Video summary

I Tried Every Hair Loss Treatment on the Market: What Actually Works (Honest Review)

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Key product being reviewed (overall focus)

The video is an “everything he tried” review of hair loss treatment ingredients/products (both FDA-approved and experimental), with the creator’s personal routine and effectiveness ratings (mostly 1–10 scores).

The most emphasized “core stack” at the end is:

  • Minoxidil foam
  • Ketoconazole shampoo
  • Micro-needling (1.5 mm Derma Stamp / electric devices)
  • Red light therapy cap
  • RU58841 (topical anti-androgen; experimental/not FDA-approved)
  • Plus routine use of rosemary water / rice water (hair quality rather than true hair loss prevention)

The reviewer is Spencer Gilmore (Hair Rescue founder) and explicitly notes this is not medical advice.

Effectiveness ratings & what works (unique points)

1) FDA-approved (core evidence)

Minoxidil (liquid/foam; 2–5% and up to ~8% mentioned)

  • Effectiveness: 7/10
  • Pros (his experience):
    • Helps maintain hair and can provide regrowth
    • He preferred foam, noting it was less greasy
    • Minimal side effects for him (initial scalp irritation that resolved)
    • Reduced shedding when starting
    • If he misses days, it’s “not the biggest deal”
    • Foam is described as cheap (example: Costco ~$18 for 6-month supply)
  • Cons (his experience):
    • Requires twice daily
    • Can be greasy with some formulations (less with foam)
  • Verdict: “Worth it,” described as one of the safest/reliable options.

Finasteride (oral and topical)

  • Oral finasteride

    • Effectiveness: 8/10
    • Cons (his experience): side effects including lowered libido and energy, leading him to stop

  • Topical finasteride (1%)

    • Effectiveness: 7/10
    • Pros: fewer side effects vs oral (still noticeable for him)

  • Worth it? “Depends on tolerance.” He suggests trying cautiously (slow dose) and doing blood work.

  • Overall stance: one of the most effective for preventing hair loss, but he personally discontinued due to side effects.

2) Supporting treatments (help, but not “one-stop”)

Ketoconazole (“keniconazol” / “kiconazol”) shampoo

  • Effectiveness: 6/10
  • Pros:
    • Anti-androgenic properties and helps scalp inflammation
    • He uses 2% shampoo 2–3x/week
    • Helps scalp health and may provide mild hair loss benefits especially alongside other treatments
    • Worth it particularly if dealing with dandruff/scalp issues
  • Cons:
    • Can dry out scalp if used too frequently; avoid daily use

Micro-needling / Derma stamp / electric devices

  • Effectiveness: 7/10
  • His approach: 1.5 mm Derma Stamp once weekly, followed by scalp oils/topicals
  • Pros:
    • Stimulates growth signaling and improves absorption of topicals
    • He noticed improvement when added
  • Cons/precautions:
    • Possible scalp irritation and minor bleeding
    • Sanitize device; don’t apply alcohol-based solutions immediately (wait 6–8 hours; he advises alcohol-free treatments right after)
  • Verdict: “One of the best additions” but not a standalone cure.

Red light therapy caps

  • Effectiveness: 5/10
  • Pros:
    • “Solid” underlying science; may stimulate cellular activity
    • Low/near no side effects
    • Works best as an add-on, especially if you already have an established regimen
    • He suggests it’s good for both men and women, but most helpful when integrated with other treatments
  • Cons:
    • Time-consuming: about 30 minutes/day (he often does 25 minutes every other day or when he remembers)
  • Verdict: Worth it if you have patience and money, but not enough to reverse advanced hair loss on its own.

3) Natural / supplement / “low-impact” items

Biotin

  • Effectiveness: 3/10
  • His claim: mostly useless unless you have a biotin deficiency
  • He took 10 mg daily for 6 months and saw “zero difference.”

“Natural DHT blockers” / supplements

  • Saw palmetto (“sopto”)

    • Effectiveness: 4/10
    • He found it weak vs finasteride/topical anti-androgens
    • He tried pills and topical forms; couldn’t detect major standalone difference
    • Might be reasonable for certain people (women or younger men not yet showing androgenic alopecia / no family history), but generally not worth spending money.

  • Pumpkin seed oil

    • Effectiveness: 3/10
    • Modest evidence exists, but he personally didn’t notice benefit

  • Castor oil / rosemary water / rice water

    • Effectiveness: 2–3/10 for hair loss prevention (grouped together)
    • Pros (for hair quality):
      • Makes existing hair look/feel healthier
      • Castor oil temporarily made hair look thicker
    • Verdict: worth it for hair care, not strong for preventing hair loss.

