The New Rules of Hair Loss: What Dermatologists Want You to Know

Hair loss is having a moment—just not the kind anyone wishes for. Between stress, hormone shifts, wellness changes and now GLP-1 medications, dermatologists say they’re seeing more shedding than ever. At the ASDS 2025 meeting in Chicago, NewBeauty sat down with three leading experts: New York dermatologist Robert Finney, MD; Englewood Cliffs, NJ dermatologist Jeffrey Rappaport, MD; and West Palm Beach, FL dermatologist Jacob Beer, MD—to unpack what’s really going on and the treatments that are giving patients results.

Featured Experts

• Robert Finney, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in New York
• Jeffrey Rapaport, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in Englewood Cliffs, NJ
• Jacob Beer, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in West Palm Beach, FL

Exosomes Are Leading the Next Wave

Regenerative hair treatments are evolving fast, and all three dermatologists agree that exosomes are redefining what’s possible. Dr. Finney says the field is finally beginning to “figure out the language that hair loss speaks,” noting that exosomes and growth factors allow dermatologists to create more tailored, consistent outcomes than traditional platelet-rich plasma (PRP) alone.

According to Dr. Rappaport, the biggest breakthrough has been figuring out how to deliver exosomes topically, since the FDA prohibits injecting them. “The golden grail for us was always how do we get these exosomes in?” he explains. He points to new devices such as Juvasonic and Dermafuse, which allow exosomes to penetrate the skin with results “pretty much comparable” to injections.

Still, he stresses that sourcing matters. “We’re seeing more scientific studies as to the contents of exosomes, so we can feel a little bit more assured that we’re getting ones that are not only safe but comparable.”

PRP Is Still the Gold Standard, But Technique Matters

PRP isn’t going anywhere, say the three experts, but they emphasize that outcomes vary dramatically depending on how it’s prepared and delivered. “When patients get older, the PRP is less effective,” Dr. Rappaport says, which is why they increasingly rely on exosomes to standardize regenerative treatments.

Dr. Beer notes that their practice has completely re-engineered its PRP technique to ensure growth factors actually reach the follicles. “A lot of people inject it too deeply or prepare it incorrectly. We really do a very targeted approach,” he explains.

He adds that improper use—especially in medspa settings—can be dangerous. “I’ve seen multiple patients with complications from microneedling with injectable growth factors or injecting products meant only for topical use,” he warns.

The Menu of Hair Treatments Has Expanded

The days of choosing between minoxidil and finasteride are long gone. Patients now have access to new nutraceuticals, smarter topicals, evolving off-label medications and growing interest in mesotherapy—a technique that delivers targeted ingredients directly into the scalp.

“Historically, there was only Nutrafol. Now there’s Xrtresse. Pelage has a new topical with promising data,” Dr. Beer explains. “We’re also using oral minoxidil, oral finasteride and now oral dutasteride as additional options.” He notes that newer molecules, including those from Veradermics, are showing early promise as well.

Dr. Beer adds that mesotherapy—long popular overseas—is gaining traction in the U.S. as dermatologists refine how to use it safely and effectively.

Why GLP-1 Patients Are Seeing Changes

Hair loss among GLP-1 users has become one of the most common questions dermatologists hear, but the cause appears to be far more complex than rapid weight loss alone.

According to Dr. Finney, many patients simply aren’t eating enough to support healthy hair growth. “Your caloric intake is not supporting your hair health, and your body has to shut down processes that are not important,” he explains. Even patients who don’t feel hungry still need adequate protein and healthy fats to sustain the hair cycle.

But weight loss isn’t the whole story. Dr. Rappaport has seen patients lose hair despite no weight change at all. “There’s something else going on that we just haven’t seen yet,” he says. He believes GLP-1 medications may directly affect the fat surrounding each hair follicle: “All of our hair follicles sit in fat. I believe GLP-1 is affecting the metabolism of that fat.”

Dr. Beer also sees GLP-1 medications triggering or unmasking underlying pattern hair loss. “I’ve seen transient sheds that lead to enough loss to unmask another secondary hair loss,” he notes. Dietary deficiencies—especially zinc, vitamin D and B12—are also common contributors.

It’s Not Just About the Scalp

All three experts emphasized that hair loss treatment now requires a whole-patient approach.

“I’m spending more and more time going over the patient as a whole—medications, deficiencies, thyroid, stress,” Dr. Rappaport says. “You can do your best work, but if a patient is stressed out and not sleeping, you’ll get negative results.”

That’s why blood work, nutrition counseling, and reviewing lifestyle factors are now considered foundational steps, not afterthoughts.

What This Means for Patients

Hair loss is no longer treated with a one-size-fits-all plan. Dermatologists are now combining regenerative treatments, medications, wellness support and nutrition guidance based on each patient’s biology.

As Dr. Finney puts it, “We’re creating more tailored treatments that will work at any age.”

And while the causes of hair loss may be growing more complex, the good news is that treatment options have never been stronger. With better science, better delivery systems and more transparency in regenerative products, dermatologists say the next few years are poised to reshape how thinning and shedding are treated.