What is medical (pharmacological) hair-loss treatment?
Medical hair-loss treatment is the use of evidence-based medications to slow hair loss and stimulate regrowth, mainly in androgenetic alopecia (common male- and female-pattern balding). It is not a cosmetic or a supplement: these are drugs that act on the hormonal cause or on the follicle cycle, which is why they are prescribed after a diagnosis, not off a menu.
It matters to understand this from the start: these medications control a process, they do not cure it. They maintain and thicken hair that still has a living follicle, but they do not grow hair where the follicle is already gone. Their effect depends on consistency —it is lost if they are stopped— and takes months to show. Used well, they are the best cost-benefit intervention in early hair loss.
Techniques used by Dr. Arístides Arellano
The plan is tailored to the diagnosis —type of alopecia, age, sex and expectations— and usually combines more than one drug, because they work through different pathways:
- Minoxidil (topical or low-dose oral): prolongs the follicle’s growth phase and improves blood supply. It is the mainstay in both men and women and the one that best thickens miniaturised hair.
- 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (finasteride, dutasteride): block conversion to DHT, the hormone that miniaturises the follicle in male androgenetic alopecia. They are prescribed and monitored medically, with informed consent about their possible effects.
- Adjuncts as needed: antiandrogens in selected women, correction of deficiencies (iron, thyroid, vitamin D) and in-office therapies such as PRP or low-level laser, which accompany —not replace— the core treatment.
How is it done?
It begins with an assessment that confirms what type of loss you have: the pattern is reviewed, trichoscopy is done when relevant, and medical causes are ruled out (anaemia, thyroid, nutritional deficit, stress, medications). Only then is the regimen prescribed, its use explained, and follow-up scheduled —the point where response is measured and the dose adjusted. There is no operating room, anaesthesia or downtime: it is a daily at-home treatment with periodic reviews.
All surgery carries risk and requires a prior medical assessment. Results may vary according to each patient, their anatomy and their individual healing process.
Who is a good candidate?
- Men and women with early or moderate androgenetic alopecia, with follicles still alive —the earlier you start, the more you keep.
- People noticing thinning or increased shedding who want to slow it before density is visibly lost.
- Hair-transplant patients: the drug protects the native hair that is not grafted and sustains the long-term result.
- Those who accept it is an ongoing treatment; it is not a good fit for anyone seeking a one-time fix, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women (several of these drugs are contraindicated).
Recommended aftercare treatments
Follow-up is part of the treatment: response is reviewed at 3–6 months with standardised photography and the regimen adjusted. For general care —and, if it is later combined with a procedure, the same care principles apply. See the full guide: Post-surgical recovery and care.
Before and after
Most patients want to see before-and-after photographs before deciding. Out of respect for each person’s privacy, Dr. Arístides Arellano shows real cases —always with documented consent— during your in-person consultation, where you can review results from patients with a starting point similar to yours. Results may vary from patient to patient.
Approximate price
Medical hair-loss treatment has no single catalogue price: the cost depends on which medications are indicated (topical or oral minoxidil, a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, or a combination) and on the follow-up required. It is defined at your consultation, with a written plan and no charges for sessions that are not indicated. Approximate price — the definitive cost is set at your private consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano. See the price list.
About Dr. Arístides Arellano
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Related patient guide
If you are also considering surgery, the graft count defines almost everything —cost, sessions and result. We explain it in How many grafts do I need? A hair-transplant guide.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Recovery · step by step
- Weeks 1–8Start of the regimen. A temporary increase in shedding can appear, especially with minoxidil: it is expected and a sign the cycle is resetting, not that treatment is failing.
- Months 3–4First review with photography. Loss usually slows before regrowth is visible. Application technique and tolerance are checked, and the dose adjusted if needed.
- Months 6–12The window where real gains in density and thickness are seen. This is the honest moment to judge whether the regimen is working for you.
- Ongoing useThe benefit lasts only while the medication is used. If stopped, hair returns to its natural loss course within 6–12 months.
- Annual follow-upPeriodic review to monitor response and tolerance, and to decide whether to add or withdraw any drug.
Frequently asked questions
Does medication cure baldness?
It does not cure it: it controls it. The medications slow loss and can recover density while used, but they do not create new follicles or grow hair where the follicle is gone. The benefit lasts only with continued use. Results may vary.
How soon will I see results?
Loss usually slows within the first 3 to 4 months, and visible density gains appear between 6 and 12 months. Before that it is normal to notice no change, and even a temporary increase in shedding at the start. It requires daily consistency.
What happens if I stop the medication?
The effect is lost. Within 6 to 12 months of stopping, hair resumes its natural loss process and reverts to the pattern you would have had without treatment. That is why it is framed as a long-term treatment.
Does finasteride cause sexual side effects?
It can, in a small percentage of men: reduced libido or erectile function, usually reversible on stopping. That is why it is prescribed and monitored medically, with informed consent. It must not be used by, or handled by, pregnant women.
Does minoxidil work for women?
Yes. Minoxidil is a mainstay of treating female hair loss and is often the first-line drug in women. The dose and route (topical or oral) are adjusted case by case after ruling out other causes of loss, such as anaemia or thyroid problems.
Can I combine it with a hair transplant?
Yes, and it is in fact recommended. A transplant relocates resistant follicles but does not stop loss of the native hair that is not grafted. Medication protects that hair and makes the transplant result look better and last longer.
Do I need a prescription?
Yes. Finasteride and dutasteride require a prescription and medical follow-up, and so does oral minoxidil. Starting on your own without a diagnosis is a common mistake: hair loss can have treatable causes other than androgenetic alopecia.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.