Comparing hair loss treatments: surgical or non-surgical.
Hair loss in men is not just a cosmetic issue – it is part of their daily life. I have clients in their mid-thirty and do not care about their hair, they care about their marriage day! For some cases when I try to get their attention and instruct them for a long-term approach, I see they do not care about their hair when they are in their 50s or 60s, they care just about the day they shoot photos when putting on their groom suits. Of course, not everyone is like this, but I mean hair is not just a simple cosmetic issue, it is part of their social or even professional life. Accepting this issue, men with hair fall what kind of treatments should they receive? Shall they follow non-surgical options? Or go straightforward to the surgery option?
In 2025 both options have advanced – but in most cases these options are not against each other, and we use them along with each other.
Hair Transplants: Permanent, Fast result But Not for Everyone
In hair transplant surgery ( FUE or FUT) we relocate healthy follicles (which are meant to be resistance to testosterone and hair fall) from donor areas (mostly the occipital and in some cases from the beard) to the bald areas to increase the coverage and change the perception of the baldness. The result is mostly permanent, and natural-looking if done by skilled professionals. It is best for men with stable hair fall and enough donor area. However, the transplant does not stop the process of hair thinning and this is why I mentioned why all the anti-hair loss treatments are aligned with each other.Hair Loss Treatments: First-line Defense
For early-stage hair loss, non-surgical options are often worth trying.
These includes:
Minoxidil and finasteride (FDA-approved)Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) caps
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapyAnd also some more off-label treatments and injections which as supplementary treatments are worthful.
While results vary, combining these can slow loss and thicken existing hair, especially for younger men or those not ready for surgery.
Which one shall I choose?
If your hair loss is mild to moderate, starting with evidence-based treatments is a smart move. If you’ve already lost density in large areas or have reached a Norwood scale 3+ (Norwood is a scaling for the hair fall which includes 0 for intact hairline to 7 with severe baldness), a transplant may be the better long-term investment—ideally combined with maintenance therapy.
Final Tip
While some treatment providers trying to promote therapies they sell and highlighting the negative sides of the treatments they do not provide, in DASH, as we serve all kind of the hair loss treatments, we try to build a long-term connection with our clients, and customise best treatment plans for them, as we believe the best results often come from a customized, combined approach not a one-size-fits-all solution.