try to diagnose any underlying condition that may be causing the problem. This may include a:

  • review of your medical history, including current symptoms
  • physical examination focusing on the nature of your hair loss
  • “pull test,” where you pull a few hairs to see how many come out and how easily
  • blood test to look for underlying conditions
  • scalp biopsy, which is the removal of a few scalp cells or hairs to examine in a lab for clues to an infection or other cause of hair loss

Once your doctor knows what may be causing your bald spot, they may recommend one or more of the common prescription medications for hair loss.

Finasteride

One of the most widely prescribed hair growth drugs is finasteride (Propecia). It can be used by everyone, but if you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t use finasteride because of concernsTrusted Source it may case defects.

Corticosteroids

Prescription-strength corticosteroids in liquid form can be applied directly to the scalp. This is often an effective treatment for children affected by a type of hair loss called alopecia areata.

Corticosteroid injections into areas of patchy hair loss on the scalp revive hair growth within several weeks in people with alopecia areata.

Anthralin

Anthralin (Dritho-Scalp) is a topical treatment for alopecia areata. When applied to bald spots, it may help stimulate hair growth. A recent studyTrusted Source showed it was effective in children.

Methotrexate

If other treatments don’t work, your doctor may prescribe this powerful medication.

It’s also used sometimes with a corticosteroid. But methotrexate also carries some serious potential side effects, so follow your doctor’s directions carefully.

Surgery should be considered a last resort if other, less-invasive means don’t work.

The most common form of hair restoration surgery — transplanting follicles from elsewhere on the head — doesn’t always work. And transplanted hair follicles may not continue to produce healthy hair growth for a long time.

Be sure to discuss with your doctor or surgeon what’s realistic to expect from any procedure.

Hair transplant

Hair transplant surgery is a common surgical solution to permanent hair loss.

In this procedure, a doctor removes hair follicles from an area of healthy hair growth (usually the back of the head) and implants them on a part of the scalp experiencing hair loss.

There are two main hair transplant approaches:

  • Follicular unit transplantation (FUT): In FUT, a surgeon uses a strip of skin with hair follicles from a donor site. Follicles are removed and transplanted.
  • Follicular unit extraction (FUE): In FUE, a surgeon removes individual hair follicles from the donor site and inserts them into tiny incisions in the recipient site in your scalp.

Laser therapy

Though it hasn’t been widely evaluated, laser therapy has been shown in some studies to reverse pattern hair loss, especially when combined with topical treatments or after a transplant procedure.

The idea is that a low-level laser can stimulate circulation and hair growth in follicles that have stopped producing hair. Results have been inconsistent, however.

The most common causes of bald spots are age-related, while others are the result of treatable medical conditions or behaviors that can be changed to promote healthier hair.

Here are some of the most common causes of a bald spot.

Androgenetic alopecia

Also known as hereditary hair loss because it tends to run in families, androgenetic alopecia (female and male pattern baldness) affects all sexes.

In men, the condition is known to cause hair receding near the temples and top of the forehead, while hair at the crown of the head starts to thin.

In women, it usually starts with a thinning of the hair all over the head.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition where your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your hair follicles.

Hair tends to fall out in small patches on the head, while the eyebrows, eyelashes, and other parts of the body may also be affected.

People with alopecia areata may be at higher risk for other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and vitiligo.

Hormonal imbalance

Stopping some types of birth control can lead to a temporary loss or thinning of hair.

People with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may also experience a hormonal imbalance that causes hair loss and other complications.

Stress

Mental or physical stress can sometimes cause more hairs than usual to show up in your brush every day.

Usually, normal hair growth returns when the cause of stress eases or you develop different coping mechanisms.

Cancer treatment

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can both lead to hair loss just a few weeks after treatment starts.

Hair often starts to grow back within a month or so of ending treatment. Medications to revive hair growth may help speed up the process.

Wearing a cooling cap before, during, and after treatments may reduce hair loss.

Hair products and styling

Hairstyles that pull back tightly can lead to a bald spot.

Shampoos and other hair-care products containing the following ingredients may also be problematic:

A bald spot can be an alarming experience.

Coping with hair loss starts with accepting the situation and then being proactive about addressing it. Part of this comes from remembering that millions of people are going through the same experience.

Androgenetic alopecia affects about 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States. Male and female pattern baldness are also common, as is alopecia areata.

To help you deal with the emotional aspect of hair loss, consider the following tips:

  • Work with a stylist to make the most of the hair you do have, or look into products like wigs, hair extensions, scarves, and hats.
  • Be open with friends and relatives about how you’re feeling and what support you need.
  • Contact a doctor, such as a dermatologist, early on to discuss options like medications or procedures to slow or reverse your hair loss.
  • Focus on positivity, and the people and things in your life that bring you joy. Try to exercise to feel fitter and more energetic.

As with any medical treatment, hair loss solutions aren’t 100%-guaranteed, and there may be unwanted side effects.

If you work with a dermatologist or other medical professional, be sure to talk about realistic expectations and any potential risks or complications.