Neutrifol (supplement blend)

  • Effectiveness: 3–4/10
  • Cons: very expensive (~$100/month stated)
  • He felt only maybe slight hair health improvement after ~3 months; recommends skipping if you don’t have nutrient deficiencies.

“Hair growth shampoo industry” overall

  • Effectiveness: 3/10
  • His general take:
    • Shampoos don’t stay on scalp long enough
    • Many ingredients are overhyped and better taken orally

Ravita shampoo/conditioner

  • Effectiveness: 5/10 for hair loss, 8/10 for hair quality
  • He says some blends include ketoconazole 1%, caffeine, etc.
  • Pros: noticed healthier feel/look after months
  • Cons: expensive; not ideal as a standalone hair-loss prevention product

4) Experimental / non-FDA-approved (stronger but more caution)

GHKCU + copper peptides

  • Effectiveness: 6/10
  • Pros: may help stimulate follicles/scalp health; no side effects noticed by him
  • Cons/caution: mentions a (rare/“stretch”) concern about copper toxicity reported by some people; more research needed
  • Verdict: worth experimenting, but not for the masses as a major aggressive reversal tool.

Latanoprost (glaucoma drug used off-label)

  • Effectiveness: 7/10
  • Pros:
    • Topical use helped with things like supporting minoxidil effectiveness
  • Cons:
    • Possible irritation if it drips
    • Possible skin darkening mentioned in PubMed
  • Important: requires medical supervision / prescription, not OTC; not positioned as casual/self-treatment.

RU58841 (RU5 / RU58441; topical anti-androgen)

  • Effectiveness: 8–9/10 (his highest-rated “preventing further hair loss”)
  • Pros:
    • He says it stopped further hair loss in his case (when he used it alone at ~22)
    • Strong results; people tend to love or hate it
    • He includes it in his current routine
  • Cons/caution:
    • Not FDA-approved for hair loss
    • Side effects are possible; quality/source concerns exist (he’s cautious about whether it’s from a good source)
  • Worth it? He recommends it but says try FDA-approved options first (finasteride/minoxidil) if appropriate.
  • He also states Hair Rescue has sold it to 10,000+ men (company claim).

Pyrolutamide

  • Effectiveness: 6/10
  • He switched off RU58841 and his hair may have been “sensitive,” with more shedding
  • Notes it’s in clinical trials (phase 1–3 stated) and available via a Chinese pharmaceutical company on Amazon (as per the video)

His current routine (what he says he still uses)

  • Minoxidil foam (still uses)
  • Ketoconazole shampoo 3x/week
  • Micro-needling: weekly 1.5 mm Derma Stamp
  • Red light therapy cap: about 5 days/week or sometimes daily (he says it’s fine to do more than the typical schedule)
  • RU58841: used alongside minoxidil foam; for travel he sometimes takes RU-minoxidil combo products
  • Rosemary water + rice water: daily (or near daily) for hair quality/absorption

He also states he does not use finasteride/dutasteride because it “didn’t work for him all that well” (personal outcome).

Main pros & cons (as concluded across the video)

Best overall (most effective vs risk)

  • Oral finasteride (8/10)
  • RU58841 (8–9/10)
  • Minoxidil (7/10)
  • Micro-needling (7/10)

Good add-ons

  • Red light cap (5/10)
  • Ketoconazole (6/10)
  • Latanoprost (7/10) (requires prescription)
  • GHKCU/copper peptides (6/10)

Overrated / not worth it (his ranking)

  • Biotin supplements (3/10)
  • Most hair growth shampoos (industry 3/10)
  • Neutrifol (3–4/10)
  • Some natural topical DHT blockers (generally low standalone impact)

Comparisons and positioning vs other products

  • He contrasts FDA-approved treatments (minoxidil, finasteride) as the safest/reliable starting point.
  • He positions RU58841 as potentially more effective at stopping further hair loss than finasteride in his personal experience, but with more experimental risk/uncertainty.
  • He argues shampoos and many supplements are limited because they aren’t on the scalp long enough (and biotin typically only matters if you have a deficiency).
  • He suggests “stacking” treatments (medication + micro-needling + supportive therapies) for better results—especially if aiming to regrow substantially.

Unique overall verdict / recommendation

  • Realistic expectation: keeping current hair is the best goal; complete regrowth takes time and consistency.
  • If you want the most effective path (per his experience):
    • Start with minoxidil + finasteride if you can tolerate them,
    • Add micro-needling and ketoconazole,
    • Consider red light as an add-on,
    • Consider RU58841 as a high-efficacy experimental option if appropriate/understanding risk.
  • If you’re mainly looking for “easy” supplements/shampoos: he calls them largely overrated.

Speaker views

  • Single main speaker: Spencer Gilmore (Hair Rescue founder) provides all ratings, experiences, and conclusions.
  • No other speaker contributions are present in the provided subtitles.

Original video