Peppermint oil, a plant essential oil, is a home remedy applied to the scalp for thinning hair. Its main compound cools skin and briefly raises blood flow. No controlled human study has tested it on hair; regrowth rests on animal research. Skin allergy affects a small share of people tested; strong oil can irritate. Low-cost and generally well tolerated, its hair payoff remains unproven, unlike treatments with direct human evidence. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ferritin | 50–100 ng/mL | Iron stores; low levels drive shedding |
| TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) | 0.5–2.5 mIU/L | Screens for thyroid-related shedding |
| 25(OH)D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) | 40–60 ng/mL | Low vitamin D is associated with shedding and patchy hair loss |
| Zinc (serum) | 90–120 µg/dL | Deficiency causes diffuse shedding |
| Total testosterone and DHEA-S (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; women) | Total testosterone 15–45 ng/dL; DHEA-S 100–250 µg/dL (age-dependent) | Detects androgen excess behind female pattern loss |
| Hair density (phototrichogram) | No established target; track change from own baseline | Direct measure of regrowth |
Cadence: Baseline blood tests, photographs and 48-hour forearm test before starting; skin check at 1 week; shedding counts and photographs at 3 months; photographs and hair density at 6 months and every 6 months thereafter; blood tests repeated every 6–12 months only if baseline values were abnormal or shedding worsens