Last Updated on November 28, 2016 by Robert Price
Whether you’re rich or poor, going bald is no fun. But hair loss, like so many other issues, can be an especially difficult to manage if you’re broke. There’s good news, though. You don’t need to be wealthy to slow down or even stop your hair loss. Read on, you’re about to learn about the best, most affordable hair loss treatments available today!
Top 7 Budget Hair Loss Treatments
1. Minoxidil
Cost: approx. $5-$10 per month.
Minoxidil is a very effective hair loss remedy for many people. There’s a good chance it will work for you, especially if you start using it while you’re still in the early phases of the hair loss process. It won’t be as effective for treating advanced balding, or hair loss of the aggressive variety. Products are available for both men and women.
A year-long, 2012 study of 984 balding men showed that 62% of those evaluated had some regrowth with minoxidil; 35% of the men studied had no substantial hair losses or gains (source). So it can probably help you keep the hair you have, at the very least — and that’s half the battle, at minimum, probably more like three quarters of the battle. Maintenance is the goal, regrowth is gravy — that’s how I like to look at treating hair loss.
You can buy generic minoxidil for as little as $5-$6 per month, though it could certainly cost more than that if you have large thinning areas. So it’s a treatment that will fit most budgets, perhaps not all. The generic Kirkland brand minoxidil appears to be one of the most popular and highly rated minoxidil products on the market.
2. Derma Rollers
Cost: $10-$15
To increase the effectiveness of your minoxidil regimen, you could consider using a derma roller once per week. It’s unlikely to work alone, however. An Indian study showed that men who used minoxidil in combination with a derma roller had superior results over men who treated their hair loss with minoxidil alone (source).
3. Rosemary Oil
Cost: Approx. $3-$10 per month.
You can also look into natural treatments like rosemary oil, if desired. It is one of the more of the more promising new, natural treatments available, and it was shown to be just about as effective as 2% minoxidil in a recent study (source). Keep in mind, most doctors recommend the 5% minoxidil because it yields more favorable results — so it seems unlikely, to me, that the rosemary oil is as effective as 5% minoxidil. But it may have less side effects, too, so that’s one benefit. Most of the natural remedies will also be pretty cheap, starting at around a few dollars per month.
4. Finasteride
Cost: About $10 per month
Generic finasteride is another possibility. A substantial percentage of men don’t want to consider finasteride given the possibility of sexual side effects. But if you’re suffering from aggressive hair loss, finasteride can probably stop it and possibly promote some hair regrowth as well. Its effectiveness will decrease over time to some degree, but the drug has helped countless men retain their hair for years, even decades. The cost is usually only about $10 per month, which most people would consider to be fairly reasonable. Finasteride is for men only, of course. It is the only treatment available that is proven to treat the underlying cause of androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness, DHT.
5. The Laser Comb
Cost: Around $200, one-time purchase.
If you’re really committed to fighting hair loss and you’re not legit broke, laser therapy may be worth looking into. The laser caps are the easiest products to use but they cost more, starting at around $600. So that’s probably not an option, but you could possibly consider the hair max laser comb, which is available for about $200. It comes with a 2-year warranty, according to their website, so it should last you for a good while. Studies have shown that laser therapy can help both men and women maintain and regrow hair (source). It’s not going to be a miracle cure, and you’ll have to follow the treatment guidelines if you want to see results. You’re supposed to use it 3 times per week for 15 minutes, according to their Amazon product description.
6. Saw Palmetto
Cost: A few bucks per month.
Studies have shown that saw palmetto can slow down the progression of male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia. It’s sometimes hailed as nature’s Propecia because it lowers DHT levels in the bloodstream. Currently, saw palmetto is one of the best natural hair loss remedies on the market. Many people use it in combination with minoxidil and have reported excellent results.
7. Pumpkin Seed Oil
Cost: A few bucks per month.
Pumpkin oil shows significant promise as a hair loss treatment. It’s believed to work similarly to saw palmetto, by lowering DHT levels in the system and slowing down hair loss from within. In 2014 Korean study, patients treated with pumpkin seed oil had significanttly better results compared to those treated with a placebo. Below is a photo showing the improvements of 3 of the patients involved. Click to enlarge.
Copyright © 2014 Young Hye Cho et al. Click to view the original.
Combining Multiple Therapies
Most of these therapies can be used simultaneously, and you will likely achieve better results if you combine multiple treatments. Just be sure to check with your doctor first, if possible. I would not recommend combining the two topical treatments I mentioned, though — rosemary oil and minoxidil.
Remember, regrowth is gravy. If you’re on a budget, try to focus on maintaining the hair you have. When you have more funds at your disposal, then you can consider more expensive options like hair transplantation and PRP.
Have Realistic Expectations
None of these treatments will eliminate your hair loss problem overnight. And no matter what phase of the balding process you’re in, it’s important to stay disciplined and follow the treatment guidelines — otherwise, it’s unlikely you’ll see any progress. You may notice shedding with all of these therapies, especially with finasteride, minoxidil, and rosemary oil. And that’s actually good, because it’s a sign that your old, weak, and thinning hairs are being shed; newer, thicker ones should replace them soon if you continue to take the treatment as instructed.
If you’re suffering from an aggressive, early-onset case of male pattern hair loss, finasteride may be the only one of these treatments that will work for you. You can certainly try the others. But finasteride is the only therapy that’s been proven, time and time again, to effectively treat the primary cause of pattern hair loss: DHT. Again, most men take it without major issues, but a small percentage of people have reported permanent sexual side effects.
Start Treatment ASAP
I make a point to say this in most of my hair loss treatment articles. The sooner you address the problem, the better your long-term (and short-term) prognosis will be, especially given the fact that you’re on a budget.
Men in particular tend to procrastinate and avoid unpleasant tasks such as treating hair loss, in my experience. And often times, by the time they decide to seek treatment, they have significant thinning and prominent bald spots. If you’re at that point, you still have options, but treating your hair loss is going to be a much more challenging endeavor. Yes, minoxidil and finasteride may help you maintain the hair you have, but they probably won’t help much, if at all, with your bald spot or spots.
Balding and Broke – Conclusion
Take control of this issue as soon as you can, assuming you can afford it and value your hair. That’s my advice. Embracing hair loss is a perfectly viable option as well! All of these affordable hair loss treatments are mentioned in one of my flagship articles: The Top 7 Hair Loss Treatment Options. Check it out if you’re interested.
Robert Price is a writer, consumer advocate, and hair loss researcher with thousands of hours of experience in the field. His goal is to keep you out of the hair loss rabbit hole, underworld, or whatever you want to call it. He founded Hair Loss Daily, the unbiased hair loss blog, in 2016. You can learn more about Robert in the my story section of this website.