Possible extra shedding
Months 3 to 6
Up to 12 months
Set individually
Loss generally resumes
Overview
Prescription treatment for hair loss
Rx Hair is a physician-supervised medication plan for thinning, a receding hairline or pattern hair loss. Dr. Munib evaluates hair loss and, where clinically appropriate, treats it with prescription medication as part of a broader hair-restoration plan.
The two most commonly used FDA-approved options are oral finasteride and topical minoxidil. They can be used on their own, or alongside in-office treatments where that suits the case.
Whether medication is appropriate at all depends on what is actually driving the hair loss, which is why the consultation starts with the pattern and the cause rather than with a prescription.
Who prescribes
How your treatment is decided
Hair loss medication is a medical decision. Some of these medications are sold over the counter. Which one suits you, if any, is still a medical question. Dr. Munib goes through the options with you at your first consultation.
Before writing a prescription, she reviews your medical history. No two patients are alike. Your first visit is in person. Follow-ups are arranged as needed, and those can be virtual or in person.
Every
15+ years
5.0★
441+
Where it is assessed
Pattern matters more than area
Hair loss is read by pattern. Where the thinning sits is part of how the cause is judged and how response is followed.
Crown
Slow loss, support density
Mid-scalp
Slow loss, support density
Hairline and temples
Assess recession
Diffuse thinning
Establish the cause first
Individual
set at consultation for the patient, never published as a protocol
How the two medications work
Finasteride is a daily oral medication that blocks DHT, a hormone linked to male pattern baldness. It is used to slow or stop loss, and in some patients it supports regrowth, most often at the crown and mid-scalp.
Topical minoxidil is a vasodilator. It improves blood flow to the scalp and lengthens the growth phase of the follicle, and is applied directly to the thinning area.
Why the cause is established first
Not all thinning is androgenetic. Shedding after pregnancy, thyroid disease, iron deficiency and scarring conditions can look similar on first glance and do not respond the same way. Published literature describes finasteride and minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia; that evidence describes studied groups, not a predicted result for any individual.
Establishing what is driving the loss is what decides whether medication is the right tool, and which one.
What it suits
What brings patients here, and what is weighed
A prescription plan fits some presentations and not others. What is weighed is listed beside each.
What it pairs with
Medication alongside in-office treatment
Candidacy
Who a prescription plan tends to suit
Nothing is prescribed until Dr. Munib has assessed you in person. That assessment covers the pattern, how long it has been happening, family history, and anything medical that could be contributing.
How Dr. Munib decides
She establishes what is driving the loss before deciding whether medication is the right tool, which one fits, and whether it should stand alone or sit within a wider plan. Where another clinician is more appropriate, she says so.
Often a reasonable fit
Men with male-pattern loss; women with diffuse thinning once the cause is established; early-stage loss; patients not ready for in-office procedures; a family history of pattern loss.
Where it is limited
Scarring hair loss; thinning driven by an untreated medical cause; patients who do not want ongoing treatment, since stopping generally means the loss resumes. Surgical transplantation is not performed here.
What to expect
The usual sequence
These are the timings usually described, not a promise. Continued use is needed to hold a result; if treatment stops, hair loss generally resumes.
Risks
What to know before starting
Both medications are well established and both carry risks worth understanding before you begin.
Finasteride
May rarely cause sexual side effects in men. These are usually reversible on stopping the medication. It is discussed before starting, not afterwards.
Minoxidil
May cause scalp irritation, and a temporary increase in shedding when treatment first begins.
Stopping treatment
Results are maintained by continuing. If the medication is stopped, hair loss generally resumes.
It may not work for you
Response varies, and some patients see little change. That possibility is part of the conversation before a prescription is written.
Nothing is prescribed before Dr. Munib has seen you. What is appropriate, and how it is followed, is decided for you.
How treatment is followed
Response is reviewed with Dr. Munib and the plan adjusted where needed. How often that happens is decided for the individual patient rather than set as a fixed schedule.
Using it day to day
Cost
What it costs
The consultation is $150. You pay $65 to book, and that comes off the total. If you go on to treatment, the $65 can go toward that instead. Cancel in time and it is refunded. Miss the appointment and it is kept as a no-show fee.
Finasteride typically costs about $20 a month and may be covered by your insurance. Minoxidil is sold over the counter. Any in-office treatment is quoted separately.
New patients: 15% off your first treatment.
Pay monthly with
What it looks like
Holding on to what you have
The realistic aim for most patients is keeping the hair they still have, with some regrowth where the follicle is still active. It works gradually, which is why it tends to read as nothing having happened rather than as an obvious change.
Where hair has been lost to scarring, medication will not bring it back. That is said plainly at consultation.
Explore
Related Treatments
Hair Loss Treatment
Physician-led work-up of the cause before any treatment is chosen.
PRFM Hair Restoration
Platelet-rich fibrin growth factors applied to the scalp.
AnteAGE Growth Factors
Drug-free growth-factor scalp therapy.
Exosome Hair Treatment
Exosome signalling used to support follicle activity.
Female Pattern Hair Loss
Diagnosis and planning for thinning in women.
Male Hair Loss
Options for male-pattern thinning.
Patient reviews
What Patients Say
4.97★ across 441 verified Boulevard patient reviews.
Dina Naziri
Jamel Neill
Siena Viencek-Walsh
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Prescription minoxidil can be offered in higher concentrations than OTC options and may include advanced delivery systems for better scalp penetration and results.
Finasteride is FDA-approved for male pattern baldness. It is generally well tolerated, but we assess all patients carefully and monitor for side effects, especially in long-term use.
Minoxidil is safe for both men and women. Finasteride is used off-label in select female patients when appropriate and under close supervision.
Yes. Prescription treatments are often paired with PRP, exosomes, or growth factor therapies for stronger, faster, and longer-lasting results
If you’re experiencing early to moderate hair thinning or excessive shedding, a consultation with Dr. Munib can determine if prescription hair loss medication is the appropriate option, either alone or as part of a broader plan.
Dr. Munib evaluates hair loss and, where clinically appropriate, treats it with prescription medication as part of a broader hair-restoration plan. Whether it is appropriate depends on your presentation, your history and an in-person evaluation with Sabeen Munib, MD.
Published peer-reviewed literature describes this approach for this indication. Evidence describes what has been reported in studied groups, not a predicted result for any individual. In selected patients it may be appropriate; that judgement is made at consultation.
Some concerns fall outside what this service addresses. Where that is the case it is discussed at consultation, and a referral is made where another clinician is more appropriate.
Irvine, CA