Scientific studies have shown that minoxidil is effective in the front areas of the scalp, as well as the vertex area in male pattern hair loss. At the conclusion of one 48 week study, improvements were seen in the frontal scalp regions of 51% of men using 5% minoxidil, 42% using 2% minoxidil, and 13% of placebo users. Among these men, moderate to great increases in hair growth were seen in the frontal scalp regions of 19% of men using 5% minoxidil, 10% using 2% minoxidil, and 3% of placebo users.

It has also been shown that any benefits are lost when Minoxidil treatment is ceased. Therefore to maintain any hair growth the use of Minoxidil must be maintained on an ongoing basis.

The method of action for Minoxidil is not known. It is not just the vasodilating effects which cause the hair regrowth, as no other vasodilator has been shown to be effective in treating hair loss.

A large amount of funding is devoted to research into scientifically proven male pattern baldness treatments. This has resulted in breakthroughs involving stem cells and hair multiplication.

While it is easier to prevent healthy hair falling out than to regrow hair in already dormant follicles, there are products that have good success rates with regrowth. These including finasteride (marketed in the U.S. as Propecia) and minoxidil (marketed in the U.S. as Rogaine, and outside the U.S. as Regaine).

Hair multiplication and hair cloning, which extracts hair follicle stem cells, multiplies them in the lab, and injects them into the scalp, has been shown to work in mice. This treatment is currently under development and expected to be available to the public sometime in 2009-2015. Advanced versions of the treatment have expectations of being able to cause hair follicle stem cells to signal the surrounding dormant hair follicles to rejuvenate.

1. Use proven treatments first
2. Take pictures
3. Be patient

Most hair loss treatments, if they are going to work at all, takes a minimum of 6 months to begin working, and sometimes up to 24 months to really see visible results. Treating hair loss takes time because of hair cycles.

The process of hair loss from male pattern baldness is a gradual one. Hairs grow, cycle into dormancy, and then regrow again several months later. Each time they re-grow, they do so thinner, shorter, and less pigmented. In time, they become so small that they are no longer noticeable. This can take many years. New hairs only grow in a 2 or 3 year cycle, so it can take a year or more to be able to detect the success of a treatment.